5 Tips to Climb Up the Position ladder
Most of us would like to see our careers progress as the years go by. We expect to climb up the seniority ladder as we gain more experience. How can you improve your chance to land a senior tech position?
Well, If Price’s Law teaches us something, it’s that a small group of individuals are responsible for most of the results. Those individuals are most likely to be promoted and pushed up the career ladder.
I have always observed top people closely trying to capture what makes them unique. Here are 5 principles by which I believe you can land yourself a senior tech position.
1. Be Open to New Ideas
You are only as smart as you are willing to learn. Successful people are always open to new ideas, approaches and techniques. It’s very easy to think your way is the right one, when in fact you probably have much to gain if you only listen to the people around you. Share ideas, get inspired from other people’s ideas, adjust your design when new useful information arrives. Openness leads to a true diversity of the thought and will take you far.
2. Work at Least 10% Harder
Be ready to put in the hard work to produce extraordinary results. Perfecting your skills to be top notch is a slow, grinding process that takes many hours of practice to achieve. There are only a limited number of top positions and when the opportunity arises, your manager will look at those that went the extra mile. Working only 10% harder will give you that edge and make you stand out when it’s time to nominate someone to the leading role.
3. Be Proactive
Identify real problems in your field of activity and provide solutions. It doesn’t have to be some grand idea. Even small improvements in working methods or development environment, could make a great impact. Don’t just throw ideas in the air and expect your boss to bring them to life. Follow through on your idea. Suggest actionable items, help build a plan and help implement it. Don’t get discouraged if some of your suggestions don’t go through, just pick up another problem and keep being proactive.
4. Step Out of Your Comfort Zone and Innovate
It’s always easier to stay within the well adopted technology in the company. Most of the time it also makes sense. You already have all the infrastructure, practices and skills in place. That will carry you for a while but what happens when the rest of the world moves on? Make yourself stand out by pushing for innovation. Be the person to introduce new and exciting frameworks to the team. Be able to explain why it’s worth investing the extra time in, instead of doing it the good old way and you will gain glory!
5. Invest in Connections
Finally and maybe most importantly, invest in building relationships with your peers. I can’t stress enough how much that helped me. Isolation equals to a professional death. You want to be able to lean on someone to teach you something new, provide you a reference or have a nice chat. Investing in connections pays out, both in the short and long run.
Conclusion
Landing your ideal position isn’t easy. You may fail to cease some opportunities, while others will surface. Listen to people, make yourself stand out, work hard and the right opportunity will find you.