I don’t talk about my six years with Victoria’s Secret that often here on the blog because it just doesn’t seem super relevant to my life now but there was a point where it was pretty much my life. And over those six years, I learned so much about what it means to be a good leader, how to speak up for yourself and how to grow with a company and cultivate a great career. While I’m admittedly happy I’m no longer associated with them after their latest comments in regards to their fashion show (yikes!) VS will still always have a special place in my heart because it’s where I met some of my best friends and learned how to run a business.
A lot of people think it’s just retail but when you’re a manager, it’s a whole other animal. You’re running a business, you’re responsible for motivating a sales team, you’re in charge of the store’s visual presentation, not to mention hiring, training and a million other things. It is so much more than just bras and panties.
During my time with VS I was promoted 7 times and was able to ultimately reach my goal of becoming a Store Manager. I started out as a seasonal associate and because I needed a job to support myself while I was in college I made it my mission to be good enough to get asked to stay as a permanent associate. I ended up being one of two associates who were kept past the holidays out of 16. I knew from day one that I wanted to be a manager so I set my sights on that goal and did not stop unti I reached it. At one point I had dreamed of maybe being a district manager or working for corporate but over the years I began to realize this was not my forever career. Leaving VS was bittersweet because I felt like I was leaving my family but I also was 1. so thrilled to pursue my writing full time and 2. knew that if I wanted to keep my sanity I needed to leave what had become an overly demanding and extremely stressful work environment. It wasn’t a healthy place for me to work anymore and I knew it was the right time to go.
I am forever grateful for all that I got to experience while working there because without VS I wouldn’t have the business or communication skills I have now. I got exposed to a ton of different sides of the business, from merchandising to analytics to talent development and that has left me with some great tools I know I’ll use in the future when scaling my own business.
I know a big reason why I was so successful in my VS career is my work ethic. I’ve always been a very hard worker and am passionate about progressing and not staying stagnant. I’m also very adaptable and am the type of person who strives to improve every day when it comes to my work. While I certainly wasn’t a perfect manager I think what set me apart was my willingness to learn and adjust.
I know a lot of you ladies are just as driven as I am and I wanted to share my top 5 tips for getting noticed at work, no matter what industry you’re in. Let me know in the comments if you find this post useful/interesting! I’ve never really posted anything like it before and I want to make sure you guys are into it before I continue posting similar content.
BE THE FIRST TO RAISE YOUR HAND
I mean this both literally and figuratively. From day one I was always willing to stay longer, come in earlier, take extra shifts and complete tasks that weren’t in my job description. I asked a ton of questions and made it clear I could be relied on.
Something as a manager I always found frustrating was when associates showed interest in management roles but would have answers like “I’m always on time, I actively engage and sell to all customers, etc.” when asked why they thought they were ready for them. Being on time, having a good attitude and meeting expectations are all a part of your job. As in, the job you’re already doing. If you want a new job you need to show that you’re ready to take on that added responsibility. You don’t get a gold star for doing what is already expected of you. That’s just the bare minimum. It’s about doing more.
Is there a new project you can offer to help with? Can you ask to shadow someone in a role you’re interested in on your day off? Can you offer to help out your stressed out boss with anything they need? Those are the kind of things that get you noticed. Those are the kind of things that make you irreplaceable.
ADVOCATE FOR YOURSELF
If you don’t do it no one else will! Sure, you can wait for that dream promotion to become available to ask your boss about it but there’s a good chance someone else has been asking about that role for months before it was even open. You want to be the second person. You want to be absolutely clear about what you’re working towards so 1. your boss can give you feedback on what you need to do to get that job and 2. when the role does open up you’ll be the first person they think of.
I was obnoxiously clear about my goals with my bosses. They all knew that I wanted to be a manager. And even in moments where some of them doubted me, I knew that it was going to happen. I was determined to prove to them that I was capable and it was that belief in myself that kept me speaking up for myself until I got the roles I wanted. So whenever I had a performance review, a free solo moment with them or when their boss was paying a visit, I talked about my goals.
I loved it when my associates expressed interest in growing with the company and also wanted to know what they could do to be considered for a promotion. You have to make your intentions known and then actively pursue improvement!
ALWAYS HAVE AN ACTION PLAN READY
Sometimes we screw up. It happens! I know I have more times than I can count. And it can be scary to tell your boss you’ve made a mistake, especially if you’re trying to prove you’re ready for a new role. My best advice? Be ready with a solution.
Obviously, there are some mistakes you need help fixing but if you have a pretty good idea on what you can do to make it less of a big deal, have that idea ready for your boss. When I would mess up at work I always explained to my boss why I thought it happened and then what I did to try and fix it and what I was going to do in the future to make sure it didn’t happen again. Obviously if you’ve done something dumb and small like faxed the invoice to the wrong person you probably don’t need to make it into a whole thing, ya know? But if it’s a biggie then your boss will appreciate you taking the initiative to fix the problem.
For those fuck ups that require more damage control, be ready with a plan. It will show your boss that you’re the type of employee who can handle stressful situations and who is solution oriented. You take care of business and move on. Bosses love that shit!
FEEDBACK IS YOUR FRIEND
There is nothing I got more annoyed with than when my employees would give me a ton of pushback when I was trying to give them constructive feedback. If your boss is taking time out of their day to touch base with you and help you improve then you just need to do one thing: listen. Obviously, if they’re being a total dick that’s different but in a lot of cases, we get too wrapped up in our own pride to take in what is probably valuable advice. Feedback is a gift. Ditch your ego and be grateful that you’re getting some great insights into how you can improve from, you know, the person who can promote or fire you. Duh!
Not only should you take feedback well in the moment, but you should also show that you’re taking it seriously by immediately implementing it. Showing urgency is a great way to send the message to your boss that you’re serious about your development and that you value and respect them.
Lastly, you shouldn’t just wait for feedback. You should seek it out. You don’t have to be annoying af and ask your boss what they think after you send every email BUT you can definitely check in a few times a month and ask what you can do to better.
THERE IS NO TASK ABOVE YOU OR BELOW YOU
This is a phrase I use to say all the time to my associates and also in my own interviews when I was trying to get promoted. I definitely didn’t make it up myself and I’m sure heard it from a previous boss or something but it became one of my favorite pieces of advice to give over the years.
Just like how we need to take our pride out of the equation when it comes to accepting feedback, we also should check it at the door when it comes to completing tasks that we deem “beneath us”. Being a team player and willing to support your boss in whatever way they need is huge. No one likes a complainer or a brat so if you have the opportunity to help out with a smaller task then just do it. This is also something important to keep in mind if you’re in a management role because your team is going to respect that you’re willing to get your hands dirty from time to time and help out with a task that you’re overqualified for.
This also applies to taking on projects that are above your pay grade. How do you think you get promoted? You show you’re ready for more. By complaining that you “aren’t getting paid” for a specific task or that you don’t feel comfortable taking on something new you’re basically shouting “don’t promote me! I’m not ready!”. Obviously, if you are constantly being given tasks that you should be getting paid more for then that’s a different situation and something you should talk to your boss about. But chances are if now and then they’re assigning you something with more responsibility that means they’re testing you to see if you’re ready for that role. Don’t mess it up! Accept it graciously and crush it!
Did you find any of these tips helpful? Tell me your thoughts in the comments below!
Xo, She
