23 tips for a better career as an employee

Many people are stuck in their careers at the office because they don’t know the unspoken rules of promotions. Here are a few principles that I learned during my time as an employee, before I became an entrepreneur.

Disclaimer: nothing here is professional advice or advice of any kind – take everything with a grain of salt and do what works for you in your situation, according to your values and objectives. This is just a map – you decide whether it fits where you are, where you want to go, and how fast.

Doing more of what got you here won’t get you there

A common scenario I’ve observed countless times. A young graduate, let’s call him Mark, gets an internship. Mark is good at Microsoft Excel. At the end of the internship, his boss hires him, specifically mentioning his Excel skills. Mark spends the next three years focusing on getting better and better at Excel. He makes the best spreadsheets in the company. And yet, no promotion comes.

The #1 reason people get stuck in life is that they keep doing what worked for them in the past, even if it's not what's required for their future.

Yes, being good with Excel might have been what got you the job, but it won’t be what will get you promoted.

Similarly, there is this common misconception that once you get promoted, you can become more proactive. No. It’s being proactive that will make you promoted.

Don’t do chronic overtime

Occasional overtime is okay; needed, perhaps. Every now and then, there will be important milestones such as a product launch. You are expected to do what it takes to ensure that they are completed on time.

However, doing overtime every week is a signal that you can’t manage your current job. In other words, that you are not ready for the next one. Your boss might be afraid that if he promotes you and gives you more responsibilities, your reaction would be to work even longer – eventually dropping some balls or burning out. No thanks, better give the promotion to someone else.

Wait – what? Isn’t working overtime something that companies reward? No, not really. They’re glad if you work a lot, of course. But they won’t promote you just because of that.

Here is what I would do instead. If your office hours end at 5 pm, stop working on your current tasks at 5 pm. Then, if you want, keep staying at the office – but work on something that would make you better at the job above yours. For example, learn a relevant skill, spend time getting to know senior colleagues, or think about new business opportunities for your company. But don’t do more of what you’re already doing. It won’t bring you forward much.

Even better: if your office hours end at 5 pm, strive to finish your current tasks by 4 pm. Then, reserve the last hour for growth activities.

This is hard to pull off at the beginning. However, this constraint will force you to delegate more and to drop the least important tasks, ultimately making you more effective. You'll also be more likely to leave your workplace on time and have more time for yourself and your loved ones.

Your to-do list

On your first day, your boss probably took some time to walk you through a list of tasks you have been assigned. Never make the mistake of believing that these are all you should do.

If all you do is completing these tasks, career progression will be slow, if any. More importantly, getting better at them or working overtime on them is unlikely to bring you any tangible benefit.

Instead, you should consider the list of tasks assigned by your boss to you as a starting point. Over time, you should discover which of these tasks should be done well because they matter, which should be done at the bare minimum level just to “check them off” your to-do list, and most importantly, which important tasks are not on your to-do list but should be.

A good place to start is by asking yourself, what do your boss and your boss’ boss do that is not an exclusive prerogative of their role? For example, telling others what to do is a prerogative of their role, and you probably shouldn’t do that. But finding business opportunities and making processes more efficient are two tasks you might consider taking on.

Of course, do not break any boundaries. For example, come up with ideas of potential clients to contact, but do not contact them unless you have your boss’s approval. But the point is: you get to the next job by showing that you would be good at your next job, not just the current one.

Why you must discover by yourself what’s to be done

Let me clarify a common doubt. If there is anything you should do, your boss would have told you, right? Wrong. There might have been many reasons for which your boss might not have mentioned that. For example, he didn’t know about it, or he put it on his to-do list to let you know but always forgets, or he hinted at it but not explicitly enough for you to notice.

Alternatively, he might think that the task is someone else’s job. For example, he might think that finding new business opportunities is the salespeople’s job. Yes, it is, but that doesn’t matter that if you work in the back-office you cannot come up with good ideas for new opportunities. Nor it means that being able to recognize business opportunities isn’t a prerequisite for a promotion – especially if the next role is expected to be able to do so. I got myself into consulting from a back-office job by making suggestions no one asked me to make.

Two more reasons your boss might not tell you what’s important that you do is that he’s afraid that you might take his job or that he doesn’t think that you’d be up for the challenge. Neither is a reason good enough for you not to try.

Finally, there’s one last reason might not tell you everything that you need to do to get promoted. He knows that the role to which you aim to get promoted requires proactivity – and the best test to know whether you’d be a good fit is to see if you’re proactive enough to find out what you should do to get there.

It’s by being who you want to become that you get there.

Some good questions

Consider asking the following questions to your boss:

1. What, of what I’m doing, is not adding value (and I could stop doing)?

2. What am I doing wrong?

3. What are you expecting me to do that I’m not doing yet?

4. Anything I can do to help you?

Better to know the answers sooner than later.

Don’t worry about the risk of being given more stuff to do. First of all, questions #1 and #2 are likely to decrease your workload instead of increasing it. Second, if your boss gives you additional tasks, you can always say, “there would be too much on my plate, what other tasks of mine should I give up?”

Here are some more good questions to ask, this time to people in the position you aspire to reach over the next 2-5 years:

1. What are the requirements, explicit and implicit, to get where you are?

2. What did you do that helped you get here?

3. What did you do that, in hindsight, turned out to be a waste of time?

The people to whom you ask these last three questions do not have to work at your company – look for answers inside and outside (but careful with contacting competitors, though, if policies or ethics forbid it; consider asking to people covering the position you seek in another industry or reading information from public sources, taking everything with a grain of salt).

Asking for support

It is your boss’s job to help you be effective. Whenever you face an obstacle that you cannot solve by yourself, or that would be addressed much faster if your boss intervened, ask him for support.

Some examples of support you can request:

• “I’ve never done X. I would need some training.”

• “To complete my task, I need input from Legal, but they’re not replying to my emails. Can you give them a call so that they do not delay my project?”

• “This task is way below my paygrade. Can we outsource it?”

Of course, you should not ask for help on anything you can solve within 15 minutes with the help of a Google search or by asking your colleague next door.

Lazy vs. Effective

It will happen that one day, your boss gives you one task too much. It is your responsibility to tell him or her that you have too much on your plate.

Many prefer not to ask because of the risk of appearing lazy. They try to handle everything – either burning themselves out or making some mistake. This is not good, neither for you nor for your company.

Instead, you can ask in the following way, which will make your boss think not that you’re lazy but that you’re effective: “Boss, I have too much on my plate and cannot possibly do everything well enough and on schedule. Which of my tasks should I postpone or outsource?”

It’s not lazy to ask for support. It’s lazy not to ask.

Efficacy vs. efficiency

Here’s a mistake that too many young employees make. At university, money was the constraint. Students do what they can with what they have. Later, they use the same approach at work. If they are given a task and a budget, they would rather achieve 80% of the target with 50% of the budget rather than going over budget.

Sometimes, this is appropriate. Other times, it’s a mistake. In many companies, the constraint is not money but results. Your boss might be glad to increase your budget by 20% if that means you will reach your target but might be furious if you fail to achieve it – even if that meant money saved.

Never compromise on results. If you are given a target and feel like you might not achieve it, raise your hand as soon as possible and ask for what you need. When you do so, make sure that you ask for support first, and only ask for a target relief if you’re denied the support. Asking for a target relief first does make you seem lazy.

Asking for raises and opportunities The first rule of raises and opportunities is: don’t ask, don’t get.

Sure, you might have seen someone getting a raise because it would be impolite not to do so after five years of loyal service. But the point is, how much more would she be paid now if she had asked for a raise the right way every 12-18 months?

You must ask for raises and growth opportunities.

A test for proactivity

Many companies do not tell their employees about opportunities for professional growth, such as internal job openings or career programs. Their reasoning is that career opportunities and cash are limited resources. They should be given not just to those who deserve them but to those who have enough ambition to do more for the company. And what’s a better test for ambition than seeing what comes asking for more?

Don't ask, don't get.

I know; I also wish that I hadn’t had to ask for what I deserved. Sadly, that’s how things work in some companies. And if that’s representative of your workplace, there is little you can do other than acknowledge the situation and either ask for more, get yourself another job, or accept that nothing will change much anytime soon.

The 3 ingredients to a raise

There are three components of getting raises.

1. Know what is possible. In many industries, a raise every 12-18 months is realistic.

2. Do the work. You must show that you delivered value to the company beyond what’s expected from your current paygrade. Not that you worked harder, but that you delivered more value.

3. Ask for it. Make a well-thought case of why you deserve more.

Let’s see each point one-by-one.

Know what is possible

You must know what reasonably talented people in your role and industry can expect as a career progression. It will make the next two points easier: you will be more motivated to put in the work, you will be more likely to ask for a raise, and you will have a better argument when asking for it.

Common sources to know what a good career progression looks like in your industry is to consult dedicated websites such as glassdoor dot com, online communities, and hanging out with people who’ve been where you’re at.

Yes, I know, if you ask an ethical professional how much he makes, he might not answer the question (because of confidentiality). But it’s fair to ask how frequently he asked for a raise and what it took for him to get it.

Do the work

Of course, you should do the work to ensure that you provide enough value so that when you ask for a raise, it’s justified. Also, unless you genuinely believe that you did the work to deserve a raise, you won’t feel confident enough while asking for it.

“Do the work” means “do what it takes so that your boss is willing to ask his own boss to give you a raise and that he has a great argument for it.” (Yes, I know, your boss might have the authority to give you a raise without asking – but it doesn’t mean that he won’t have to justify it to his own boss.)

Ask for it

The best time to ask for a raise is perhaps during your yearly performance review, but you don’t have to wait for it necessarily, especially if it’s months away.

Before meeting your boss, make sure you’re well prepared. List down the following:

• The tangible value you brought to your boss or to the company, preferably with the financial value of your contribution (e.g., I closed the Nike project for $X, the process I improved saved $X, and so on).

• How much you’re asking for a raise.

• Why this is not much (because you can make their money back, because other companies offer similar progressions, etc.)

Show you did the work.

Handling objections

The most common objection your boss might give you is, “we don’t have the budget.” This might or might not be true. Regardless, you should ask for clarifications on whether it is a temporary thing that will resolve soon. Unless you’re given a clear answer that explains step-by-step when funds will become available and from where, you should assume funds will always be an issue. Too many people waited for “just a few more months” for a raise that never materialized.

At this point, you have three options.

1. Ask for a raise but not in cash. More vacation days, for example, but also growth opportunities (such as trainings, mentorships, etc.) or more interesting projects to work on. Alternatively, you can ask to be relieved from some of the tasks that are draining your energy – such as having to file travel expense reimbursements yourself or other menial tasks that can be outsourced to someone else.

2. Look for another job. If you are not satisfied with the career paths that your company is offering, feel free to look for another job – at another company, or at your current company but in a better-funded department, if any.

3. Work with your boss on a solution that would give the company enough funds to give you a raise. This doesn’t apply to all companies, but you can always propose to your boss something along the lines of: “let me pursue this new project / client / opportunity, and if it succeeds, I get a raise.”

If you go for the last solution, make sure that you define what “if it succeeds” means in objective terms. Example: “if I bring a new client worth at least $200k” or “if I manage to increase production to X units an hour.”

(We’re about halfway through this post… If you think that it has been useful, please share it with your network!)

Asking for a career opportunity

This is not so different from asking for a raise. The points listed above apply here too. In addition, you should also list:

• The times you demonstrated the skills that are needed for the career opportunity you’re about to ask.

• The tangible benefits that your boss and company are likely to receive if you are given the opportunity. Be realistic but not conservative.

When to ask for a raise or a career opportunity

The number one rule is: inform yourself to what a reasonably fast-paced career progression looks like in your industry, then try to match this pace. You do not want to look for geniuses for whom work is the sole focus of your lives, but you do not want to look for average employees either. Look for reasonably ambitious people whose life you would be willing to exchange places with (both the good and the bad).

Once you know how fast a good career progresses, try to replicate it. If, for example, this means a raise every 18 months, then ask for a raise at least every 18 months.

Do not let too much time pass by

It’s important that you do not let too much time pass for two reasons: compounding and precedents.

Compounding. In most cases, raises depend on your previous salary. This means that failing to increase your salary once means that all future salaries of yours will be lower than they could have been. For example, let’s s say that Adam and Bob both got hired at the same time, for a salary of $2000 a month. After one year, Adam gets a raise up to $2200. Bob doesn’t. At the end of their second year, they both ask and receive a raise. Adam now earns $2400 whereas Bob earns $2200. This is true even if Adam’s and Bob’s output is the same! And what’s worse, it’s that this difference will keep compounding over the rest of their careers.

This applies to promotions too. A fast early career might make your later career faster. Similarly, you might want to consider that grabbing job opportunities is easier when you’re in your twenties and flexible than when you’re thirty and perhaps with children.

Setting a precedent. The more times you let pass without asking for a raise, the more you set a precedent that you’re okay with not receiving raises. This is bad for two reasons. First, your boss will be more likely to think that he can refuse or postpones eventual future requests of yours, for you’ll keep being a good employee anyway. Second, you will be less likely to ask for raises in the future or to do so confidently.

If you want to go fast, you must keep the momentum up.

Of course, the fact that a fast progression is possible doesn’t mean that you should go for it. Look inside you, what you want, and what your values are. Consider the negative impact that a promotion that requires a move might have on your social circle and family. Again, this essay is a map, and as with any map, it should only be used if it contains the path you want to take.

Never accept an increase in responsibility without getting something in return

For the same two reasons listed above, whenever it happens that your boss increases your responsibilities, always ask for something in return.

It doesn’t have to be a raise or a promotion, especially if you received one not long ago. You can ask for more holidays, flexible working hours, better tools to do your job more efficiently, more internal support, trainings, certifications, and so on. You can ask to work on better projects or to be relieved from bad clients. (“Better” depends on what you look for: less stress? Bigger challenges? It’s up to you. But don’t let chances to make your time at work better.)

Weekly updates

Send your boss weekly email updates – especially if he didn’t ask for it.

Keep them short. Do not waste his time.

Don’t write what you did last week (do so only if you did something remarkable; you do not want to pass as needy). Instead, write about what you’ll do this upcoming week. Mention the bottlenecks you’re facing. Your boss might help and will anyway be more considerate of the obstacle you face. He might even improve your processes or give you support.

Here’s a template.

Boss Name,

Last week, Mark and I closed the Williams contract, worth $300k.

This week, I will work on the Chicago project. I am still waiting for the contract review from Legal – could you please give them a call to ensure they send it by tomorrow? This would help ensure that the project continues smoothly.

Thank you,

Your name

Short, to the point, actionable, not wasting your boss’ time.

Mentorship

Some people find mentors to be of great help. I do agree, though I do not believe that you need a formal one. The alternative would be, at each stage of your career, to find a person whose advice can help you. Then, reach out to him and ask for help or advice.

This will help you get where you want to be much faster than otherwise.

Asking for help and advice

The first rule of asking for help is to avoid wasting your mentor’s time.

This means, when you first reach out to him or her, always ask for what you need directly. Do not ask for a call or a meeting. Ask for what you need. Meetings should be an option at his or her discretion, not the object of your request. This is because many people are willing to help you but have little time available. The less time you request for them, and the easier you make it for them to help you, the more chances you have they will do it.

The second rule of asking for help is to explain what you will do with it. The more your mentor sees that what you want to do is impactful, the more he will be willing to help you. Of course, if there’s something in it for him, highlight it. But it’s okay to ask for something he or she will gain nothing out of it, as long as it’s impactful.

The third rule of asking for help is to write personal emails. Cold emails (the technical name for an email sent to someone you never met) don’t have to be “cold” as in “impersonal.” The opposite: you should tailor them to their recipient, explaining why you are reaching out to him or her specifically and why they are uniquely positioned to help you. As a rule of thumb, if your cold email could have been sent to any other recipient just by changing the name, it’s spam.

To summarize: make it easy and worthwhile for others to help you. If you do, you will be surprised by how many people will be willing to help you. If you don’t, you might end up believing that you’re alone and the world is a selfish place.

Understanding metrics

You must know and understand three sets of metrics: the ones that measure your performance, the ones that measure your boss’s performance, and the ones that measure your company or department’s performance.

Unless you do, you will not be able to know what tasks are for. You will risk doing something useless and not knowing it. Also, you will miss a lot of opportunities to be effective.

The three sets of metrics listed above can and should become one of the compasses you can use at work to decide what to do, what to prioritize, and what to explore (the other compass should be your values).

Finally, there’s one more set of metrics you should familiarize yourself with: the metrics that measure performance at the next job in your career progression. You do not need to work on them right now, but you must work on the skills that will be needed – and eventually find ways to showcase them. After all, that’s one way to demonstrate you’re ready for your next job.

The three factors that influence your career

Three factors will have a disproportionate influence on your career.

1. How good you are at your job. Obviously.

2. How fast is your department / company / region / industry growing. The faster it grows, the more budget and opportunities will be available.

3. How good is your manager, and how aligned your values are. A bad manager might become your worst nightmare and significantly affect your income and stress levels, and thus your life outside of work.

Too many people focus on the first one and leave the other two to chance. Don’t. The impact work has on your life is too important.

Of course, this doesn’t mean “forget about your childhood friends and dreams and go to work in tech in San Francisco.” It means to know that where you work opens some doors and closes others, and that good opportunities can be found in the unsexy city if you look for them in the right industry. Make an intentional choice based on your dreams and values, and do not let it up to chance.

Similarly, your boss might be the best or worse thing that happened in your career. While interviewing for a job, make a point of meeting your new boss or ask your potential future colleagues about him or her. If you find yourself with a terrible boss, find a way to get a new one (for example, by transferring to another team or company). Otherwise, he or she might wreck your career, health, and personal life.

A recap of the most important points

• Doing more of what got you here won’t get you there.

• Don’t work more hours than necessary; if you want, use the extra time to do what will get you your next job, not more of the work you’re already doing.

• Ask for what would make you more effective – it’s in everyone’s benefit.

• Know when you should ask for raises. Prepare yourself by showing the value you delivered in $$ terms. Handle objections.

• When asking for help, don’t waste your recipient’s time and make it easy for them to help you.

• Know the metrics that matter to your job, your boss’, and your company.

• Don’t leave to chance who you work for and who’s your boss.

Conclusions

These were a few of the things I learned too late about career in a corporate environment. Hopefully, they will be of help to you.

I wrote a book from a similar point of view, called 100 Truths You Will Learn Too Late. It got great reviews and helped hundreds of people. You can download a copy here.

If you know anyone who could benefit from this blog post, please share it with them! Also, you might want to subscribe to my newsletter to receive future ones.