M: Welcome to "Business Matters". Today we have invited career development consultant Lucy Williams to talk about how to get ahead at work. Hi, Lucy. Many of us never seem to get promoted. Why is that? And what can we do about it?
W: One mistake people make is to limit communication only to their bosses. It's important to expand your network and include your co-workers.
M: But some of our co-workers are less senior to us. Is it really necessary to connect with them?
W: It's important not to underestimate your colleagues. Sometimes a job title might not clearly demonstrate the influence they may have.
M: Now many of us think that working hard creates a good impression, but this isn't always true, is it?
W: That's right. We should avoid trying to take on too much work and constantly staying late, just to show that you are committed.
M: I see. So setting expectations too high at the beginning can make us look bad if we don't maintain them.
W: Yeah, it's better to make sure you are putting in quality time instead of just a large quantity of time. And these efforts can easily be demonstrated by the results we achieve.
M: What about helping others at work? Should you try and go beyond your normal responsibilities and offer to help people with their projects?
W: Extend your assistance to those who need it, but only as long as your own work will not go unattended. If someone can benefit from your assistance or advice, help them out to gain their respect and trust.
M: But it goes without saying that you shouldn't act like a know-it-all, otherwise you'll appear arrogant.
W: Absolutely. Be humble, and you'll get a lot of time later on to show your genius.