Five Ways to Beat the Odds and Get a Promotion in 2017

The new year is well underway, and many women are taking the first several months of 2017 to focus on their careers. Do you want this year to be different? Are you looking to get your first, or your next, big promotion? You’re not alone. It isn’t a secret that women are far less likely to get promoted than their male counterparts. In 2015, Business Insider published the results of a study that outlined the issue quite well. Research showed that, while men and women wanted to be promoted in equal numbers, women were far less likely to move forward in their organization. In total, women were 15 percent less likely than men to get promoted. The study added that it could take a century to reach an equilibrium. Ready to beat the odds? Here are some of the top ways to get yourself a promotion in 2017 – regardless of your gender.

1. Make Yourself Valuable

The best (and easiest) way to secure a promotion is by making yourself valuable (or invaluable) to your organization. Focus on providing the strongest results in the most efficient amount of time. Build your strength in exercises that would take significant training to teach someone else to complete. Be the first to show up in the morning and the last to leave. If your boss or supervisor needs extra work completed, take it in stride. Over time, your value to the company will grow. Then, when you ask for a promotion, your supervisor will have to consider the cost of losing you altogether to a competitor – should you not earn the top spot you clearly deserve.

2. Take Risks

You’ve heard the term “no risk, no reward” at some point in your life. In the corporate world, this holds true. Experiment within your position. Innovate. Learn how to make your job easier and more efficient. Start to accept failure with success. Even if you strike out with a few clients or make a mistake, you are preparing yourself for the day when one of your risks supplies a serious reward. When that day comes, your promotion will be waiting for you.

3. Develop Strong Relationships

As someone interested in moving up the corporate ladder, you should already know that few (if any) things are more important than networking. Create a LinkedIn account and begin networking with others in your industry. While you build connections outside of the office, you should also focus on building connections within the office. The closer you become with your co-workers, your supervisor, and important clients, the better positioned you will be for your promotion. Not convinced? Fortune has a great article on the importance of networking that you ought to read.

4. Never Stop Learning

Education is an incredibly important asset in the workplace. Whether you are learning from books, documentaries, audio files, or hands-on experience, continuing your education in all aspects of your life will make you a more well-rounded individual. This will put you in a prime position for a promotion.

5. Be a Team Player

If you hope to become a supervisor or manager this year, it is vital that you prove your status as a team player. Work closely with your co-workers and develop your skills. Always been an independent worker? Elite Daily has a great piece about the importance of being a team player. The more you learn on the topic, the more successful you’ll be.

Whether you are mastering all of these traits, or simply mastering one, you will put yourself in an optimum position for a promotion in 2017.

Good luck!

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Gloria Martinez believes that while women have made many advancements toward “shattering the glass ceiling,” there is still much to be done. It is her aim to help increase the number of women-led businesses by educating others about the topic.