PERSONAL FINANCE: How to make more money at your job

I believe everybody is responsible for his or her own earning ability, but most people don’t know this. So we act like it is all in the hands of our bosses or employers.

That’s why when things are not going our way, we quickly blame the same people. Don’t we all think that if our employers could just pay us more our financial difficulties would be resolved?

It’s as if your employer is the one who held a gun to your head and asked you to go apply for that loan or take your child to that expensive school or give money to that relative, etc. We have to take responsibility for our choices.

We also have to start making certain choices concerning how much we earn. When people set goals they may decide a number of things. For example, many people may have resolved to buy a house, make certain investments, clear their debt or start a

business this year. However, not many people set targets for how much they want to earn. Many people believe this is completely up to the employer. As much as your employer will be the one to approve the amount, there are things you can actually do to

also play a part in this process. You are not simply a victim of what your employer decides to pay you. It is time we also learn to take part in the process and get back some form of control.

How do you do this? Well, a lot of people believe they deserve a pay rise because the cost of living has gone up. However, inflation does not qualify you for a higher salary. Remember that when the cost of living goes up, the cost of running the business you

work in also goes up. So rather than using that as your justification for a higher salary, try to be result-oriented. Are you achieving the exact same results you were three years ago? If your answer is yes, then that is why your income has not increased. 

In our classes we try and bust the comfort zone of regular income. Regular income is what you get with your regular or normal way of thinking and your regular habits. If you want a higher income you have to elevate your way of thinking and of course

adopt the actions that go hand in hand with that. The question to ask ourselves is, what results are we going to achieve at work? How has life for the company you work for improved because you are there? I once worked for a company, or rather a

manager, who placed a lot of emphasis on the numbers of hours worked. It was a good thing if you were regularly spotted at your desk late into the night. I find this concept totally absurd, but many people do get caught up in ‘busyness’ as opposed to real

productivity. If the long hours result in productivity, well and good, but it means nothing if it is just for the sake of looking busy.

ACHIEVE GOOD RESULTS

Think about what you will achieve at work and then use those results to justify bonuses and increments. Again you do not work in isolation, so share your achievements and results with your relevant supervisors so they can be on the same page with you

and ensure that your goals are in fact in line with what the overall business or department is trying to achieve. Remember it will usually work in your favour if your supervisors also look good in the process of you achieving good results.

So we’ve talked about mapping out the results you want to achieve in your role. Here is another secret to learn if you want to earn more money at your job. Do more than is expected.

Do something that is out of your usual role. Show that you not only care about yourself, but the organisation as a whole. I’ve sat in waiting rooms of many offices where the phone goes unanswered simply because the receptionist has gone to the bathroom.

Answer the phone. You may be the accountant, but when there is an event happening at work, roll up your sleeves and join in making the event successful. In a staff meeting pitch in with ideas and be willing to help execute those ideas. These things get you

noticed and you will be seen in a different light. The promotions and opportunities that come your way may not only be in your current line of work. By doing more, you get to understand how different areas of the business work and you may just find

something you like and can grow in.

Remember you don’t get promoted if nobody knows who they are promoting. Don’t go unnoticed like wallpaper. Intentionally play a part so that you can be on the top of the minds of the bosses when opportunities to grow come along. 

Another thing you need to do to earn more money is to stop wasting time having useless conversations about things you have no ability or intention to change. How does gossiping about your boss help you? This is different from seeking advice on how to

approach your boss about a certain issue, but by all means, do it with the right people. Talking about how bad things are does not help. In fact, it continues making you see the negatives and you miss the opportunities that are right in front of you.

Instead of complaining aimlessly, do something about the problems you are facing. Instead of hanging out with the usual pity party gang having therapy sessions that don’t help, how about you start networking.

Have a strategic coffee or lunch every week or fortnight. If you are not talking to people who have gone before you, you will stay in the same place. Maybe it’s your boss. Maybe it is someone in another department whose career progression you admire.

Maybe it is even somebody working in another company. Go and spend time with people who earn five times what you do and understand how they got there.

That will be better use of your time than gossiping and whining. Remember that apart from progress in the organisation you currently work with, having the right mindset and approach to work will also help you in any career moves you intend to make. Any

employer would be very keen on hiring people who can tell him or her about the results they have achieved rather than just the work they did.