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You’re lucky. You enjoy the company you work for – so much, in fact, that you’d love to take on additional responsibilities and make greater contributions to the organization. That means it might be time for you to think about how to advance in your career.

Below are 8 helpful hints on how to get ahead at work.

1. Find your niche. Identify your interests and the areas in which you naturally excel. Then apply those to your company. Think about the kind of work you would enjoy performing in your new position. People who do what they love, love what they do.

2. Be vocal. Tell your superiors that you’re interested in taking on the additional responsibilities associated with the role you aspire to. After all, they’ll never know that you want to move up the company ladder if you don’t tell them. They may even help point you in the right direction by providing you with guidance and helping to establish goals.

3. Time it right! Make sure that you’ve proven yourself and your commitment to the company before bringing up the topic of promotion. Join committees, take on additional responsibilities and demonstrate your enthusiasm prior to bridging the subject.

4. Consider relocating. If the position you want is filled by a star company player, look into other divisions of your company. If you’re willing to move to pursue a new opportunity, you might make moving upward a whole lot easier.

5. Build a network. Identify people in your company who support you. Make sure that your coworkers have faith in your abilities and know that they can rely on you to come through. “Go-to” people make their way through the ranks more quickly than those who keep to themselves.

6. Ask for guidance. Find people who are working in positions similar to what you’re seeking. Ask them for suggestions on how you can advance your career in a similar direction.

7. Go to school. If you need additional skills, enrolling in school can help you get the tools you need to advance your career.

8. Get feedback. Ask your superiors for written evaluations on your performance.

Knowing what the big-wigs think of you will help you determine when it’s appropriate to ask for a promotion.

Getting a promotion can be very self-assuring. It lets you know that you’re on the right track and that you’re valued as an employee.

But, before you start moving up the company ladder, make sure that you’re headed in the right direction. A lot of people assume that any upward motion is positive. That’s not always the case. Before accepting a promotion, think carefully about whether you’ll be happy in the new role and whether it will benefit your long-term career goals.

If you have any other tips for our readers on how to get ahead at work, I’d love to hear from you.