Climbing up the corporate ladder

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Five ways to move up the ladder of success.
Want To Climb The Corporate Ladder

If you don't believe that it's possible to move from the mailroom and into the boardroom, don't tell that to Michael R. Quinlan, former chairman and CEO of McDonald Corp. He began his illustrious career in the mailroom of the world's largest food franchise. He remains on the company's board of directors and is also its largest shareholder. Of course, there are many stories of corporate leaders reaching these heights. However, none of them reached their destinations overnight. But success is possible even from the lowest point of the socio-economic ladder. So where and how does one get started on that seemingly steep and arduous climb up?

1. ask yourself if you like the industry you are working in.

During my coaching career, I was surprised to find so many people who work in industries which don't interest them in the least bit. Yet. they long to find acceptance among their peers, gain attention from the boss and move up from their current situation. You are not going to be able to do that unless the industry you're in intrigues you and you develop an unquenching thirst to know more about it.

If you don't like the industry in which you're employed, make the effort to change that now, while you're not at the top. Try several different jobs until you find one that fits. At this juncture, you have little to lose by starting over. Even when the economy is not good, there are often lower level jobs available.

2. Immersion

Once you've decided on an industry that interests you and have found a job within that industry, absorb as much of it as you can. Read about your company, its products or services, as well as its competitors.

Find out how your employer stacks up against its peers. Read about the economic climate of the industry you're in and its prospects for the future. Be innately curious about everything and volunteer (yes, that means without expecting any overtime pay) to take on more responsibility. You're not going to learn new things by doing the same thing day in and day out.

Spend time networking with industry peers. Through networking, you broaden connections, learn new things and discover new opportunities that you would otherwise not have known about in your daily grind.

3. Get Educated

Although one can't deny the importance of hands-on experience, you can't dismiss formal education and training either. One goes hand-in-hand with the other and your prospects for upward mobility increases five-fold if you carry both undergraduate and graduate degrees.

Many corporations offer generous education benefits, often picking up the tab for courses that are job-related, including courses leading to a degree in business administration or an MBA.

4. Onward and Upward

Most successful executives today have found that the quickest route to the top is by moving on to firms offering plum assignments.

It may be a bit more difficult given today's tight job market. But during a robust job market, you can take advantage of employment opportunities that could be your ticket to the next step up.

5. Get a Personal & Professional Life Coach

By connecting with a Personal & Professional Life Coach, like myself, you can reach greater heights more easily with increased focus, clarity and direction. You bring your challenges to a telephone session and gain insights and assignments to move yourself forward. Take advantage of a complimentary 1/2 hour phone session to experience the gains that can be yours. It's an investment in yourself. WHo deserves it more?

Sometimes it is necessary to change jobs to reach greater success. While I am not advocating one casually job-hop. if you average three years at one employer and reflect upward mobility at each stint, you might find youself far more attractive to prospective employers.Allen Salikof, President and CEO of Management Recruiters International Inc. stated during an interview with the Bangor (Maine) Daily News. "If the candidate's history shows consistent increases in salary and responsibility, job hopping may tag him or her as a "hot property", said Salikof.

About the Author

Ellen partners with small to medium-sized businesses to increase communication skills, organization, and profits. She enjoys working with creative people to get their many ideas into action and completion. She is a mentor coach to new coaches. Most sessions are via telephone so geographical location is not an issue.

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