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I’ve been an executive leadership and career coach for over 25 years, and although I mainly work with business owners and C-Suite executives, from time to time I have the opportunity to work with young people as they take the first steps on their career journey. On the occasions when I’ve worked with young leaders and seen them grow and achieve over the years, I’ve found these engagements to be among the most rewarding.
So for the many young leaders I’ve never met or coached in person, I wanted to share some tips that I emphasize with young coaching clients to help them get noticed and be considered for promotion.
Tip # 1: Ask for Constructive Feedback
I always have executives seek constructive feedback from their direct reports, peers, and direct manager. I usually suggest the “Stop-Start-Continue” question, which I believe is also a good question for younger employees to ask their direct managers and coworkers.
Stop – What do I need to stop doing that works against me and/or doesn’t help me meet my goals and expectations?
Start – What do I need to start doing that will benefit me and help me meet my goals and expectations?
Continue – What do I need to continue doing that is currently benefiting me and will help me achieve my goals?
The answers to these questions will help you get a clearer picture of your manager’s and coworkers’ expectations and what success looks like to them, as well as how you’re perceived by those you work with. The key is to avoid getting defensive when you receive this feedback. Take it as it is: information you can use to do better. Work on implementing and applying it—then periodically ask the same people how you’re progressing.
Tip # 2: Identify a Mentor at Work
An empathic, well-informed mentor can be truly transformative, especially at the outset of your career. Reach out to more experienced employees to find and grow a relationship with someone willing and able to mentor you. Maybe this is your direct manager, or someone in your company who is well respected and who has a good deal of experience in the industry and/or the company. If this isn’t a direct manager, it may be a “rock star” who isn’t in management. Have the courage to ask them questions and initiate a relationship with them. Many top performers are eager and willing to take a younger employee under their wing.
Ask for advice, pick their brain, and get their perspective—tap into their company and industry knowledge and experience. Ask about how and where they started in the company and in their careers. What additional training or courses did they take? Ask them if they have a mentor. Be curious about your industry, job, and career track, and show that you’re eager to learn.
Tip # 3: Don’t Rely too Much on HR
Many young employees tend to “latch on” to someone in HR when they first start with a new company. This is understandable, since HR employees are often their main contact for anything and everything, at least during the onboarding phase. Some young, new employees rely on HR for support when they aren’t happy with part of their job, feel something isn’t right or fair, or have concerns about their interactions with their manager or teammates.
While HR is a key resource for any employee when they have questions or something isn’t right, I usually recommend your direct manager as your first point of contact for issues or concerns. This is part of “managing up.” Just as a manager will go directly to an employee with an issue, a direct report needs to see that their most effective direct line of communication is usually their direct manager, and then their direct manager’s manager.
Hopefully your manager will help answer questions, bring clarity, and solve most issues. Obviously, there are situations where it’s appropriate to go directly to HR, but it’s vital to make your direct manager, and their direct manager, your key allies. Learn to talk to them and propose ideas, ask questions, seek advice about needs and obstacles, and your career goals in general.
Tip # 4: Build Strategic Relationships
We’ve all heard the saying, it’s not what you know but who you know. I’m a firm believer in building and cementing key relationships because these relationships are critical to maximizing any career. From your first day on the job, you’ll benefit from getting to know the people you work with and work for.
Take a look at the organization chart. Know who the members of the executive team are and who your manager’s peers are. Also identify who the key influencers and top performers are across the organization. This group of people is often the source of a potential mentor and they’re key people to build relationships with over time.
Tip # 5: Show Up Early and Stay Late
Employers place high value on employees who go the extra mile. In sports we always hear that the top players are the first ones to arrive at practice or the gym, and they’re the last ones to leave. These MVPs set the tone and example for their teammates. By making yourself an example of strong work ethic and dedication, and showing that you want more responsibility, you can present yourself as an employee with advancement potential. But don’t just show up early, stay late, and do the minimum all day—be productive before everyone else arrives, and be productive after everyone leaves.
Tip # 6: Be Humble and Ask for Help
Humility is one of the keys to building beneficial relationships. I wouldn’t advise showing up at a new job, especially early in your career, and acting like you already know the ropes. Show up with a learning mindset and a gracious attitude.
Additionally, with tasks and responsibilities that you may be learning from scratch, your coworkers won’t expect you to know how to do everything on day one. If you get overwhelmed while training and learning and trying to keep your head above water, go easy on yourself. Raise your hand and ask your manager or teammate for help. Some people fear asking for help because they fear being perceived as incompetent or inferior. But it’s okay, we all had to start somewhere. The key is not to charge forward with blinders on and risk doing something wrong or failing to accomplish the task at hand.
Tip # 7: Show Initiative
You won’t get noticed if you retreat into the background, are passive, and don’t speak up. Be proactive and ask questions to better understand what you and your team are doing and what the goal is.
Don’t get stuck on the problem. Instead, cultivate a problem-solver mindset to guide you as you take action. Show initiative and a can-do attitude. Bring energy to your team rather than taking energy away. Seek out on your own the knowledge, resources, and tools that can help you, because you’re the CEO of your job.
Tip # 8: Make Your Manager Look Good
Your job is to make your manager’s job easier and show them in a good light, and a great way to achieve that is to be a top performer. Meet with your manager regularly to learn what’s important to them. Try to understand their pressure points, frustrations, and what brings them energy. Think ahead and anticipate what’s coming up, what’s due, and what obstacles could come up that haven’t been considered.
If you’re attentive to what’s important to your manager, they will be attentive to what’s important to you. Try and remove their stresses and energy drainers and help them succeed and look good in the eyes of their manager and other employees. Don’t get caught up in negative talk or gossip. Focus on the job, task, and goals at hand.
Tip # 9: Exhibit Critical Thinking
Even if your tasks are repetitive, or employees are required to follow strict rules, critical thinking is still important. It helps you deal with unexpected challenges and improve processes. Critical thinking helps you assess the good and bad sides of each option and ensures that you make decisions based on facts, not just guesswork.
In the face of complex problems, critical thinkers can make a problem easier to solve. Look for opportunities to break down complex problems into manageable parts. Then create a step-by-step process to address each component separately. Always consider what can be improved, made more efficient, or what others may have missed
Tip # 10: Say “Yes” to Work Even When it’s not Energizing to You
Show enthusiasm and treat every job or task like it’s the most important. Your career will advance accordingly. Sometimes volunteering for a task that nobody else wants to do can make you stand out in a positive way. It shows that you’re easy to work with, you don’t complain, and that you’re eager to help in any way that’s needed.
Tip # 11: Control your Emotions and Communicate with a Clear Head (Emotional Intelligence)
Numerous workforce studies have confirmed that over 80% of the competencies that equate to career success are based on emotional intelligence. How we control our emotions and communicate with others in times of stress and frustration is key to developing and exhibiting emotional intelligence. Emotional intelligence is critical to building trust, relationships, and the confidence others have in us, and it’s a set of competencies that you can consciously develop and refine.
Here’s a summary of the important Emotional Intelligence Competencies:
Empathy - The ability to sense other people's emotions, coupled with the ability to imagine what someone else might be thinking or feeling.
Relationship Management - The ability to develop, maintain, and strengthen partnerships with others inside or outside the organization who can provide information, assistance, and support.
Self-Awareness - Recognizing one’s own emotions and their effect on performance. Awareness of personal strengths and limitations and the desire to receive feedback to improve.
Self-Management – Controlling or redirecting one’s own emotions; anticipating consequences before acting on impulse.
Social Awareness - Managing relationships, inspiring others and inducing desired responses from them.
Tip # 12: Be a Problem Solver
Bring solutions not problems to your manager and to your team. This is tied to critical thinking and showing initiative. Focus on the goal and how to achieve it rather than the obstacles that stand in the way. This might involve thinking outside the box, picking the brain of a consultant or someone outside of the team or company, or doing research or market analysis. Be the solution!
Tip # 13: Own Your Mistakes
Everyone makes mistakes. It’s how you learn from them and manage the consequences that will make you successful. Own your mistakes and hold yourself accountable—don’t place blame or get defensive. Mistakes are a part of learning and growing. Identify what you learned and what you’ll do next time. Stay positive and focus on being the best you can be every day.
Being accountable and handling setbacks and challenges in a positive manner shows maturity and professionalism and helps build the trust and confidence of those you work with.
Tip # 14: Stay in Your Lane
We’ve all worked with someone who often points out what’s not fair, or complains about what others get to do that they don’t. This kind of coworker tends to focus more of their energy on either playing the victim, or they stray far out of their lane and veer into things that have nothing to do with them. Don’t be that person. Avoid getting distracted by what privileges or rewards others have. While some employees waste time this way, you’re much better off focused on achieving your goals and handling the things that are under your control. Stay in your lane and prioritize your work and your manager’s goals and expectations.
Tip # 15: Be Patient—Success Takes Time
Nobody starts out at the top of the organization chart. We all need time to learn and grow in our careers. Over my 20+ years of executive coaching, I’ve seen plenty of younger employees throw a roadblock in their own path by being too aggressive or impatient.
As you talk to your mentors, learning their timeline will be good information to gather. I’m currently coaching two CEO’s that started with their respective company while in their mid-twenties. They were patient, implemented many of the tips I’ve provided in this article, and they were in the conversations for various promotions over the years. They both told me that being patient was a key factor to where they are today.
…And Best of Luck!
I hope you’ve found these tips helpful. Maybe you’re doing several of these things already. Stay focused on what you can control, stay positive, and I wish you nothing but the best in your career.