How To Make More Money At Work

Important Background: Many years ago I found a salary printout for the company I was working for.  It was an accidental mistake by HR to leave it at the printer.  I saw that my salary was much less than my counterparts.  I felt betrayed and hurt.  This moment caused me to begin a quest to understand what factors are being taken to value an employee and their subsequent salaries.

I’ve gathered 7 years worth of research and present it below for your benefit. The information is based off of interviews from both white collar and blue collar industries. You’ll see that it’s knowledge you’ve never considered before. (Be sure to notice the average increase in wages for each step!)

For those serious about making more money at their current job, and even those who want a better paying job, read each topic and perform the recommended activities.  This will lead you to a career filled with greater income.

BOOKMARK this page, or write down the web address, as it will take a few days worth of reading and actions to really start the process towards change.

Step 1:  Adding Value At Work

Do you add value at work, or are your days filled with “just doing enough to get by” and “watching the clock, only looking forward to lunch and heading home?”  These are some probing questions to ask yourself, but it will open up an opportunity to feel more purposeful with your work, and eventually create additional income.  Our post, Adding Value At Work, contains valuable insights which will begin the money process.
(Average Wage Increase +10%)

Step 2: Are You Happy At Work?

Genuinely asking yourself the question of whether you are happy during your work hours is a profound thing to do.  Did you know that management teams can tell if you are an energetic and upbeat person?  It’s amazing how easily you can excel at work by displaying a positive outlook and personality.

It’s always been shown that happy people usually get what they want in life.  And this is the same at work too!  Read out post, Are You Happy At Work to learn more information about how you can earn more income by showing your natural happy self.  (Average Wage Increase 8%)

Step 3: Active Lifestyles Equal Higher Pay

As unfortunate as it sounds, research shows that people who are in shape and portray their natural beauty do make more money than those who do not.  Additionally, being active in out-of-work activities such as sports, boating, hiking, and more also add to the image of being an active individual.

The “image” of being active and healthy displays that you are a well-rounded individual and employee.  Companies pay considerable costs for healthcare, and even though they can’t legally admit it, they do prefer to hire healthy people as it keeps healthcare costs lower.  Our post, Active Lifestyles Equal High Pay provides much more detail and insight on this topic’s importance.  (Average Wage Increase 5%)

Step 4: Networking, From Friends to Business Associates

The word “networking” should sound familiar to you. It’s the creation of friendships and business relationships through different mediums such as the internet and social gatherings. The old saying, “It’s all about who you know,” still applies heavily today as it has in the past.  Building connections throughout your industry not only provides future job opportunities, but more importantly is establishes you as an authority within your given career.

Knowing people who do the same work as you but in other organizations gives you a sense of power and insight that your management team would love to use.  They are eager for any information that can help them succeed in their own roles.  The challenge is how do you create your network of connections.  Our post, Networking, From Friends to Business Associates, provides instructions on starting your career network.  (Average Wage Increase 20-50%)

Step 5: Journals Help You Track Career Performance

Businesses depend on internal reporting to determine how effective their processes are in reaching company objectives.  In fact, major corporations spend millions of dollars each year just on tracking the effectiveness of their work.

The same process of tracking performance is very important on a personal level too.  The first step is to create some goals following the advice mentioned in the previous steps.  Once your goals are in place, it’s time to track your daily progress towards this goal.

Anything from simple notes on what tasks you performed, to complete pages worth of your thoughts and feelings are examples of what most successful people keep track of.

Daily journal writing encourages you to keep your goals in the forefront of your mind. Studies have shown that when you keep your attention on a desired result, your odds of achieving it are very high.  The more results you achieve both in the workplace and at home will naturally boost your income.

Our post, Journals Help Your Track Career Performance, shares some of the most frequently used journal types.  Take a look and see what journal theme seems most appealing for you to use.
(Average Wage Increase 20%)

Step 6: Blogging is Free Self Advertising

Promoting your talents and experience is the sure way to become noticed not only internally in your company but also to future employers.  Adding your blog web address to your resume is a very unique feature that separates you among the competition.  Plus, once your management team sees the blog, they definitely start to think about you differently.

I’ve seen very quick salary gains by those who have created an effective blog tailored to their industry.  Blogging is still a new concept for the general public.  If you know how to do it, you can even offer it as a service to your business which in return would equal more pay.

Setting up a blog is an easy thing to do.  In our post, Blogging is Free Self Advertising we give good starter steps to help you get a blog up.  You can have you own blog published online within a matter of minutes.  It’s that fast.  From there all you need to do is add a new post to you blog each day, and then look forward to new opportunities that will come from your dedicated blogging efforts.  (Average Wage Increase 15%)

Step 7: Volunteering Boosts Your Potential Income

If you’ve ever given a helping hand to someone in need, you know that it feels pretty good.  Beyond the feeling of charity and service, employers are known to pay more for employees who volunteer frequently. Corporations recognize the dedication displayed by those who volunteer each month.  In fact, almost all of the major businesses in the world have established programs that support their local communities.

Knowing that volunteerism is a priority within the highest levels of executive management is some strong evidence that sharing their same vision of volunteer work can be to your benefit.

Continue reading more in our post, Volunteering Boosts Your Potential Income.
(Average Wage Increase 7%)

More To Come….