5 Ways to Get Promoted When Youre in an Entry-Level Job - The Muse

5 Ways to Get Promoted When Youre in an Entry-Level Job - The Muse5 Ways to Get Promoted When Youre in an Entry-Level JobDespite the fact that you always dreamed of being that person who landed a corner office before you turned 30, youre somehow still toiling away at an entry-level job. Its rough wanting mora, but feeling indefinitely deckenfries at the lower rungs of the ladder. However, the more time you waste feeling sorry for yourself, the less time youre spending on improving your own career. And believe it or notlage, you can leverage your current position to launch yourself into your dream job. Or, at the very least, the next level at your current company. Its all about seizing the opportunity and knowing that success is closer than you might think.Here are five ways to make the most of your not-quite-dream job. 1. Design Your Dream Job, Then Strategically Bring Aspects of it Into Your Current RoleYou may not like everything your job entails right now, and you might think your e overqualified for the work that youre doing. But, rather than dwelling on that, use your time in this position as an opportunity to figure out where the overlap is between your interests and your strengths. As you go through your daily routine, ask yourself which specific tasks excite you (as well as which ones dont). What about those tasks are so enjoyable? Once you have an answer, set up a meeting with your manager to discuss your findings. Come prepared with some suggestions of how you can add one or two of your dream tasks into your schedule. Dont forget to explain why these tasks are good for the companys goals as well. As long as youre not putting off your other responsibilities, its likely your manager will say yes.Once you prove that youre capable of motivating yourself, youll be viewed as an asset to the organization. And the more you meet the new goals you set for yourself, the more your manager (and her manager) will respect you for taking the reins of your own career. When annual reviews come around, it will be harder than ever to not offer you a promotion. 2. Find a Mentor (or Two)You should have dreams. But you should also have a mentor whos accomplished a goal you desire. They can help guide you toward those dreams by offering realistic advice and guidance. There are all kinds of mentors, and its worth the effort to find more than one. In fact, research shows that its especially beneficial to have multiple, diverse mentors.Within the office, they can help you navigate the company culture, give valuable career development advice, and advocate for you when new opportunities open up. With that said, try connecting with at least one mentor in a department different from your own. He or she can not only offer a fresh perspective, but also expose you to new parts of the company- areas that might be more suited to the work you want to do. In addition, proactively seeking out a mentor demonstrates your enthusiasm and drive, all great qualities thatll make a difference when a new position opens up.3. Learn What Your Dream Job RequiresOftentimes, people get stuck in jobs because they simply dont believe they know enough about other industries or departments to change. Instead of hating on your college education for not preparing you for the real world, make a list of the information that would be helpful for you to know- and then get to work on finding and studying it. Use your interest as a guiding principle when doing research. This should be fun, and if youre on the right track, you probably wont want to stop researching. Read books, seek out articles, and find experts to study (or better yet, connect with). Learning everything about a world that excites you is easy to do considering how much information is at our fingertips. Being able able to reference that data and research when speaking about your ideas builds credibility and underscores your passion for another role- whether thats in a different part of your current organi zation or a completely different industry.4. Ask for FeedbackIf youve tried a few of the steps above, and you still cant put your finger on why you seem to be stuck in your current role, then its time to ask your team for feedback. Schedule a sit-down with your manager to discuss what youre doing well and what you should be working on to get promoted. While some of the feedback may be expected (You seem disinterested), some of it could be a surprise (You cant advance until you can single-handedly manage a client relationship). Its also very possible that your manager doesnt even know youd like to move up the ladder at your company- especially if youre coming off as unenthusiastic.And dont just stop at asking your boss- ask a few co-workers what they think your strengths are, as well as what you could work on. Odds are theyll be more withholding with the criticism than your manager is, but again, their answers might surprise you. Make sure to listen to what theyre not saying.5. Make Friends With People in Other DepartmentsEveryone knows that works more enjoyable when you have friends. Not only will they help you to feel more positive when youre in the office, but theyll serve as an awesome network within the company. After all, a team usually knows which positions are going to open up long before the general public, or even HR, is informed. While you should strive to make friends at various levels, its a good idea to make a buddy in a similar role who challenges you (and vice versa) to keep going after your goal of getting to the next level. Remember, right now you might be the low man (or woman) on the totem pole, but you are the CEO of your career. Take charge, and make the most of where youre at today. Even if these steps dont lead to a promotion at your current company, theyre preparing you for the next level somewhere. Photo of elephant flying courtesy of Shutterstock.