Most of you know me as the Executive Recruiter that helps Executives, IT, Sales, and Finance professionals find roles or, on the flip side, help companies find these professionals.

I helped negotiate hundreds of offers and grew my organization, NewConfig, to nine recruiters (soon to be ten) in about ten years.

I have kept in touch with many of the people we staffed over the years. It is in our interest that they are successful since then clients would come back to us for more business.

Over the last ten years, I have watched which professionals were successful in growing their careers by getting promoted. I took note of the successful professionals. To know what they did right. I also took note of the ones that struggled and failed. Those that job-hopped and left employers because of a myriad of excuses.

So here are the top 3 things I learned from those that got promoted:

1. They took on as much responsibility as they could handle.

They take on more projects. They take on managing more people. And they execute both tasks successfully. In your career, as in life, getting the work done comes first. Making an impact comes first. Then comes the higher title and higher salary.

2. They are more productive than their peers.

It does not mean they work longer hours or the weekends, but some do it. People vary in their productivity. Some can accomplish in one hour what another person takes three hours to do. However, even if the person takes three hours, s/he still gets it done and works even more to pass the competition.

3. They have a mentor within their organization.

Mentors help get promoted. They vouch for you and speak on your behalf for the work you accomplished.