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I have to completely agree that yes, if you want to get ahead in your career you must in one form or another kiss up to your boss. This seems very unfair I know. However, I recently heard a story on the radio, that over 60% of jobs available today or not even listed in newspapers or web sites such as career builder.com. These 60% of jobs are attained by "who you know".

In my own experience, I have found that while your experience and education does of course assist you in getting your foot in the door it is more your communication skills that help you during your interview and thereafter. If you find yourself at work and you have a bad attitude every day, no one will ever promote you except for by default, for example your boss moves up in their position and with or without your bad attitude you are the best fit to take your bosses position. Then, yes, you obviously will get promoted. However, that sort of promotion is dependent on your boss getting promoted.

Again, in my own life, being a Business Office Manager, I have found that the people I like are the people who get promoted. Please don't hate me until I have a chance to explain this line of thinking, because I have a lot of experience watching other managers follow this same route. If I am looking to promote someone to the Assistant Business Office Manager position, which of the following people do you think I want working for me?

A. A person with a great resume and college experience but has an attitude. Questions every decision I make, and always has to have the last word. This person feels that because they went to Harvard Business School they are never wrong.

B. A person with a decent resume and some or no college experience but plenty of work experience. This person is very friendly and gets along with everyone. This person and I work very well with each other and I feel that I can trust this person because yes they do kiss up to me.

If you chose B you are correct and you are the person moving into the new position. The fact of the matter is, no one wants an assistant that they are always arguing with. No one wants that. The second fact is, I can train anyone with decent experience to be an assistant who will eventually take my job. But who is easier to train, someone you get along with and that does kiss up, or someone like person A?

I think someone that kisses up to their boss is the person who is earger to learn and is interested in what their boss does and cares about the success of the business. That's the person I want to work with. Keep your drama and your attitude at home.

Learn more about this author, Joshua Cleveland.
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