Advancing Our Careers

According to a report by Lore International Institute, women and minorities don’t know how to distinguish the "career-advancing assignments" from the "dead ends." So often I have seen this. Women accept those positions which are less visible, perceived as less risky. They evaluate an opportunity only for the job at hand, not the potential.

We need to always be looking beyond our immediate position. This is tough for some of us, who may still believe that if we work hard and do well, we will be rewarded with promotions. Maybe we would like to leave that up to someone else. Far too many of us are unfamiliar with our corporation’s organizational chart, which provides a good idea of who works for who, and how career paths are followed.

Titles may have nothing to do with salary. Two people with the same title may earn entirely different incomes, depending on whether they work in line or staff (See Each of Us.) If you haven’t been around long enough to watch people move up, find out what positions those in power previously held. And, don’t rule out changing companies. Historically, those who change companies move up faster and earn more than those who are loyal to one.

We need to see this path as a career path, not a series of unrelated jobs. Awareness is the first step. Small adjustments make a big difference.