How to get your career in the spotlight

by Hope Dlugozima [ivillage.co.uk]

Don't hide your light under a bushel, learn how to raise your profile at work. And we're not talking about staying late either. In fact, a recent poll suggests that keeping your nose to the grindstone isn't necessarily the best way to get ahead. There are lots of other ways to get noticed, here's how:
Meet people in other departments. You need to get known throughout the company, because that's a good route to future promotions and pay rises. If you're asked to head up a committee, for example, select people outside your group - and people you think it would be helpful for you to know.
Join an outside group. If you can join a professional organisation that does work that’s valued by your employer, then you can start sending out all sorts of self-serving emails. 'When I was at the Towards New Media group meeting last night, they asked for recommendations on companies that might be willing to host visiting speakers from foreign companies. If you're interested, send me an email.' Suddenly, you've made yourself an informal spokesperson for the company - and that's seen as leadership.

Learn a new technology. A woman who worked for a large estate agent decided a couple of years ago that she would become an Internet expert. She began spending lots of time on the computer, sending around memos on potential opportunities for her department, and serving as an authority of sorts on the topic. When her company finally started thinking, 'what is this Internet thing and who here knows about it?' she was the person everyone kept mentioning. She landed a job as head of the new division. At your own workplace, try to predict (by reading professional journals and attending conferences, for example) what might be the next big technology in your field. Start teaching yourself the necessary skills now, and be vocal about it. It's sure to heighten your profile at work.
Take on something unpopular. If there's a high-profile job that's scaring everyone else but has the potential to win you huge brownie points should it succeed, go for it. Even if you're only half successful, you'll still be noticed as a person willing to take on something tough and a slightly risky.

Remember to limit yourself. Choose your activities carefully, and focus on doing them well rather than trying to be visible all over the place. Your aim is to be seen as someone who's on the way up, so start laying the groundwork now.