Monday, August 15, 2011

Overcome The Glass Ceiling In A Business

The glass ceiling is a figurative term that describes the phenomenon that prevents women and minorities from moving up the corporate ladder and occupying places of prominence in companies. While the glass ceiling has somewhat been removed over the years, it is still present for many in these groups. If you are a woman or a minority, you can take several steps to improve your chances of breaking through the glass ceiling and becoming successful.


Instructions


1. Network with other employees, managers and people in your industry. One of the problems that has helped keep women and minorities out of top positions is a lack of networking with important people. Go to mixers and meetings in your area. Join associations and get to know other people. If you know the right people, it can make a big difference in the level of success that you are able to achieve.


2. Promote yourself with every chance that you get. One of the problems that many people in these groups have is that they tend to be unassuming and do not always take credit for the things they do. If you want to ascend the ranks, you have to be willing to promote yourself a bit. This should not involve being arrogant or cocky, but it should involve some self-promotion.








3. Take on the jobs that other people shy away from. These are usually very important tasks that carry with them a great deal of responsibility. If you can do the job with these types of responsibilities, your employer will start to notice it. Eventually, this can lead to promotions and other benefits in your job.


4. Do a better job than others in your area at every opportunity that you get. When you are starting out at the bottom, you have to do everything that much better than the people in front of you to be noticed. Go the extra mile and always be willing to sacrifice. You may have to work some long hours at first, but it can eventually make a big difference.


5. Continue to better yourself and educate yourself as much as possible. This might involve taking night classes and getting your master's degree. It might involve taking a course in computers or some other area that is essential to your success. If you are willing to invest in your own future, your company may be willing to do the same.

Tags: glass ceiling, better than, involve taking, make difference, might involve, might involve taking, other people