"Why Some People Always Succeed At Work"

Some people always seem to get faster promotions, make 
more money and generally stand out on the job, in any 
economy.

Why is that?

While there’s no one thing that will guarantee career 
success for everyone, there are three things you can 
start doing today to make yourself more valuable -- 
to any employer, in any industry.

Here they are …

1. Add Value
“Adding value is the single most powerful personal 
attribute you can possess,” says Les McKeown, 
President & CEO of success-at-work.com and author 
of numerous books on career achievement.

Did you ever hand a job or task to someone, knowing
you would have to go back over it once they finished,
to fix the inevitable errors and generally “mop up” 
after them?

“People who add value are just the opposite. You *know* 
when you give them a task that it will be completed on 
time, the way you want it, with no loose ends or 
unfinished parts,” says McKeown.

However, really successful “value adders” see the 
completion of an allocated task as only the starting 
point.

Maybe it’s by turning an event into a process. 
Example: not just clearing up a filing mess, but putting
a filing system in place to avoid future backlogs.

“In whatever form it shows itself, naturally successful 
people consistently and appropriately add value -- 
all the time,” says McKeown.


2. Become an Expert
A sure-fire way to increase your value on the job is to 
keep learning. This can be as complex as getting your 
MBA or as simple as reading a book every week.

Whatever you do to increase your expertise, make sure 
your boss knows about it! Completing training, such 
as Microsoft’s MCSE certification, can make it more 
likely that you'll be rewarded appropriately in your 
next performance review.

Here’s an example from the field of medicine.

I’m told the average doctor makes $160,000 per year. 
Not bad. But I know a liver specialist in Michigan 
who makes $500,000 and lives in a house the size of
an airplane hanger. He’s a recognized expert. And 
he’s rewarded appropriately.

What subject can you become an expert in for your 
employer?


3. Be There Every Day
Can 80% of success really come just from showing 
up, to paraphrase Woody Allen?

In the minds of many, the answer is “yes!”

“I still remember my first promotion with a mixture 
of pride and amusement,” says McKeown.

“I was a young kid back in Ireland, and I had a 
paper-route before school. I needed the money and 
never missed a morning.”

“After 3 months, the owner pulled me aside and 
said: ‘Les, I’m going on vacation for three weeks. 
I want you to be in charge. I’ll give you an extra 
five shillings every week.’”

When McKeown asked his manager why he had been 
chosen over older, more-experienced newsboys, he 
got this reply: “Simple. You’re always there. 
That means more to me than anything else. I 
wanted peace of mind on vacation. I knew you’d 
be there every morning.”

Are you THERE every day for your employer? If so,
you may find your steady presence makes you more 
valuable than less-dependable co-workers.

By adding value, becoming an expert, and “being there” 
every day, you can make yourself indispensable to any 
employer. Which can lead to faster promotions, keys to
the executive washroom -- whatever it is that defines
career success for you.

Best of luck to you!

Copyright ©2002 Kevin Donlin 

Kevin Donlin is Managing Editor of 1 Day Resumes. The 1DR 
writers provide same-day, one-on-one resume writing assistance. 
He is also author of "Resume and Cover Letter Secrets Revealed," 
a do-it-yourself manual that will help you find a job in 30 days 
... or your money back. 
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