raise your profile

You've been working overtime, staying within budget, and building a great team. Despite all that, you feel your career has stalled. That could be a sign that you have a visibility problem. If your career is to benefit from all your achievements, you have to make sure the right people take note. But short of hiring a publicist, how do you get their attention? Here are a few ideas.

1. Volunteer. An excellent way to raise your profile is to raise your hand! Step up when company higherups and professional associations are soliciting volunteers. If your company is forming an advisory board or best-practices committee, sign on. Join a committee or accept a position on the board of your national trade organization. Offer to be a guest speaker for a business course at a local college or university. Most professors are thrilled to have practitioners come in and share their expertise for an hour or so. Volunteer to join a panel discussion at a local chapter meeting or even the annual conferences held by groups like the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals and the Warehousing Education and Research Council. Can you write? If so, write a letter to the editor or contribute an article to a trade publication.
2. Build a brag book. No, this isn't one of those annoying scrapbooks or photo albums. It doesn't even have to be a book, per se. This is more a collection of papers documenting your career accomplishments. You can use the bottom drawer of your desk. Whenever you receive a complimentary e-mail from a supervisor, customer or co-worker, print it out and toss it in the drawer. Same with the certificates you get for attending seminars, the programs from conventions you've attended and issues of the company newsletter that mention your name. You might even include a copy of a spreadsheet that shows that you actually got the budget to balance.
   
   As haphazard as it may seem, this collection could serve as an important memory aid. You might think you'll be able to recount all your achievements during an interview or annual evaluation, but your mind will likely go blank. Don't think of it as bragging or boasting, with all their negative connotations. These are examples of the work you've done and evidence supporting your bid for a raise or promotion.
3. Continue your education. Going back to school doesn't have to mean registering for a full course load at an Ivy League school. You can find educational opportunities in a variety of places. If you'd like to pursue a degree, many well-known and respected schools offer programs that allow students to earn degrees of all levels— bachelors, masters and doctorates—on a part-time basis, and possibly even online. But you have plenty of choices beyond degree programs. If your job requires you to prepare spreadsheets, for example, you could earn a certification in Microsoft Excel. In addition, there are a number of professional organizations in the supply chain management field that offer certification programs. If you pass the exam, you're entitled to add impressive-sounding initials after your name, which subtly notify the world of your achievement. In addition, many certifying organizations will send a press release to your company, the trade press and your hometown paper.
   
   Mergers, acquisitions and downsizing have made self-promotion more important than ever, but it must be done with finesse. Don't be afraid to train the spotlights on your achievements, but make sure you don't get burned in the process!