I believe everybody is responsible for his or her own income earning ability. Many of us just don’t know it. We act like it is all in the hands of our bosses or employers. That’s why when things are not going our way we quickly blame the same people. Don’t we all think that if our employers could just pay us more our financial difficulties would be resolved. It’s like your employer is the one who held a gun to your head and asked you to go apply for that loan or take your child to that particular school or give money to that relative etc. We have to take responsibility for our choices. We also do have to start making certain choices with our income. When people set goals they may decide a number of things. For example many people may have resolved this year to buy a house, make certain investments, clear their debt, start a business etc. However not many people set targets for the amount of income they want to earn. Many people believe this is completely up to the employer. As much as they will be the ones to approve the amount, there are things you can actually do to also play a part in this process. You are not simply a victim of what your employer decides to pay you. It is time we also learn to take part in the process and get back some form of control.
Inflation does not qualify you to earn more income. Too many people walk around believing that their salaries should be increased because cost of living has gone up. When cost of living has gone up please do remember that cost of running the business you work in has also gone up. Rather than using that as your justification, we can try to be result oriented. Are you achieving the exact same results as you were three years ago? That is why your income has not increased. In our classes we try and bust the comfort zone of regular income. Regular income is what you get with your regular or normal way of thinking and your regular habits. If you want a higher income you have to elevate this way of thinking and of course the actions that go hand in hand with that. The question to ask ourselves is what results are we going to achieve at work. How has life for the company you work for improved because you are there? I once worked for a company or rather a manager who placed a lot of emphasis on numbers of hours worked. I.e. it was a good thing if you were regularly spotted at your desk late into the night. I find this concept totally absurd and many people get caught up in ‘busyness’ as opposed to real productivity. If the long hours result in productivity well and good but it means nothing if it is just for the sake of looking busy. Think about what you will achieve at work and then you can use those results to justify bonuses and increments. Not inflation. Again you do not work in isolation. Share those with your relevant supervisors so they can be on the same page with you and ensure that your goals are in fact in line with what the overall business or department is trying to achieve. Remember it will usually work in your favour if your supervisors also look good in the process of you achieving those results.
Do more than just your job. So we’ve talked about mapping out the results you want to achieve in your role. Here is another secret to learn if you want to earn more money at your job. Do more than is expected. Do something that is out of your usual role. Show that you not only care about yourself but the organization as a whole. I’ve sat in waiting rooms of many offices where the phone goes unanswered simply because the receptionist has gone to the bathroom. Answer the phone. You may be the accountant but when there is an event happening at work, roll up your sleeves and join in making the event successful. In a staff meeting pitch in with ideas as well as be willing to help execute those ideas. These things get you noticed and you will be seen in a different light. The promotions and opportunities that come your way may not only be in your current line of work. However by doing more you get to understand how different areas of the business work and you may just find something you like and can grow in. Remember you don’t get promoted if nobody knows whom they are promoting. Don’t go unnoticed like wallpaper. Intentionally play a part so that you can be top of mind when these opportunities come along.
Do not waste your time having useless conversations about things you have no ability or intention to change. How does gossiping about your boss help you? This is different seeking advice on how to approach your boss about a certain issue that’s different. By all means do it with the right people. But talking about how bad things are does not help. In fact it continues making you see the negative and you miss the opportunities that are right in front of you. Maybe you can actually be doing something about those problems that you are facing. Instead of hanging out with the usual gang having therapy sessions that don’t help, how about you start networking. Have a strategic coffee or lunch every week or fortnight. If you are never talking to people who have gone before you, you will stay in the same place. Maybe it’s your boss. Maybe it is someone in another department whose career progression you have admired. Maybe it is even somebody working in another company. Go and spend time with people who earn five times what you do and understand their process. That will be a better use of your time. Remember apart from progress in the organisation you currently work with, having the right mindset and approach to work will also help you in any moves you intend to make. I think any employer would be very keen to hire people who can tell them about the results they have achieved rather than just the work they did.
Waceke runs programs on Personal Financial Management and Entrepreneurship. Find her at waceken@centonomy.com| twitter @cekenduati| facebook.com/cekenduati