Actively managing your career
What often comes as a surprise to many people is that in many situations you have great scope to manage your career. Waiting year after year for your boss to give you that promotion (that never comes) with the saving grace being your freedom to curse them in private and (in some cases, and unadvisedly) in public, is not a great place to be. So if you feel that your career is not being managed well by others (or even if it is) there is a lot that you can do to better your cause. These are:
• Take credit for the things you have done. Don't show off. Simply be clear and transparent about your accomplishments and communicate them.
• Have a clear plan of where you want to be career-wise in (say) 5 years. Note down the steps, perhaps in 6 month tranches, that you must take to get there and monitor that your career is tracking as required.
• Do your core job well. Remember that if you do your core job well it is a great launch-pad for career advancement. However, if the basics are not done well you will be continually pegged back and at some point the phrase 'don't run before you can walk' will be uttered and you will feel demoralized.
• Challenging your pay or status. This is a really tough one and hence I'm reluctant to provide advice as each situation is different as is every boss. However, I believe that a good rule is not to challenge your pay or status multiple times. I think that it is appropriate to question your level of compensation and/or your status if it is clear to you that you are punching well above your weight and that compared to your peers you are not being treated fairly. A good manager will try to pre-empt such conversations to ensure that you are fairly rewarded throughout your career but that is not always possible as the purse strings are often outside their control. If you make a play for (say) an increased base salary make sure that you are confident in the value you bring the business. If your boss says "no" you are left in an awkward situation. Your boss knows that you may now be upset (and may rightly or wrongly perceive that you are now less motivated than before the request was made) which could affect your position going forward. However, if it is clear that you add value and that you are not being properly compensated for what you do a conversation may be worthwhile. Make the conversation friendly, be tactful and make sure you don't lose the respect of your manager. If you are fortunate enough to receive a pay rise or promotion remember that your boss may have gone out on a limb to get th