How to Become a Fast Track Employee
The ideal definition of a fast track talent is the one who manages to obtain promotion faster than average.
Practically, you can double your salary every three years during the first 10 years in your career.
Anything below that might be considered slow track as far as today's standards are concerned.
The classic advice to smoothly climb the corporate ladder and earn higher salary has always been to work hard in every relevant facet.
This advice has worked most of the time for the slow tracker but has no evidence that it could support the aspirations of the fast tracker.
Here are some tips on how to join the fast track: 1.
Stick to the core In any organization there are core activities and support activities.
To secure your spot on the fast track be part of the core function.
However, if you happen to be part of the support team make sure you understand and are fully aware of your organization's core business.
Do not get me wrong as you can make it working in finance department of an oil and gas company or as an IT technician in a major bank.
However, fast trackers require higher degrees of fitness and agility.
Focusing on both core and support is a drain to your energy.
2.
Interview your boss Look for a boss rather than looking for a job.
Select the boss that will fuel your journey on the fast track and not the one who might consider you as a threat or a competition on the same track.
If you could, search through the history of your potential boss and check if he ever helped make a fast tracker or if she was one herself.
3.
Make your intentions known You do not need to run around telling everyone you want to get fast promotion and big salary raise.
Alternatively, make sure the concerned persons in your organization identify you as a person with great ambitious and serious desire to advance.
Send subtle messages that you are willing to learn and give more to the organization and you expect recognition in return.
4.
Go regional Relocating to another country for a period between 2 to 5 years and then return to your country can make wonder in terms of your pay level.
Employers are always on the lookout for talents with regional experiences and are willing to pay to get them.
However, you need to build a CV locally before going regional as you want to present yourself as a professional with solid qualification and experience rather than going as a cheap labor.
5.
Become an inventor Invent solutions through creation of innovative methods for performing your tasks.
Create and suggest practical plans for chronic problems or pain areas within your organization.
Just be careful not to be perceived as the one with brilliant ideas but cannot implement those ideas.
Focus on delivering complete solutions that would minimize cost or/and optimize profit.
6.
Be silent but salient Do not brag about your work or your value and contributions to the organizations.
This will not only eliminate you from the fast track but it would also elevate frustration when you discover that not everyone in the organization shares the same view.
Simultaneously, let your action speak for you.
Never give away credit for your achievements by being too humble and shy away from opportunities to stand out.
7.
Search for your future boss Make yourself known and visible to organizations you seek employment with.
Attend events and gathering in which executives in your industry are present.
Introduce yourself to them politely, exchange cards and then joke about being their competition, discuss prevailing matters affecting your market or talk about any other subject of interest.
Make sure you do not over-stay or bore them and excuse yourself immediately after leaving a sound impression.
They are very likely to inquire about you after this short encounter.
When they do, be prepared.
8.
Change jobs, but infrequently Organic salary growth is achieved when you stick with the same employer for a long period of time.
However, by definition, this type of growth is relatively slow and organizations might be reluctant to promote you to the top in a short period of time as this might spark discomfort among senior coworkers.
Changing jobs, on the other hand, allows you to achieve the massive pay hikes you desire with no or little pressure on your future employer to meet your expectations.
Please be considerate of the number of times you change jobs and the tenure of each job as you do not want to be viewed as a job hopper.
Frequent job changers are not welcomed by serious employers.
Use your best judgment for how long you should spend in one job before accepting another.
Commonly, two to three years tenures are safe during your initial career stages.
9.
Affect everyone around you Become a leader in all aspects.
Be professional and nice to everyone around.
Avoid chronic office politics as it has been there since ages and will stay there way after you are gone.
Help your subordinates and support them in their quest to become part of the fast track.
Befriend with your superiors.
10.
Adjust to your next promotion in advance and fill the huge gap you leave behind Skyrocketing your way up the corporate ladder will entail overlooking some details.
You would never get the chance to spend enough time at each level and would eventually skip some lines.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with that if you are prepared to compensate for the shortened time.
As a matter of fact, you cannot be promoted unless you demonstrate abilities and skills required for the next level.
So, make sure you acquire what it takes to 1) get promoted and 2) succeed in your new role.
Get an MBA, identify successful role models and follow them, thoroughly understand how different divisions and department of the organization work and relate to each other, widen your knowledge about your industry, become aware of key management issues especially organizational behaviors and HR, and keep up to the latest trends in your industry and in the field of management in general.
Practically, you can double your salary every three years during the first 10 years in your career.
Anything below that might be considered slow track as far as today's standards are concerned.
The classic advice to smoothly climb the corporate ladder and earn higher salary has always been to work hard in every relevant facet.
This advice has worked most of the time for the slow tracker but has no evidence that it could support the aspirations of the fast tracker.
Here are some tips on how to join the fast track: 1.
Stick to the core In any organization there are core activities and support activities.
To secure your spot on the fast track be part of the core function.
However, if you happen to be part of the support team make sure you understand and are fully aware of your organization's core business.
Do not get me wrong as you can make it working in finance department of an oil and gas company or as an IT technician in a major bank.
However, fast trackers require higher degrees of fitness and agility.
Focusing on both core and support is a drain to your energy.
2.
Interview your boss Look for a boss rather than looking for a job.
Select the boss that will fuel your journey on the fast track and not the one who might consider you as a threat or a competition on the same track.
If you could, search through the history of your potential boss and check if he ever helped make a fast tracker or if she was one herself.
3.
Make your intentions known You do not need to run around telling everyone you want to get fast promotion and big salary raise.
Alternatively, make sure the concerned persons in your organization identify you as a person with great ambitious and serious desire to advance.
Send subtle messages that you are willing to learn and give more to the organization and you expect recognition in return.
4.
Go regional Relocating to another country for a period between 2 to 5 years and then return to your country can make wonder in terms of your pay level.
Employers are always on the lookout for talents with regional experiences and are willing to pay to get them.
However, you need to build a CV locally before going regional as you want to present yourself as a professional with solid qualification and experience rather than going as a cheap labor.
5.
Become an inventor Invent solutions through creation of innovative methods for performing your tasks.
Create and suggest practical plans for chronic problems or pain areas within your organization.
Just be careful not to be perceived as the one with brilliant ideas but cannot implement those ideas.
Focus on delivering complete solutions that would minimize cost or/and optimize profit.
6.
Be silent but salient Do not brag about your work or your value and contributions to the organizations.
This will not only eliminate you from the fast track but it would also elevate frustration when you discover that not everyone in the organization shares the same view.
Simultaneously, let your action speak for you.
Never give away credit for your achievements by being too humble and shy away from opportunities to stand out.
7.
Search for your future boss Make yourself known and visible to organizations you seek employment with.
Attend events and gathering in which executives in your industry are present.
Introduce yourself to them politely, exchange cards and then joke about being their competition, discuss prevailing matters affecting your market or talk about any other subject of interest.
Make sure you do not over-stay or bore them and excuse yourself immediately after leaving a sound impression.
They are very likely to inquire about you after this short encounter.
When they do, be prepared.
8.
Change jobs, but infrequently Organic salary growth is achieved when you stick with the same employer for a long period of time.
However, by definition, this type of growth is relatively slow and organizations might be reluctant to promote you to the top in a short period of time as this might spark discomfort among senior coworkers.
Changing jobs, on the other hand, allows you to achieve the massive pay hikes you desire with no or little pressure on your future employer to meet your expectations.
Please be considerate of the number of times you change jobs and the tenure of each job as you do not want to be viewed as a job hopper.
Frequent job changers are not welcomed by serious employers.
Use your best judgment for how long you should spend in one job before accepting another.
Commonly, two to three years tenures are safe during your initial career stages.
9.
Affect everyone around you Become a leader in all aspects.
Be professional and nice to everyone around.
Avoid chronic office politics as it has been there since ages and will stay there way after you are gone.
Help your subordinates and support them in their quest to become part of the fast track.
Befriend with your superiors.
10.
Adjust to your next promotion in advance and fill the huge gap you leave behind Skyrocketing your way up the corporate ladder will entail overlooking some details.
You would never get the chance to spend enough time at each level and would eventually skip some lines.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with that if you are prepared to compensate for the shortened time.
As a matter of fact, you cannot be promoted unless you demonstrate abilities and skills required for the next level.
So, make sure you acquire what it takes to 1) get promoted and 2) succeed in your new role.
Get an MBA, identify successful role models and follow them, thoroughly understand how different divisions and department of the organization work and relate to each other, widen your knowledge about your industry, become aware of key management issues especially organizational behaviors and HR, and keep up to the latest trends in your industry and in the field of management in general.
