How to Clinch a Promotion

At least once a year, usually at the time of an annual review, we reflect on how far we've come in our career. So what's your goal this year? A promotion? Well, read on to see how you can increase your chances of getting one!

1.

Assess your skills
Do they fit the skill set required for the promotion you want? If they don't, take note of the skills you have and the ones you need to improve or acquire. Then seeks ways to improve yourself by taking classes to cultivate the skills you lack.

2.

Communicate
Be explicit about your desire to move up in the company, especially during the evaluation session. If management is not aware that you want a promotion, there's a higher chance they may not give it to you. Being explicit about your expectations allows both the management and you to set goals and milestones to determine the right time for a promotion.

3.

Be a leader
Think about the objectives of completing a task at hand and guide your peers towards it. Understand the roles of others in your team as much as possible and explore how you can leverage on each other's strengths to complete the task. When management sees your leadership skills and how productive your integrated skills are, you'll be more likely to get that promotion.

4.

Network
Testimonials from third parties may sell you better than you can sell yourself. Make a list of people that you can count on to reinforce your success stories. If they believe in your ability to contribute, then others will be more willing to do so.

5.

Find a mentor
Successful people usually enjoy sharing their secrets to success. More often than not, they're willing to give advice, make introductions and personally assist up-and-comers within the organisation. Seek out a mentor who can help you navigate your way into getting the promotion and who may even be able to put in a good word or two for you too.

6.

Be seen and be heard
You want to make sure that your boss and your boss' boss knows about your accomplishments and contributions. The easiest way to do this is to subtly highlight them during meetings with upper management. Draw attention to yourself by highlighting your team's achievement that's tied to the topic at hand. Doing so continuously would associate you with being a valuable contributor to the organisation.

7.

Feedback
In the course of your regular work, find out how your work is being evaluated and regularly ask for feedback. Use this as a way to improve yourself or as a testimony of why you deserve the promotion.

8.

Think like a CEO; find solutions
Always keep your eyes open for more efficient ways to do your job such as streamlining a procedure or cutting costs. Impress your boss by finding solutions before presenting a problem/issue to him/her.

9.

Upgrade the way you bank
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Angelship

There was an angel whose main responsibility was to appear to humans who were close to death and to guide them on to the next life. This angel was a "he".

One day, while waiting to escort a man who will not survive a heart surgery to the other world, the normally emotionally subdued creature was dazzled by a female doctor who tried desperately to resuscitate her dead patient. Impressed by her sincere anguish in failing to do so, she suddenly became his treasure trove of curiosities.

He began to "stalk" her - he would follow her closely, study her, and even try to make himself known to her. This left her confused because as much as she was attracted to him; the more she knew about him, the less she knew. With no human identity, how could the angel tell her exactly who he was? So, doctor gave up and started seeing someone else.

The angel was upset by this. At this juncture, he was completely engrossed with her. Convinced that he could only be with her if he too was a human being, he goes out of his way to find a way to leave his "angelship". Turns out, the only way to do this was to jump off a skyscraper and he would become human only if he survived the fall. So, he did just that. After going through the trouble surviving the fall and locating the girl, he finally arrives at her doorstep. She embraces him and for the first time, they were able to spend time with each other. It seemed like a happy ending.

But if something's too good to be true, it probably is.

Guess what happened the very next day? She dies. And how did she die? She went cycling, and while rejoicing over the fact that she could spend the rest of her life with this sweet man who gave up his immortal status to be with her, she closes her eyes and stretches her hands in the air...only to get hit by a truck.

Moral of the story?

Don't close your eyes while cycling. AND, don't date anyone who cycles like that.

That pretty much sums up the film, "City of Angels". As silly as I've made it sound, I do remember the show being very romantic and I know just why. The music, and particularly, the song, "Angel" by Sarah McLachlan which was used in the film, really stirred up my emotions. Music tells me stories in way words and pictures alone, couldn't have done better. And that is why I'm so obsessed with music.

How obsessed? Well, I gave up my "angelship" (average way of life and its perceived steadiness) to live the erratic life of a musician - I'd sacrifice my whole weekend working gigs to fund and shoot a music video! And I'm loving it!

Singing "Kau Di Mindaku"...an original song that will be
featured on TV3's Muzik Muzik very soon!

What would you give up your "angelship" for? A person? A dream? A piece of treasure? Just make sure it won't cycle to its death stupidly and hurt you in the end.

Janice is the Songwriter and Vocalist of the band, Janice and the Supertank.