Having fun might help your career

By Dana Knight
Indianapolis Star

Skipping three rungs on the corporate ladder or cashing in a quadruple-digit bonus sometimes has nothing to do with your head — and more to do with someone else's lower body.

There has to be a strategy that allows you to avoid that smooch and move ahead on the job in 2004 — something that impresses the boss and happens to be fun.

The most successful employees care about themselves, says Neil Lebovits, an unstuffy president and CEO of Ajilon Finance, a national staffing firm.

Caring about yourself often means indulging. Just take a look at some of Lebovits' offbeat tips to put stars in your boss's eyes.

• Go for coffee. Even if you don't drink it. It's always smart to make an effort to socialize with the boss or colleagues (with a creamy caramel latté in hand), even people in other departments. For one, you learn what else is going on in the company. And you are tagged a team player.

• Hello, Saks. It doesn't have to be Saks. But shopping is a smart move. It's always a plus to look professional, so scour the shops for work clothes featuring the latest fashion trends.

People trust people who are well put together. If you know duster sweaters are on their way out, you probably stay on top of the trends in your profession, too.

• Sit back, relax and read a magazine. Not Maxim. Not Glamour. But a trade magazine in your industry. Even a popular magazine like People is OK. It adds to the small-talk database stored in your brain, which comes in handy at after-hours networking events.

• Leave work early for Pilates. Exercise helps balance work and life, keeping you healthy. Finding ways to relieve stress and stay happy outside of work will help you perform better at work.

• Catch an afternoon baseball game on company time. Leave the office. An empty desk isn't necessarily a bad thing. It shows you are alive and interactive. Professional organizations and clubs are great ways to meet influential people in the community.