Careers

Sucking up = move up in any career/job/life?

  • Last Updated:
  • Mar 2nd, 2006 7:56 pm
Tags:
None
Deal Addict
User avatar
Dec 11, 2003
1804 posts
70 upvotes
Vancouver

Sucking up = move up in any career/job/life?

I'm relatively inexperienced in life and everything, but one concept I see but never able to use is sucking up will net you a better job or better benefits/perks. Even in BC's strong unionized atmosphere, I do see newer people with equal or lesser qualification than me pass by me. If I can, I want to re-roll my dice hoping to have more stat points into my charisma.
spot finder
28 replies
Deal Addict
User avatar
Sep 30, 2003
3906 posts
130 upvotes
Toronto
meh.

kissing ass will get you rising to the top faster, but you have to still be able to produce results to stay at the top.
--
There is no happy ending
Deal Addict
May 16, 2005
3283 posts
869 upvotes
Big Brother wrote:I'm relatively inexperienced in life and everything, but one concept I see but never able to use is sucking up will net you a better job or better benefits/perks. Even in BC's strong unionized atmosphere, I do see newer people with equal or lesser qualification than me pass by me. If I can, I want to re-roll my dice hoping to have more stat points into my charisma.
Sometimes what you may perceived as 'sucking' up might not really be....Maybe the person is just more charimistatic and have a better social skills than you.....Just because someone gets along with everyone and everyone likes him/her, does not mean they are sucking up..

In this world....qualifications might get you into the door...But to move up the corporate latter....you need more than skills/qualifications.....Charm and social skills is just as important...
You look at most of the executives....They are probably not the smartest of the bunch....but they are the most 'polished' of the bunch..
Deal Fanatic
User avatar
Jun 11, 2001
9475 posts
1610 upvotes
There are TONS of politics depending around... generally the larger the company the more politics. I work for a small branch so generally there are none and everyone is pretty down to earth... but my GF is a job-jumper and has experienced it all... some of the stories are downright hilarious!
...zzz...zzz...zzz...

www.heatware.com
Deal Addict
Jan 5, 2006
1054 posts
253 upvotes
Mississauga
Being nice (or kissing ass as some might see it) might not get you up, but making enemies definitely won't.
Deal Addict
User avatar
Dec 10, 2005
3176 posts
691 upvotes
SamInfinity wrote:Being nice (or kissing ass as some might see it) might not get you up, but making enemies definitely won't.
I disagree, being nice and kissing ass are two different things :!:
Deal Addict
User avatar
Sep 18, 2004
1149 posts
57 upvotes
Sucking up has negative connotations. You need to change your attitude about how you want others to see you in the workplace. Be nice. Be likeable. Be that way to everyone including your superiors, colleagues, and even those under you. They all have a potential impact on your career. And yeah...that means sucking up, sucking sideways, and sucking down. :cheesygri
Member
Feb 3, 2005
408 posts
1 upvote
People will see right thru those who kiss ass...however, networking and social skills (as mentioned above) can go a long way.
Deal Expert
User avatar
Jun 14, 2003
23140 posts
202 upvotes
1. sucking up does not help you. At least, the obvious sucking up does not help. You need to suck up with skill.

2. If you don't know Jack, promotion will hurt you more than helping you. The higher you are, the more people will notice you.

3. Disagree with people higher than you does not mean you will be in trouble. You may even really dislike them and want to show them up. You just need to deal the situation clamly and professionally. If you want to make a point, do your homework, cover all bases.

Let me give you 2 examples of my personal experience.

In my first job, my own manager asked me to write him a program for a customer. So, I worked on it. One day later, at around 4:30pm (almost the end of the day), he walked by while I was working on the program and almost finished it. He told me that I did not need to work on that anymore because he finished it last night himself. I was pissed but I did not show it. I mean if he did that last night, why didn't he tell me earlier so that I did not waste my time? I asked him to give me the program to take a look so that I could 'learn' from it. Mind you that it was first time I used that special programming language.

So, I studied his program. Found out what he missed and what kind of bug or wrong assumption he had. At around 6:30pm (after working hour), I walked to his office, kindly told him the problem of his program and showed him my program. Explained a little bit and then left the office.

I got my promotion later.

In my 2nd job, I was a post-sale support of Wang. It was about 18 years ago. What post sale support did at that time was: (1) the hardware guy went to the customer to install the hardware, did the wiring, did hardware diagnostic, certified the hardware is working, etc, (2) the software guy (me) went there to install OS, special system software, etc. The job in those days was not as simple as the technical support today because almost every order was tailor made.

Anyway, there was a Sale manager who was hate by the post sale support group. The reason is he tried to make sale for whatever it took. If it screwed up, he pointed the finger to us. He was toe to toe to my own manager in the past. Nobody wanted to handle his order.

So, usually, as a rookie of the company, I did not need to deal with him. However, one day, we were short handed. So, I was asked to handle his case alone. I went to the customer site. Installed the X25 stuff (there was no commercial internet in those day) and tried to install the Email service (it was also not the same as email today). It did not work. So, I read through the documentation and release note. I found that the Mail Server needed at least 2 MB of system memory and this mini-computer has only 1 MB (did I say it was 18 years ago?). And, the worst part was the max that model could have was only 1MB.

The customer was nice enough to understand that. He also knew I was not the one who screwed up. Anyway, I went back to office. Since this customer involved another sales rep in Denmark, I wrote a long email. That email took me about 2 hours to finish. I edited and re-edited it because it was a political in substance but non-political on the surface email.

I basically pointed out that the Sales manager screwed up. I did not exactly say that but people could make that conclusion. I wrote down all the fact, reference, possible solution and what not.

Two days later, I got a phone from that Sales Manager. Oh! No.... I prepared to have an ear full. However, he said he liked what I did and how good I was comparing with his own technical people. He wanted me to move to pre-sale, better salary, etc.... I declined it though because I knew although it was better money, it was also pressure cooker as a pre-sale support. Later, I got thank you note from Denmark, the manager of that Sales manager and my own manager for job well done. :confused:
Deal Addict
Feb 22, 2005
2431 posts
8 upvotes
Life isn't fair and the workplace is no different.

Learning to smooze and being comfortable networking with the "right" decision makers is key.

Attend their functions at Xmas, Forced Fun days, golf tournament, marathons for charity, lunches.

If you play the game right, you will have a much better chance of advancement, even if you are not on their "A" list from the get go.
Deal Addict
User avatar
Dec 11, 2003
1804 posts
70 upvotes
Vancouver
This collegue of mine with lower seniority and have no special skills/training usually go out of her way on to go on coffee break and lunches with the right people.

There are 2 groups of people during breaks - one group is the supervisors and "powerful" people. The other group is the rest of us joes. One year later, promotion for this collegue.
spot finder
Deal Fanatic
Jan 2, 2005
5236 posts
813 upvotes
Well this is the way it is in my world:

1. Kissing Ass /Backstabbing other employees gets you places.

2. Being a f...k up also gets you moved into jobs that aren't important but pay
more.

3. If you're anywhere in the middle (me) you're going nowhere.

How's that for an outlook in a career. Makes you want to work hard doesn't it.
Sr. Member
Dec 16, 2003
682 posts
21 upvotes
Scar
Big Brother wrote:This collegue of mine with lower seniority and have no special skills/training usually go out of her way on to go on coffee break and lunches with the right people.

There are 2 groups of people during breaks - one group is the supervisors and "powerful" people. The other group is the rest of us joes. One year later, promotion for this collegue.

that happened to my work place too, but i guess that's normal, that's life :evil:
Deal Addict
Nov 26, 2004
4460 posts
4122 upvotes
My friend told me once, it is not who you knows, but who you blows. :razz:
Deal Expert
User avatar
Apr 16, 2001
16514 posts
3319 upvotes
Big Brother wrote:I want to re-roll my dice hoping to have more stat points into my charisma.
Start by not making any more RPG analogies. ;) :cheesygri
Deal Guru
User avatar
Mar 23, 2005
13432 posts
297 upvotes
Midland
162 wrote:Well this is the way it is in my world:

1. Kissing Ass /Backstabbing other employees gets you places.

2. Being a f...k up also gets you moved into jobs that aren't important but pay
more.

3. If you're anywhere in the middle (me) you're going nowhere.

How's that for an outlook in a career. Makes you want to work hard doesn't it.
If you are excellent at your job and are vital to your company's success, you will advance in your career. There's no need to "suck up".
Companies like employees who will "go the extra mile", not just do their job.
"Nothing in the world can take the place of Persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent." - US President, Calvin Coolidge
Deal Expert
User avatar
Jun 14, 2003
23140 posts
202 upvotes
gordholio wrote:If you are excellent at your job and are vital to your company's success, you will advance in your career. There's no need to "suck up".
Companies like employees who will "go the extra mile", not just do their job.
Yeah! Just do your job means you will just do your job ... your current job.
Deal Addict
May 16, 2005
3283 posts
869 upvotes
Big Brother wrote:This collegue of mine with lower seniority and have no special skills/training usually go out of her way on to go on coffee break and lunches with the right people.

There are 2 groups of people during breaks - one group is the supervisors and "powerful" people. The other group is the rest of us joes. One year later, promotion for this collegue.
Well instead of being pi88ed and jealous of this colleauge of yours...
Why don't you think why is she successful? Maybe its not the 'sucking up' or kissing arse...

Why can't you be part of the other group?

maybe the bosses like the outgoing and drive of this person, because she is socializing with them...Whereas, you are so 'shy'/timid that you won't even say hi to them during coffee break..

Maybe next time during a coffee break, you should go up to your boss and just start talking to them...Ask them how's their kids? sports? golf? tv shows? etc......
They don't bite...
Deal Fanatic
Jan 2, 2005
5236 posts
813 upvotes
gordholio wrote:If you are excellent at your job and are vital to your company's success, you will advance in your career. There's no need to "suck up".
Companies like employees who will "go the extra mile", not just do their job.
Woah - reality check needed here right now.
Deal Addict
User avatar
Nov 28, 2004
1251 posts
24 upvotes
Ottawa
Hmmmm... in my work, you need to screw up to move on up. why?? if you are good at your job, they want to keep you where you are cause they need the job done.

If you're a screwup, they can't fire you because of the union. So to get you out of that job, they promote you.

Top