Whether you have been working at a company for 10 years or just starting anew at a company, observation is one of the most important skills that you need to learn in order to advance your career.
Women work incredibly hard to make themselves visible at work and while it's true that hard work always pays off, it is also essential to know when and where you need to work hard.
If you are working overtime, spending late nights to solve corporate problems, putting all your strength into achieving company goals and still feeling stuck in the same position after all your efforts then it means all that hard work of yours was not directed towards the right people.
The moment you land a job and start your first day, begin observing the people around you, in your department, and in your team.
You need to know who is incharge, who will have a say in your promotion, who has the potential to be your friend at work, who to reach out to for questions, who gives the best training and advice, and who can connect you with more people to grow your network.
The key here is to observe, listen, and then make your move. If you plan to stay at the same company for years and are looking for some stability then it becomes all the more important to exercise your power of observation.
You will need to grow your network, find mentors who will guide you, find sponsors who will promote your work and forward your name for those important company meetings. All of this can only be possible if you have identified the right people and worked hard at the right time for those people.
Once your rapport is established among the elite, it would become easier for you to navigate your path to the top of the corporate ladder.
A little bit of detective work at the beginning can give an excellent boost to your career growth in the long run.
- The Other Working Woman
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