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25 Pro Tips to Get You to the Corner Office (Part 3)

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Ready for the third installment of our pro tips series? Check out List #1 and #2 here. Here you go, we’ve even got a few user submissions for you:

  1. Do NOT “reply all” when only one person in the email blast needs to know your reply. –By Najia Haddock
  2. Define yourself by what you like not what you don’t. Be positive; “pro-stuff not just anti–stuff”
    1. Remember it’s all luck. “Understanding that you can’t truly take credit for your success or blame others for their failures will make you humble and compassionate.”
  3. Respect people with less power than you.
  4. Be hardest on your own opinions. Think critically and understand your own biases.
  5. Build people up instead of tearing them down when in front of higher ups.
  6. Stay focused on one task. Most people are not excellent multi-taskers.
  7. Recognize the time for socializing and the times when work needs to get done and be quiet during the latter times.
  8. If you say you will get something done by a specific deadline, get it done. No excuses.
  9. You build trust by not lying. Just kidding, that’s a lie. SEE?
  10. Learn how to take a sucker punch of criticism with grace.
  11. There is a difference between intelligence and knowledge, and openness to that fact makes you a learner with humility.
  12. If you don’t understand how to do something, try to find the answer before speaking to your boss. It shows initiative.
  13. Never, ever, ever, EVER call someone unannounced, unless that person is your mom. And even then.
  14. Set and keep high expectations of yourself throughout your professional life…even when others get by doing less.
  15. Under a tight deadline? Worrying won’t help. It’s a useless time waster and won’t make the job go any faster.
  16. Stay off Facebook during work hours.
  17. Learn from other departments. Learn how your position fits into the overall bigger picture.
  18. Got nothing to do? Pursue extra classes via Lynda or Treehouse and learn how to nail interesting new skills.
  19. Do not discuss sensitive health issues with your team unless completely necessary.
  20. Save your drama for your home life. Your bosses and colleagues are there to work.
  21. DON’T WRITE EMAILS IN ALL CAPS. THIS SHOULD GO WITHOUT SAYING!
  22. Be on time. Be brief. Be gone. In business, you must complete tasks in a timely manner. Do not linger on events that can be handled by others on your team more effectively. Once that task is complete, be ready to pivot to the next task.
  23. If you have nothing to do, you have no value to the company. Figure out what you can do next.
  24. When you answer the phone, put a smile in your voice and identify yourself.

Did you like these 25 tips? Stay tuned for Part 4 of our HR Acuity Pro Tips series.

Share our favorite tips

7. Stay focused on one task. Most people are not excellent multi-taskers. (Click to Tweet)

9. If you say you will get something done by a specific deadline, get it done. No excuses. (Click to Tweet)

11. Learn how to take a sucker punch of criticism with grace. (Click to Tweet)

13. If you don’t understand how to do something, try to find the answer before speaking to your boss. It shows initiative. (Click to Tweet)

19. Got nothing to do? Pursue extra classes via Lynda or Treehouse and learn how to nail interesting new skills. (Click to Tweet)

22. DON’T WRITE EMAILS IN ALL CAPS. THIS SHOULD GO WITHOUT SAYING! (Click to Tweet)

Have anything to add? Comment below and let us know.

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