Women tend to believe in fairness…that if they work hard, they will get promoted or recognized. They see self promotion as bragging and look unfavorably on it. Men on the other hand, are more comfortable with self promotion and speaking to their supervisors about their accomplishments and achievements. This practice of self promotion directly correlates to higher pay, more raises and better jobs.

There are many ways to call attention to your hard work and achievements without being perceived as a braggart. Below I have listed some ways that I have used over the years to gain credit for my hard work:

1. Create a status report of some sort that is circulated to your supervisor(s) on a regular basis. This keeps your boss updated on what you are doing and what you have achieved at her or his convenience. It will be viewed as a great tool for her/him (since (s)he is ultimately responsible for your work), will highlight your accomplishments and you will appear well organized and on top of your game.
2. Create anecdotal stories that illustrate your successes. For example, “last week while I was speaking at a national meeting in LA, I happened to meet a key prospect who would be a great contact for you as well”. This highlights your expertise as a speaker, creates an air of importance because you were working outside of your geographical area, and shows your understanding of your colleague’s or contact’s business as well.
3. Be sure to be well prepared for reviews and other performance appraisal situations. Always go into these meetings with a list of accomplishments and responsibilities along with specific and quantifiable results where possible.
4. Get excited. Call your boss and leave a voicemail when you get a new client, a hot lead (use this one with caution because it can highlight a weak closing rate), a new account or a huge order. Certainly most supervisors want to hear about your successes. Use this one sparingly with colleagues. Some can be very excited for you…others can less so.
5. If you happen to find yourself in an elevator or other “informal” environment with a very senior person, at least take the opportunity to introduce yourself. Let them know who you work for and don’t hesitate to throw in a little self promotion. This particular scenario works well if you credit the whole team, including your boss if this is your boss’s (boss’s) boss.
6. While crediting the team is important, don’t forget to throw yourself in there. Saying something like, “my team and I just closed a huge sale” is a wonderful way to illustrate that you led the team without taking all of the credit.
7. When considering a new posi
   Professionals in Pink: Corporate Gifts for Women in the Workplace
   In 1952, Harry Klemfuss saw the need to recognize secretaries for their hard work and dedication. National Secretary’s Day was created on his notion that secretaries are essential to the corporate world. This unofficial holiday is presently celebrated on the last Wednesday in April. During the 1950s the majority of secretaries in the workplace were women. Since then, National Secretary’s Day has been renamed Administrative Professional’s Day. The name was changed to reflect the progression of women in the workplace and the fact that men have taken on administrative roles as well.Modern corporations are realizing the importance of employee rec
   r accomplishments and achievements. This practice of self promotion directly correlates to higher pay, more raises and better jobs.

   There are many ways to call attention to your hard work and achievements without being perceived as a braggart. Below I have listed some ways that I have used over the years to gain credit for my hard work:

   1. Create a status report of some sort that is circulated to your supervisor(s) on a regular basis. This keeps your boss updated on what you are doing and what you have achieved at her or his convenience. It will be viewed as a great tool for her/him (since (s)he is ultimately responsible for your work), will highlight your accomplishments and you will appear well organized and on top of your game.
   2. Create anecdotal stories that illustrate your successes. For example, “last week while I was speaking at a national meeting in LA, I happened to meet a key prospect who would be a great contact for you as well”. This highlights your expertise as a speaker, creates an air of importance because you were working outside of your geographical area, and shows your understanding of your colleague’s or contact’s business as well.
   3. Be sure to be well prepared for reviews and other performance appraisal situations. Always go into these meetings with a list of accomplishments and responsibilities along with specific and quantifiable results where possible.
   4. Get excited. Call your boss and leave a voicemail when you get a new client, a hot lead (use this one with caution because it can highlight a weak closing rate), a new account or a huge order. Certainly most supervisors want to hear about your successes. Use this one sparingly with colleagues. Some can be very excited for you…others can less so.
   5. If you happen to find yourself in an elevator or other “informal” environment with a very senior person, at least take the opportunity to introduce yourself. Let them know who you work for and don’t hesitate to throw in a little self promotion. This particular scenario works well if you credit the whole team, including your boss if this is your boss’s (boss’s) boss.
   6. While crediting the team is important, don’t forget to throw yourself in there. Saying something like, “my team and I just closed a huge sale” is a wonderful way to illustrate that you led the team without taking all of the credit.
   7. When considering a new pos
      Five New Job Habits to Avoid
      At my last part time job, I discovered quickly that not only was I expected to do my work, but also that of the coworker from the shift before me. It wasn't written into my contract, nor was it ever actually expressed in this fashion, but it was something that infuriated me as it persisted. It started with little things; being asked to "finish" mopping that had never even started, bring supplies up from downstairs that she knew where to find and had not shown me, organizing and other upkeep efforts that, while either of us could handle them, would have been nice to have finished, or at least started, before her shift ended. In the daily log book
      (s)he is ultimately responsible for your work), will highlight your accomplishments and you will appear well organized and on top of your game.
   8. Create anecdotal stories that illustrate your successes. For example, “last week while I was speaking at a national meeting in LA, I happened to meet a key prospect who would be a great contact for you as well”. This highlights your expertise as a speaker, creates an air of importance because you were working outside of your geographical area, and shows your understanding of your colleague’s or contact’s business as well.
   9. Be sure to be well prepared for reviews and other performance appraisal situations. Always go into these meetings with a list of accomplishments and responsibilities along with specific and quantifiable results where possible.
   10. Get excited. Call your boss and leave a voicemail when you get a new client, a hot lead (use this one with caution because it can highlight a weak closing rate), a new account or a huge order. Certainly most supervisors want to hear about your successes. Use this one sparingly with colleagues. Some can be very excited for you…others can less so.
   11. If you happen to find yourself in an elevator or other “informal” environment with a very senior person, at least take the opportunity to introduce yourself. Let them know who you work for and don’t hesitate to throw in a little self promotion. This particular scenario works well if you credit the whole team, including your boss if this is your boss’s (boss’s) boss.
   12. While crediting the team is important, don’t forget to throw yourself in there. Saying something like, “my team and I just closed a huge sale” is a wonderful way to illustrate that you led the team without taking all of the credit.
   13. When considering a new pos
       What About the Internal Brand?
       More and more companies are revitalizing their brand with a new logo, building remodels, new uniforms, advertising campaigns, and the like. Typically everyone, both within and outside the company, gets excited about the new look and message. After all, it’s cool to have the latest and greatest of anything.However, many of these companies fail to recognize the intangible assets. Yes, the tangible assets have been updated, but what about the employees? Has any thought or investment been put towards them? If you remodel a restaurant but provide the same average service and food quality, the customers who already gave you a second chance s
       pared for reviews and other performance appraisal situations. Always go into these meetings with a list of accomplishments and responsibilities along with specific and quantifiable results where possible.
   14. Get excited. Call your boss and leave a voicemail when you get a new client, a hot lead (use this one with caution because it can highlight a weak closing rate), a new account or a huge order. Certainly most supervisors want to hear about your successes. Use this one sparingly with colleagues. Some can be very excited for you…others can less so.
   15. If you happen to find yourself in an elevator or other “informal” environment with a very senior person, at least take the opportunity to introduce yourself. Let them know who you work for and don’t hesitate to throw in a little self promotion. This particular scenario works well if you credit the whole team, including your boss if this is your boss’s (boss’s) boss.
   16. While crediting the team is important, don’t forget to throw yourself in there. Saying something like, “my team and I just closed a huge sale” is a wonderful way to illustrate that you led the team without taking all of the credit.
   17. When considering a new pos
       5 Critical Items Never to be Included in Cost Benefit Analysis
       When dealing with decisions using Cost Benefit Analysis techniques it is very important to follow the proven principles. The health of your company and your reputation depend on it. If these rules are not followed then your decisions could be flawed.Let's start, shall we?Critical Item #1. Sunk CostsIrrecoverable cash outlays that occurred prior to the evaluation of the project are excluded, only the present and future costs/benefits are assessed. You cannot go back in time to add in past costs, only deal in the current and the future, as best you can.Critical Item #2. Arbitrary Accounting Cost/Income AllocationsDep
       elevator or other “informal” environment with a very senior person, at least take the opportunity to introduce yourself. Let them know who you work for and don’t hesitate to throw in a little self promotion. This particular scenario works well if you credit the whole team, including your boss if this is your boss’s (boss’s) boss.
   18. While crediting the team is important, don’t forget to throw yourself in there. Saying something like, “my team and I just closed a huge sale” is a wonderful way to illustrate that you led the team without taking all of the credit.
   19. When considering a new position, try taking a bit of a risk. Women tend to wait until they have 100% of the required skills to put their name in the ring for a promotion or apply for a new job. Men tend to assume that they will be able to handle the new challenges that come at them. Let the correct people know you are interested. Then, when specific experience is questioned in the interview, bring up scenarios where the same skill set was needed and understand that this will enable you to effectively handle the new responsibilities. A perfect example of this type of situation happened to my husband. A “recovering attorney”, he was anxious to get out of civil law which he found less than satisfying. He interviewed, at a job fair, for a pharmaceutical sales position. On the surface, he was lacking several of the key experience they sought…specifically sales experience and some type of healthcare background. When questioned, my husband brought up his 10+ years as an Assistant District Attorney where he “sold” hundreds of juries in cases that often involved complicated medical issues and testimony. He brought up his excellent presentation and communication skills. He got the job.
   20. Get testimonials. Whether they are from current clients, past clients or colleagues testimonials allow others to do your promotion for you. Ask clients who love your work to put it in writing and ask them to be as specific as possible about what results you help them to achieve. Don’t forget to include “internal” clients as well. Ask them to act as advocates for you. Be sure to reciprocate.
   Be sure you are prepared to promote yourself. Start by determining what the key tactics are that will help you reach your goals. Do you need to meet more influential people, get more clients, speak in front of groups, develop more products? Then, start to actively seek out opportunities where you can accomplish these tactics. Finally, keep a record of these accomplishments as you achieve them and strategically get the word out by using the methods listed above or any other means that have worked for you in the past. By promoting yourself, you just may end up with a promotion!