8 Ways To Get Promoted

By Jennifer Towers

If you’re like most women, you have drive and ambition, and you are not satisfied with cubicle life. No - for you, it’s corner office all the way. You want to get promoted.

Of course, a promotion won’t happen overnight and if you want to get promoted for all your efforts, you’ll need to take the necessary steps to ensure that the right people are watching you make all the right moves.

So whether you want to go from VP to CEO or from senior editor to editor in chief, here are the steps you should take to get promoted.

Get promoted tip #1
Make or save money for the company
When all is said and done, your boss and your boss’ boss care most about dollars, so it is your mission to either make the company some money or save it a load of cash.

If you can figure out a way to save five digits on office supplies by using a new company that offers the same goods and services, or if you can close a deal that results in six figures, you can bet that the right people will take notice.

If you can pull these numbers off more than once, someone will eventually call you into their office to commend you and, if you play your cards right, you can transform that office meeting and get promoted.

Get promoted tip #2
Take on extra tasks & keep records
If you’re going to help Sheryl with her proposal or take on Mike’s tasks for the month because he’s away on business in China, make sure to keep records of all your extra work by placing headers on documents created, and noting dates and specific details for your year-end review.

It’s not necessary to spend your time boasting about taking on a million other tasks and patting yourself on the back; you should, however, try to get other people in on these extra tasks. That way, they can say they contributed, but it will be clear that you are the woman who headed each project.

Get promoted tip #3
Network at work
If you work in a big corporation, make it a point to befriend colleagues in other departments. When your name begins to spread throughout the company (in a positive way) alongside what your specialties are, you will become the go-to gal that everyone wants to work with.

As well, ask others for small favors once you become acquainted with them. People tend to convince themselves that you must be a nice, worthy woman if they’re willing to do something for you.

Get promoted tip #4
Befriend the messengers
If there’s an administrative assistant (AA) that directs everyone’s phone calls, make that person your best friend. AAs see and hear everything that happens at work, and they are your “in” when it comes to the higher-ups in the company.

If you befriend the AAs, you get an “in” on the scoop and, if they overhear someone discussing you, they can put in a couple of good words on your behalf. Of course, this is not to insinuate that you should brownnose (nobody likes the smell of that), but a professional compliment (I wish I could be half as organized as you, and look just as good doing it) or a flower as gesture of appreciation will be remembered.

Get promoted tip #5
Look great
There will no doubt be days when you wake up feeling lazy and tired, but, as much as you want to, you cannot skimp on self-presentation. It’s not only clients that will notice that you have mooncrust stuck in your eyelashes, but your coworkers will take note as well.

Take care of your body; keep your skin soft, your nails neat and trim, your hair clean and proper, and your clothes wrinkle free. You are, and will constantly be, judged on your looks and no one wants to promote someone who looks a mess.

Get promoted tip #6
Prepare yourself for the future
If you know where you want to climb to with your company, prepare yourself for the future by learning the traits associated with it.

For example, if there’s a special computer program you need to master, take a class beforehand. In the same vein, do your best to get to know other people who already hold such a position and pick their brains in order to get a full understanding of what the job will entail.

Get promoted tip #7
Ask for it
It would be great if you were simply recognized for all your efforts and hard work, but chances are you’re going to have to ask to get promoted - it may never be offered to you otherwise.

You could work at a 110% all the time, but everyone’s busy and it’s up to you to make sure that you not only get noticed, but that you make it clear why you’re doing all this hard work.

Of course, you need to ask at an appropriate time, during a performance review or a private meeting with a decision-maker, for example.

Get promoted tip #8
Work late & socialize
It is a well-known fact in business that most dealings take place in the off hours and, if you want to get promoted, working late might help. Most top tiers employees work late due to the demands of their jobs, and if you're working just as late, it leaves the impression that you also take your tasks very seriously.

And although you need to tread carefully because you don't want to be perceived in a negative way, heading out for drinks with the people who matter can also work in your favor when it comes time to call upon someone to take the lead in your department. So whenever there is a planned event or last minute invite, do your damnedest to attend. You do not have to talk shop the entire time, but do stay sober and leave a positive, lasting impression.

Get promoted now

It’s not an easy climb to the top for most, but if you couple hard work with determination, there’s no way that you won’t get promoted. You just have to envision it and seize the moment.

Rachel McAdams

Rachel McAdams Vital Stats
Birth Name: Rachel McAdams
Birth Date: October 7, 1976
Birth Place: St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada
Height: 5’5”
Romantic Link: Not known

Rachel McAdams Interesting Facts

Rachel was born in the same hospital as her The Notebook co-star Ryan Gosling - St. Joseph's Hospital in London, Ontario.

Rachel is a natural blonde.

Rachel graduated from York University in Toronto with honors and a B.F.A. in theater.

Rachel McAdams Biography

Rachel McAdams was born on October 7, 1976, in St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada. Rachel was raised by her truck driver father, Lance, and mother, Sandy, a nurse, alongside her younger brother and sister, Daniel and Kayleen. Wasting no time, Rachel began taking her steps toward stardom at the tender age of 4.

In 1980, Rachel began competitive skating and continued to compete well into her teenage years.

Rachel McAdams gives up skating

But when skating began to take its toll on Rachel’s body and mind, she became drawn to acting. And after spending just one summer at theater camp, Rachel decided to head to York University in Toronto.

At York, Rachel studied theater, where she received her Bachelor of Fine Arts with Honors.

In 1995, Rachel won an award for her role in a one-act high school play called I Live in A Little Town after it was shown at the well-known Ontario Showcase at the Sears Drama Festival.

Rachel began her acting career with a foray on television, which began with her role as a teenage girl struggling with bulimia in the Disney series The Famous Jett Jackson (2001). After another guest role on the TV series Shotgun Love Dolls, Rachel began starring in made-for-TV movies in Canada.

McAdams in Mean Girls

It was after she was nominated for a Genie Award (Canada’s version of the Oscars) for her feature debut in My Name Is Tanino (2002) that Rachel believed she had what it took to take on Hollywood.

Rachel wasted no time in landing roles and got her start opposite Rob Schneider in the teen comedy The Hot Chick (2002). Although the film wasn’t a blockbuster, it did get Rachel noticed and landed her the breakout role she was hoping for.

After a short return to television in 2003, on the television series Slings & Arrows, Rachel landed the ultimate part when she starred as uber-bitch Regina George opposite the then-rising star, Lindsay Lohan, in Mean Girls. Although Rachel originally auditioned for the role that ultimately went to Lindsay, producers of the movie knew she’d nail the part of Regina.

McAdams amazes in The Notebook

It was her role in Mean Girls that turned teenaged girls onto her, but it was her role in The Notebook (2004) that made the rest of the world take notice of Rachel McAdams. Her role as Allie Hamilton allowed fans to sympathize with Rachel’s character and made her a household name.

But Rachel wasn’t one to rest on her laurels. In 2005, she starred in 3 more movies: Wedding Crashers, alongside Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson; Red Eye, with Cillian Murphy; and The Family Stone, opposite Luke Wilson and Sarah Jessica Parker.

McAdams dating Ryan Gosling

With her upcoming role in 2007’s Married Life, there’s no doubt that we’ll be seeing plenty more of Rachel for years to come.

On the personal front, Rachel was dating her The Notebook costar and fellow Canadian, Ryan Gosling for 3 years, but the two recently went their separate ways and she is currently single.

Resource:
IMDb.com - Rachel McAdams

Health Q&A

By Emily Bennett

Curing dishpan hands, reversing salt intake, avoiding TSS with tampon use, and more.

If you have a health question, submit it to Emily at info@ladythrills.com.

Dishwashing is destroying my hands

Dear Emily,

I feel like I spend most of my day washing dishes and my hands are beginning to look like it. They look dry and scaly, and I was hoping you could give me some pointers on how to make them look beautiful again.

Thanks,
Yolanda

Hi Yolanda,

There are a few ways to minimize the effects that water and household cleaning agents are having on your hands. First, buy some rubber gloves and use them any time you do dishes, whether it’s a plate and a glass that need washing, or a sink full of dishes.

Next, keep a moisturizing cream by the sink. After you finish cleaning up, put some cream on your hands to soften your hands.

Finally, you can always buy a dishwasher! If it’s getting to the point where you’re spending the majority of your day on dishes, a dishwasher is a worthy investment.

Finally, at least once a week, before bedtime, apply a thick amount of cream to your hands, put on some thick wool or cotton mitts and go to bed. This will help restore your hands’ youthful appearance.

Emily

Salt intake reversal

Dear Emily,

I do my best to avoid salt because I know that too much of it is no good for me. When I go over to someone’s house (read: my mother-in-law), however, I am sometimes forced to eat salt-laden foods (well, I just don’t want to be rude). Is there any way to remove the salt from my body afterwards by eating or drinking something?

Mina

Hi Mina,

It becomes difficult to keep up our good habits when we’re guests at another person’s house, especially our mothers-in-law! But there is a way to reverse large amounts of salt that you ingest.

First, drink lots of water – double what you’d normally drink. This will flush out your system and remove the impurities from your body.

Second, purchase dandelion tea, which can be found in natural foods stores. According to renowned dietitian Elizabeth Cerqueira, dandelion tea will flush your system of unnecessary salt and sodium, and hydrate it.

Hope this helps,
Emily

The tampon issue

Hi Emily,

A friend of mine swears by tampons and has never even used a sanitary pad. I, on the other hand, was taught that tampons are dangerous and leave women prone to infection and other vaginal complications.

Can you clear up my confusion?

Emma

Hi Emma,

You’re not alone; a lot of women I speak to, especially the old school ones, agree with what you were taught. Fortunately, all these rumors about tampons are not true.

The one problem that may arise from tampon-use is TSS, or Toxic Shock Syndrome. TSS is a potentially-fatal disease that results from a bacterial toxin. There were only five cases reported in 1997 and it’s very rare, but if you use a super-absorbent tampon and are having very light days, you may develop TSS.

As for infections and vaginal complications, there have been no reported cases of such. So long as you change your tampon every few hours and use the lightest absorbency necessary for your flow, there is no danger in using them.

Emily

Weird menstrual cycle

Emily,

Sometimes I get my period on time with no problems; other times I get it late, it lasts for about 11 days and I’m in pain for most of them. What’s the deal and is there any way to regulate it?

This has been the story of my life for about 12 years now. I’ve had two children and plan to have more. Any help is much appreciated.

Georgia

Dear Georgia,

The only thing that can help regulate your period is the birth control pill, but since you want to have more children, taking it is out of the question.

Every woman’s body is different and although the pill would have us believe that a woman’s period should run every 28 days, women’s periods are actually anywhere from 24 to 35 days apart.

If your period is giving you this much grief, I recommend that you find yourself an endocrinologist and have him study the hormonal changes throughout your cycle.

I don’t recommend that you treat yourself, but rather consult a professional and find ways to regulate your period and minimize the pain associated with it.

Good luck,
Emily