Everyone wants to earn a promotion and reap all the rewards that go with it. A corner office. A higher pay. An assistant. And the power to boss people around. Anyway, there’s a lot of ways you can actually do to get what you want - work your butt off, kiss your boss’ ass, sleep your way to the top, etc… But which one of these prove to be effective?

A lot of guides on the Net on winning promotions would swear by the goody-two-shoes route and yet realistically thinking, it really depends on the case. The key is still understanding the corporate culture of your organization in order to custom make a plan that would help you advance your career.

Know the mechanics for promotion. Companies do have guidelines to aid them on deciding who to promote. Does your company decide on credentials? Performance? Expertise? Know the process the company takes to select the next big man or woman. This way, you can focus on the core areas and adjust your working habits in order to rank strongly in the criteria.

Know the culture. Sure, the by-laws state that the guy who gets the most sales merit a promotion and yet its that mini-skirt wearing tramp that got the office next to the bigger man the last time. Knowing how the company regarding its actual ways of working would help you decide if you really want to stay and prosper inside the company. Even the company’s moral stance dictates a lot about professional the organization is and how business is really done inside.

Be the model worker. Reconciling the by-laws and the ways of working, you can now simply identify which areas you need to focus on. Still, excellence of work output remains essential. You have to prove that you’re every cent you’re paid.

Play the politics. Well, like it or not, organizations really have that social and political dimension. While generally speaking it’s virtually a cut-throat world out there, you can still forge some strategic relationships with people. First up, be known. Be sure that people know you. Not as that twit who got drunk last Christmas during the company party, but as a solid, consistent worker. Earn the respect of your peers and bosses. Don’t forget the boss. Help your boss succeed and more often than not, he’ll be willing to reward you with something.

Quit. If you feel that you won’t be able to play the politics game but still want career advancement, maybe it’s always wise to consider transferring organizations. Remember that the best job isn’t always where they pay big but it’s a job that you enjoy and can see yourself advancing without compromising things that you hold dear.