"Working your way up", how have you done it? What obstacles did you personally face?

It is always a challenge to find ways to work up in a company. The implications is always that you are in competition with others and that favoritism will rule.

I do not believe this premise and in my career it did not work this way.

I have found that by following some simple principles / processes you will move up because there are so many people who don't so you are quickly recognized as an achiever / leader.

They are as follows.

1. Work Hard, always give a bit more then expected. This may be coming in 10 minutes early and not leaving as soon as the day is done, it may be putting a bit of flash in a report, or simply double checking your work so the common errors don't show up.

2. Treat everyone with respect. Both above and below. It doesn't matter how smart you are or how well you do the job, if people don't like you, they will avoid you and they will pass you over when choosing bosses.

3. Always take on extra responsibility. In general do it without asking for more money. The money will come. It is the old adage " You Dance Like You Don't Need the Money"

4. Train those under you to do your job. It is not commonly understood, but you can not move up until someone is able to back fill you. It is very common for people to hold on to information about their job believing they are protecting themselves. What they are doing is locking themselves into that position so they can not move up.

5. Look for opportunities for the company to grow or excel that are out side your normal responsibilities. Think like an owner, not an employee. Find ways to improve the company.

I can almost guarantee that if you learn to live the above simple principles you will excel and move up in any organization and as a corollary you will probably happier then a good percentage of the population because the same principals allow you to have pride in what and how you do it.

When is the right time to ask for a raise

In general there is never a good time to ask for a raise. If you have a good relationship with your boss / company raises should be accomplished at regular intervals. There are a couple of exceptions to this rule.

If you are given a new job, title, or significant increase in responsibility then it is legitimate to ask if additional compensation comes with these responsibilities. Do not be surprised if the answer is that in the next cycle this will be considered. The employees that I have seen get the largest raises over time are those who take on the task with the understanding the money will follow.

Implicit in this relationship / understanding is that you received fair compensation when you hired on. This is the most legitimate time to negotiate your salary and when you can expect increases over your present compensation. If this is the first real job, do some research so you know what is reasonable for the position you are hiring on to. Do not be afraid to negotiate this. Almost every employer I know will make an offer at a lower price then they are willing to pay. This is because a large percentage of people will counter and an employer needs to be able to counter as well. It is also reasonable to enquire about any probation period and if a raise can be expected at the end of this period.

One strong word of caution, never, never, never lead off with this discussion.

First and foremost you must determine if you are a fit for the job, if the job is a fit for you and if the corporate culture is a match for where you wish to work. You should be inquiring / demonstrating how you can benefit the company through hard work, not how you can get a job and what it pays. If you are successful in this exercise, when the offer comes you can then negotiate. Be prepared should you be asked how much you want and respond that you would like to be paid a fair compensation in line with your peers and the position and responsibility you are anxious to assume. Try not to put a price on yourself unless you are confident that you know that number and you will not take less.

I have seen many people state a required starting salary thinking they are starting negotiations. When this number was over what the employer could pay they where taken out of the running. In later discussion I learn that the would have taken less. It is much better to hear what the employer offers, add 10 to 20% and see if that is attractive. It keeps your options open and allows you to make informed decisions when you are not in the interview mode.

Finally the quickest way to raises is to take on functions that are outside your normal responsibilities. Any employer worth their salt will give the larger raises to the folks who are demonstrating they are willing to do more then they are paid for or assigned.... It is just good business sense and leads to a win win situation.

Dude, where's my money? What to expect when first starting your career.

Wow, we are on a thread here and again it seems like the wrong question to me, but perhaps I am not being fair.

The standard scale for any job is available from many sources, whether it is an engineer or a teacher. Expectations should be established on that basis.

I have seen young folks that worked for me that got out of college and forgot they still had limitations. They bought a new car, new clothes, a big screen etc., then would come in and complain they did not make enough money. Somehow they felt the employer was short changing them. They forgot what the going value was for what they did. Many times they became bitter because they thought after 4 or 5 years of college they would be on easy street.

So the key is to understand what money you will get and just like you did in college budget your expenses and live within your budget. Be prepared to buy the used car and perhaps still eat at home. Understand you are starting out and the big bucks come when you have paid your dues and bring exceptional value to your job.

How to get that job you want and keep it. What employers look for in an ideal candidate.

Obtaining a job and keeping it are two separate subjects.

Obtaining a job as a college graduate has a lot to do with attitude and preparation. Attitude is best summed up when comparing two phrases I hear from job applicants. One job applicant will say "I am looking for a job", and what I hear is I am looking for a paycheck.

This is not too appealing because there are hundreds of people looking for a paycheck, the bigger the better. A better phrase is "I am looking for work", which can be followed with "and I have done some research and your company will provide me the opportunity to learn and extend my skills."

The old saw is to dress up, sit up straight, look the interviewer in the eye and most of all be prepared to offer value. If you are interviewing for an entry level job in accounting, be smart enough to know that excel is a tool they use a lot. In fact almost any job I interview if the college grad doesn't know basic office tools they are in an uphill struggle. Word, excel, and if they know PowerPoint great. These are all tools that can be learned with a minimum of effort and bring value to most employers day one.

So Google the place, know what their issues are, who are there competitors, how many offices, etc, something to show you cared enough about them to at least spend some time preparing.

Keeping the job is different.

Here it is a willingness to work. I know of no employer who expects a new employee not to make mistakes. But they will all watch how quickly you head for the door when the clock reaches quitting time. They will notice if you come in early. They will notice if you take long lunches or spend a lot of time on the football pool. The general rule I have always used to succeed is to always exceed my bosses expectations on items I can. So come in 10 minutes early for the coffee etc... and be working at start time. Leave 10 or 15 minutes after quitting time. Always, always, always meet deadlines by either performing, or going back in before they are due and letting the boss know you are going to miss them. When ever you go into talk to the boss bring a paper and pencil.

As you have probably noticed by now non of this has to do with any particular job or function, that is because employers are more than happy to train, and understand mistakes from an employee with the right attitude, but hate it when an employee acts like they are just there to punch a clock and get paid. At this phase of your career effort and attitude will carry you as you gain expertise, later when you have paid your dues you will be better equipped to take it easy, but by then if you are successful you will have developed the work ethic so you won't.