6 easy ways to fast-track your career

As members of Generation Z are graduating from college and entering the workforce, many have already set their sights on moving up the career ladder—and fast. According to a study by InsideOut Development, 60% of Gen-Zers have aspirations of being a manager, and 76% say they don’t think they should wait more than a year for a promotion.

To fast-track your career, you’ve got to hit the ground running from day one. Entry-level employees who demonstrate leadership characteristics during the interview or at the start of their career can become top of mind when a management position becomes available, says Vicki Bracket, author of The Leadership Toolbox: 14 Strategies That Build a Chain Reaction of Success. “Become a pseudo-leader without the title,” she says.

1. Talk like a leader

Powerful words and phrases elevate your standing. Start by talking like a leader, using terms that Bracket describes as “senior-level” words, such as “strategic,” “tactical,” and “execution.” Utilize leadership phrases, as well. For example, Bracket suggests saying during an interview, “I took the lead in developing a strategic game plan,” or, “Under my leadership we developed X.”

Share stories when you mentored other people. “Third-party stories with a situation, an action, and results can demonstrate leadership,” says Bracket. “For example, ‘We did this, under my leadership.’”