There has been a promotion that has obviously caught everyone off guard. As usual the longest serving or the most academically muscled candidate had their eye on the job. It had never occurred to anyone that the newly hired fresh graduate would beat experience and credentials.

But come to think of it, the ‘freshman’ beats deadlines and is the brains behind the multi-million dollar deal that put the business back on its feet. Isn’t she also the one behind the current reengineering that has brought life to the business that was struggling with debts and poor management? Maybe, she is the right candidate for the job.

In the highly competitive job climate, employers are on the lookout for the smartest brains-people who will add value to their investments. Good credentials and vast experience now must go hand in hand with tangible input. Your CV may give an indication that you have the best human resource skills, but that is in the past and people sometimes experience career burn out.

What can you do in your current job designation to prove your worth? It is worth noting that what one person has achieved in 20 years can be done by another person in a year! If such is the case, how does one get the upper hand in the working environment?

Professionalism
Attributes like high level of competence, teamwork, image, adhering to ethics and code of conduct and presentation are considered when measuring professionalism. It is said that a cockerel is spotted right from the time it is hatched. In the job environment, engineering your way to the top by being ahead of the pack puts you at an advantage point in readiness for the next available spot.

Creativity and pro-activeness
The world is dynamic and so is the work climate. Today a system may function well, and tomorrow it may not. In this light, professionals must put their minds on overdrive to come up with new ideas per the demands of the job. Not everybody loves their jobs but the truth is that we stand to gain if we excel at what we do. Borrow a leaf from the Wright brothers who kept trying until their glider took off and gave birth to the principle of modern flying of aeroplanes.

Commitment
It is one thing to excel in one’s career and another to develop an attachment to it. The zeal to exceed set standards and perfect ideals is a good pointer to leadership traits. Consider these candidates: A has 20-years job experience but is very poor with deadlines and has weak presentation skills. Candidate B on the other hand, with 3-years work experience satisfies nearly all the job expectations and takes instructions agreeably well. If you were to promote one of them, who would you promote? Case closed.



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