Let’s be real, very few of us want to work upwards of 8 hours a day to be charitable to multi-million corporations. And for the least charitably-inclined among us, we would like to climb the corporate ladder, shatter this annoying glass ceiling, and make it to the top with our dignity, sanity, and lipsticks intact, if at all possible.

So what is keeping most of us from running up the steps to the top of our individual corporate ladders (or staircases, remember the high-heel wearers here)? Why do some get promoted fast, and others, well…lag behind waiting for their bosses to retire, die or be caught in inappropriate situations with the new admin, only to be passed over for promotion by the new clean-shaven guy from some big mutual fund in New York?

There are many reasons why some get to advance in their careers, and others get to open and close the promotion doors instead. Some of these may involve really performing above expectations and showing early signs of leadership, while others frankly have more to do with the cultivated art of kissing butt. But I digress…

In a recent conversation with an ambitious and ultra career-savvy Senior Manager, I asked about all this shady corporate promotion business.

And here’s the answer I got: “Learn a skill no one else has, wants, or could dream of”.

She gave me the example of starting out in her current firm as a newbie Senior with a young child, working only 4 days a week to care for her baby. While helping out on a project, she got the opportunity to learn how to use Oracle. Fast-forward a few weeks, and the big department Director is having major headaches trying to use Oracle. As it turns out, she is one of the few who had learned this skill and was in the office that day. Long story short, she got called in to help, trained the big Director, got noticed and promoted in a few short months.

Moral of the story: This career woman knew something very few did, which made her invaluable in her team and department!

What do you know that you can use in your department, team, or organization, that others don’t? If you can’t think of anything, then what new skill can you acquire that would place you in a position to be an indispensable asset to your company?

Here are a few tips you can use to pinpoint new skills you can acquire to become precious to your team:

1. Ask Your Manager: Ask your manager the top three (3) skills they would love to see in a top member of their team;
2. Ask Your Team: Ask your team members what they are lacking, in terms of technical skills and knowledge, to perform better;
3. Work It: Work to become an expert in your field, whether it’s through acquiring a certification, volunteering to publish articles, or be the go-to person for your team and department;
4. Be Bold: Take on projects that require special expertise;
5. Look Around: Identify cumbersome processes or challenging assignments, and learn the skills required to tackle these.

What other tips would you add to this list? Please chime in.

Love,

The Corporate Sis.