You may have recently done an interview or an appraisal. You may also be looking for that next big promotion, the title change you always wanted, or just a raise in general.
This will show you how to go about getting paid more for your work. Being promoted is good. Getting a pay rise after doing the same job is even better!
This will guide you through how to do so using some simple techniques and methods:
Step 1: Be More Efficient
I once heard someone say “if you do more than one thing at once, it counts as 2 things.” I applied this to my correspondence on Facebook while watching TV – sure enough, I did twice as much! Apply this principle to every task – if possible; try to complete 2 or more tasks at once.
Step 2: Take On Extra Work – Nothing Paid, Yet
If you’re already doing something paid, see if there’s any other work you can take on for no pay. For example, I write a weekly article for my company’s site, which is a definite plus point in terms of getting promoted and which helps me stand out from the crowd. Time spent writing that article could instead be spent elsewhere however – maybe volunteering to do an extra job within your department or taking on a hobby. This way, it counts as twice as much effort – without you having done anything!
This works best if it’s volunteer work – because rather than working for free, you’ll actually be gaining experience as well as being seen as a go-getter.
Step 3: Get Promotion Experience
In some positions you have to have shown experience of leading a team or managing people before getting the job – but that’s no reason not to get some beforehand! Reach out to your department or company and offer free help for anything they might need. This shows initiative, willingness to learn new skills, and commitment without any financial gain by you – so it will look great when asked about in an appraisal. This is especially good if you’re applying for a management position at a higher level! You can show how much input you had into projects, meetings, team-building exercises etc. It really makes sure that your name is remembered and builds up that essential promotion experience.
Step 4: Get More Quality Work Experience
This goes back to the old saying “knowledge is power.” You need to know what you’re doing – companies don’t want people who make silly mistakes or worse, damage the company! The best way to do this is by getting more quality work experience. If you’re not at school/college anymore, see if you can volunteer for a few hours per week working with something that interests you. This shows that you have dedication and are willing to learn new skills without being paid for it or having any great benefit for yourself. It’s definitely worth looking into if your company has an internship scheme as well – once again, this gets noticed straight away. Volunteering also puts you in touch with people who will be great contacts in the future.
Step 5: Get Promoted – Even At Your Current Job
There are ways to get promoted even at your current position! Just take a look around you, see who’s doing what and what they’re getting paid. Then try to do an equivalent job for someone else – perhaps even outside of your department. For example, let’s say that you’re working as an office manager for one team but want to move up into management. You could volunteer another department with their admin work, essentially doing the same job but earning more by keeping it ‘off record’! Over time this can add up quite nicely – plus, if it goes unnoticed or is passed over during appraisal time, no harm done!
Step 6: Look For Freelance Work
In general, freelancers are paid quite a bit more than your standard full-time employees – especially if you have specialist knowledge or can provide a service that isn’t available anywhere else. If you’re already working part-time and can juggle the hours around then this is definitely worth looking into. This also has the added bonus of keeping options open for those who don’t want to work at their current company and want to take some time out! So not only will you be advancing your career, but you’ll also be paid well for it as well.
Step 7: Follow Your Passion!
Even though this seems like an ‘extra’ step, I think it’s actually pretty important if you’re going to be spending 40+ hours a week at something! If you’re already earning £20,000+ a year and are happy in your current position, then this is probably not for you. But there’s nothing wrong with following your passion – it could give you even more ideas on how to earn money, plus it gives you something to do when all of the lights go out!
Conclusion:
If that’s still not an option right now because of personal circumstances etc, then just read around and find some other ways that interest you. You’ll soon see that there are loads of options out there!
