7 ways to earn more by climbing the career ladder faster

In 2024, life is expensive – so it’s more important than ever before to boost your earning potential and finally get ahead.

In today’s competitive work environment, quickly climbing the career ladder is a goal for many ambitious professionals.

While no one-size-fits-all formula for success exists, over-achievers often exhibit specific behaviours and strategies that set them apart.

So, where do you start if you want to accelerate your career growth and earning capacity?

1. Get achievement focused

Research over many years has highlighted how high achievers are motivated to accomplish goals and have a drive to succeed. Atkinson and McClelland’s theory of achievement motivation contrasts the motivational goals for high and low achievers. High achievers are more motivated to excel and secure their goals. In contrast, people motivated to avoid failure will take action to avoid such an outcome.

High achievers are more motivated to excel and secure their goals.

Consequently, high achievers are more likely to take risks and persist in the face of setbacks and challenges. They will set challenging, but realistic goals. Individuals who are focused on avoiding failure are more likely to avoid situations or tasks that will test their competencies and capabilities. They also experience more anxiety in achievement-based situations.

Remember, however, that achievement comes in many forms, so it’s crucial to know what matters most to you and define achievement by your criteria. Playing the comparison game is a recipe for unhappiness.

2. Do the work

Perseverance pays off, but sometimes, that pay-off can take a while. In the initial phases of building my consulting business, I worked harder than ever and earned less money than I had during my corporate career, but I knew the effort would pay off. There’s a great saying, “Do the work” and in this case, that’s what I did. Sometimes, progress was slow and unexpected obstacles arose, but I got up and did the work. Sometimes, the days were hard, but I got up and did the work. Dedication beats luck every day. As psychologist Angela Duckworth and colleagues’ research on grit reminds us, perseverance plays a massive part in reaching long-term goals. Grit is a trait that sets high achievers apart from others.

An Australian workplace expert has revealed her top tips for quickly climbing the career ladder and accelerating your earning capacity.

3. Become the ‘go to’ expert

An expert is known for something because they have spent quality time establishing a reputation as the expert in their field. This reputation is enhanced by speaking at industry conferences, hosting or being interviewed on podcasts, sharing content on social media or writing a book. When a person is the expert, the work finds them. Also, the market pays more for the services and skills of someone classified as an expert. Becoming an expert takes time.

As you build your expertise and credibility, focus on consistently delivering results, whether it’s exceeding targets, taking on additional responsibilities, or proposing innovative solutions to work-related problems.

4. Master your learning edge

Your expertise extends beyond your technical skills to include competencies. Your technical skills are skills such as computer programming, graphic design, or project management. Your competencies, sometimes referred to as ‘soft skills’ include skills such as emotional intelligence, problem-solving and critical thinking; all skills which are critical in a technology-driven world. To be an expert, you must stay abreast of the latest thinking and ideas in your profession and in other fields. You can build and elevate your expertise by attending workshops, pursuing additional certifications, or engaging in continuous education.

These efforts deepen your understanding, expand your skill set, and enhance the value you bring to your current or future role.

Your expertise extends beyond your technical skills to include competencies.

5. Obsess about presence

Be present, focused, and look for ways to distinguish yourself from the crowd, so you are known for something. Most importantly, be focused when you are in the room with colleagues, clients, or stakeholders. Distractedness signals disinterest and disrespect. How you turn up matters. Every interaction is an opportunity to build connections, deepen insights and showcase your value. You cannot achieve career success alone, so you want to strive for a consciously positive impact.

6. Build your career advisory board

Building a network of advocates and allies creates the foundations to leverage your skills, communicate your value and progress your career. Think of it like having a career advisory board. Your board provides advice, shares insights, constructively challenges your thinking and actions, and provides connections and ideas. Collaborating with influential allies and having sponsors can open doors, increase your visibility, and help you access new opportunities.

7. Mind your health

It’s easy to keep going and pushing to the next goal. But you won’t succeed long-term if your mental health and physical health don’t go with you.

It’s crucial to balance your energy and have time to rest and recharge so you have the energy to back yourself and the momentum to keep going when times get tough.

As author Zig Ziglar once said, “It is not what happens to you that determines how far you go in life; it is what you do with what happens to you”. 

Michelle Gibbings is a workplace expert and the award-winning author of three books, including her latest: Bad Boss: What to do if you work for one, manage one or are one.

Originally published as 7 ways to earn more by climbing the career ladder faster