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Recruiter shares 9 ‘slightly shady’ corporate moves to get ahead at work
An Indian recruiter recently took to Instagram to share nine “slightly shady” moves that can help you advance your career.
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An Indian recruiter recently took to Instagram to share nine “slightly shady” moves that can help you advance your career. Juhi Bhatia’s list of nine moves are designed to help employees navigate the modern workplace and get ahead. They push back against common habits like people-pleasing, overworking, and staying quiet during salary negotiations.
Instead, Bhatia encourages employees to take direct credit for their work and set boundaries on extra tasks, among other things. Here’s her list of ‘shady’ corporate moves to advance your career:
Appear busy and take credit for your work
“Let them think you’re busier than you are,” Bhatia advised her readers. She cautioned employees against finishing work too early or being branded the fastest employee.
“Finished something early? Good for you. You don’t need to immediately announce that you have capacity. Nobody is handing out medals for fastest employee,” she wrote.
As her second “Shady Move”, she also urged professionals to take credit for their own work.
“If you led it, say ‘I led it.’ If you built it, say ‘I built it.’ You don’t need to sprinkle “we” over everything to seem likable,” she advised.
Be visible
Juhi Bhatia’s “Shady Move #3” was aimed at encouraging people to be more visible at work.
“Make sure your boss’s boss knows who you are,” she said. “Speak in the meeting. Ask the smart question. Get on the project they care about,” the recruiter advised.
She then encouraged employees to interview at other companies even when they have no intention of leaving their current workplace. This, she said, will help people realise their current market value.
“Find out what someone else would pay you. It’s not cheating. You’re not married to your employer,” Bhatia wrote.
Don’t be afraid to ask for more
Her fifth ‘shady move’ was an attempt at getting employees to stop doing extra work for free.
“Stop volunteering for work nobody wants. Meeting notes. Birthday collections. Planning the office party,” the recruiter advised, saying it would only create extra burden and not lead to appreciation from colleagues.
At the same time, Bhatia stressed on the importance of asking for what one wants.
“Shady Move #6: Ask for things you’re not completely qualified for,” she said. She reminded her readers that there is nothing wrong with asking for a promotion or a bigger raise.
Make your boss look good
Next, Juhi Bhatia wrote about unavoidable office politics, advising her readers to “Make your boss look good.”
“Bring solutions instead of problems. Give them information before they ask. Make their life easier,” she said. “Funny how often ‘office politics’ is just making yourself useful to powerful people,” she added.
(Also read: Woman opens up about life after quitting corporate job, says 'I miss colleagues but not office politics')
As point 8, the recruiter also asked her readers to train “someone else” to do their job.
“If you’re the only person who can do it… guess who they need to keep doing it? Congratulations. You played yourself,” she wrote.
The final ‘shady move’
Finally, Juhi Bhatia said that employees must learn the art of negotiation. “Let someone else speak first. Especially in a negotiation,” she said, adding that an uncomfortable silence could be played to one’s advantage.
“Say what you want. Then stop talking.
“You’d be amazed what people offer when you don’t rush in to make them comfortable. Silence is allowed to be awkward. Let it,” she concluded.
