How to Keep Your Job and Get a Promotion - Winning Rules to Follow

In the job market today, the rules of old still applyhurt you in the long run. Apologizing for the error
when it comes to keeping your present job. Whetherimmediately is your best policy.
you are a professional, white collar, blue collar, or no12) When asked to attend Company meetings and
collar at all, you still need to know what theyou have to make a presentation, do your
mechanics are to follow for not only keeping yourhomework. Management will not be pleased to find
job, but to also get promotions as well.you unprepared. Be ready, period, for that is what
Throughout my high school and university years, Iyou are paid for. Should you have nothing to
worked at a supermarket as stock clerk and cashier.contribute at the meeting other than to be there,
When I got hired by an oil company after graduatingthen you stay quiet. Your comments are not
university, I realized that there was a significantrequired, unless you are asked for them. While at
difference in the quality of the management. Themeetings, you listen and you follow the
bosses in the supermarkets where I worked for tenconversations. Don't dose off, or 'wonder-off into
straight years, none that I remember had a collegespace,' for you will get called when you least expect
education, and many were a bitit.
'rough-around-the-edges.' All of the General Managers13) Be very careful with whom you share your
that I was assigned to around the world in two oilconfidences. Your spouse, if you are married, or a
companies where I was employed for thirty years,very close friend outside of the Company might be
they all held degrees in one of the following fields:the only people that you can truly trust with
accounting, finance, petroleum engineering, geology,information related to work, or of a personal nature.
or in physics. Their conduct as managers was totallyPeople at work are rarely trustworthy with
professional, and you were expected to actinformation; because jealousy and envy can influence
accordingly. Even better, the pay was incredibly good!their reaction toward you. My point: choose well who
I will keep my advice as general as possible, butyou chat with at work, and even more important,
specific where I need to, not trying to distinguish fordon't break confidences shared with you by other
the level of education of the employee or of theemployees or management.
management. Inasmuch as some of the tips will apply14) You went to school to learn and to manage
to some and not to others, everyone should be ableothers, not to be a "follower" the rest of your
to get some benefit from them. Remember, I talkworking life. You will make the big money when you
from experience in hiring and firing, and in promotingare trained to take over departments. Don't fall into
the best candidates to supervisory and departmentthe 'slow-pace syndrome' because you 'hate' to make
managerial positions. I held the following positions:a move. Get used to making moves, and make a lot
International Coordinator, Finance Manager and asof money. You want to live on a solid monthly check
Controller for many years in large operations in thewith a cushion of money saved, and not on dreams.
U.S., and in many countries around the world.Money makes dreams come true.
Learn and apply as much as possible from all that has15) You will be one very happy individual at work and
been listed for your benefit, and someday when youin life when you follow this guideline: You are working
look back, I hope that you can say, "I rememberso that someday you can retire and continue to
reading something that helped me to save my job;enjoy your life, in health and worry-free of money
to make a load of money; and avoid manyconcerns. You must, I will repeat, you must learn
job-related problems throughout my career."early in your career to spend less than what you
1) If you are a relatively new employee, you have tomake every single month. LEARN TO LIVE BELOW
learn to accept that certain independent behavior willYOUR MEANS!
have to be sacrificed--at least at the start. The job16) Absolutely and under no condition do you want
description will state what you are required to do. Ifto become a "threat" to any one single supervisor or
you want to question or object to any part of it, it ismanager. If you have plans in mind to replace any of
best to do it in the early stages of your job, ratherthem sometime in the future, you must keep that
than a few months later.thought to yourself. With this strategy in mind, talk
2) Learn from the beginning to make friends withwell of your management at all opportunities that you
your management. It will be of great help towardhave. The management will decide if you qualify to
staying 'alive' in your job. They don't have to like youmanage others; and your first line of supervisors and
or be friendly to you, but that is life sometimes. Asor managers will be consulted for their comments on
long as they find you amiable and easy to work with,your past performance and behavior. Your prime goal
that is all that matters. Your job is to win them over.at work is to make friends not enemies. Friends will
3) Make it one of your strongest points to be atlift you, enemies will destroy you.
work on time every day. If you are running late due17) You want to consider seriously before deciding to
to traffic, rain, or other good reasons, call thebypass your immediate line of authority concerning an
Company and tell them why. Just don't make it a'issue of importance' to you that you would like to
habit, nor give flimsy excuses either. Make sure thataddress to management. By going around your
you talk to someone with authority in yoursupervisor or a manager to reach a higher level,
department on this call. Assume nothing!chances are you will hurt yourself. This is just a fair
4) Be one employee that they want to keep for awarning, so think before you act!
long time. Nothing is more annoying to management18) Never excuse yourself from a critical meeting
than an employee that gossips with the otherwhere your input is very important, in order to take
employees, and complains about Company policy on acare of a personal issue. Unless it is a matter of
regular basis. If you do, you will be the first to be'life-or-death,' your job comes first, all else can wait.
lined up for the firing line. The cost for you to go out19) Here is a summary of some of the most
and float your resume to get another job is just notimportant qualities that management looks for in their
worth the pain.employees: A positive attitude, optimism, respect for
5) Let it be your strongest point to let theothers, reliability, cleanliness of employee, neatness of
management know that you are there to learn, todesk and work submitted, politeness, on-time
grow, and to work. Management will not be pleasedattendance, timely submittal of work, a contributing
to hire you and to train you, and see absolutely nospirit, a friendly aura, prioritization of duties, a strong
motivation on your part to apply what you have justdrive to learn, ability to accept advice or criticism (if
learned. The job 'honeymoon' period is over after onenecessary), willingness to stay for meetings or work
to two weeks on site.after working hours. An 'eight to five' mentality will
6) Learn to greet the people that you work with bynot get you promoted to anything!
starting at the front door all the way to your desk.20) Key things to know to improve your chances of
Say "Hi, how are you?" or, "Good morningkeeping yourself employed for as long as possible:a)
everybody" to all that surround you during the day,Know for a fact that your current job does not have
especially the management. Give them the feelinga "lifetime permanency status." If you have no fear
that you are a friendly soul. You will not get awayof losing your position, the chances are you will not.
for long if they find you frowning or sour all day long,Legitimate confidence in your talents goes a long
because you are dissatisfied with your work or yourway.b) Most likely you won't retire from your present
job in general.job, so you keep yourself ready to make a move, if
7) Avoid holding grudges against your fellowyou need to, either internally or for another job with
employees, the management, and the Company.another Company.c)Keep your options open by
'Spit-out' all your frustrations before you go to work,studying the marketplace for Companies looking for
and avoid harboring these thoughts while at work.your particular talents and expertise.d) Take all the
Legitimate grudges are discussed with a supervisor orcourses that your Company offers, so that your
a manager, and once it is done, consider it delivered.Resume has strength.e) Work your way to
It is not your duty any longer to continue harping onsupervision/management as fast as you can. At least
something that you don't like, expecting managementhere you will have some form of security, and better
to take action at your urging.money in your pocket.f) Avoid becoming a
8) Most jobs require good grooming and personaljob-hopper and make the most of your current job.
hygiene, so don't slack-off in this area. It could meanLearn from my experience in a major corporate
a promotion down the row for you, so invest in theenvironment what I looked for in my employees by
proper elements for body and clean breath. It wouldreviewing a few times the list of winning rules which I
be a shame that you miss out becoming a supervisorhave provided. I can say with certainty, that what
or manager for not monitoring this very importantcaused more employees to get fired from their jobs
area. Please avoid using heavy-scented cheapwas the poor way that they handled the
colognes/perfumes. Better not to use any at all. Younon-complicated work assigned to them, coupled with
must keep your shoes clean and shined whenan attitude of: "now that I am hired, no one can
working in an office environment, for that is a majortouch me."
sign of good grooming.The reasons that some supervisors and managers
9) Keep your attitude in check at all times. Yougot fired while I worked all around the world, were
cannot afford to 'blow your top' at anyone orvarious. The major cause was that they simply failed
anything under any condition. That is a real No-No!to apply good judgment on important Company
You may get upset over something, but it better becontract procedures under their responsibility. In other
important, and not some minor or insignificant thing. Iwords, they were found guilty of having serious
have seen many good professional people hurt their"conflict of interest" with contractors on very
careers over a blow-out that could have easily beenimportant projects. In one single instance, I
avoided. Just to let you know, foul language at theremember letting a department manager go because
work place will not bring glory or promotions yourhe was just not up to par for the job that he was
way either.hired and paid to do.
10) Your pride and your ego are only worth as muchHolding on to your job, whatever that job might be,
as the value that you place on them. If you want tois the most important thing in your life, next to your
keep your job for a long time, then don't let yourfamily, of course. You cannot give yourself the luxury
pride and your ego get in the way of your career.to lose it, so don't provoke it. Follow my words of
Learn to compromise by listening to all opinions. Letexperience and enjoy the fruits of your labor. At
the management hear yours, and let it be!least you can always say that you tried everything
11) If you make a mistake, don't go hiding it. Face itpossible to keep your job, and maintain it for as long
and report it as soon as possible. Better letas you could by your sincere and honest efforts.
management know about it from you, than to findThat is a lot better to your peace of mind, than
out from someone else. Mistakes don't normally gethaving been fired for cause!
people fired; it is your attitude toward them that will