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By Alyce Collins
Senior Reporter
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The director of a Fortune 500 company has shared the tip that she says has helped her achieve four promotions and led to corporate success.
For the last eight years, Katie Smith from New York City has successfully climbed the corporate ladder and won awards for her skill and dedication. But she hasn't become the director of a data analytics company through sheer luck. She attributes her achievements to one trick that she says has completely transformed her career.
You might be thinking that it must be something extreme to create such substantial results, but Smith tells Newsweek that it's a learned skill to acquire over time.
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The trick is to always be one step ahead. The millennial director explains that before she submits anything, she takes a moment to put herself in her boss's shoes and consider the first question they will ask about it. Once she has the answer, she adds it to the assignment to show forward thinking.
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"When your boss gives you an assignment, before you submit it, pause and pretend you are your boss," Smith said. "When your boss reviews your assignment, what is the first question they will ask you? Add the answer to that question to the original assignment—or at least bring it with you to the meeting.
She said: "By doing this, you're not only doing more work, but you're showing that you are capable of thinking like your boss and, therefore, can take on more challenging tasks."
Smith started doing this around two years into her career, and since then she has achieved four promotions, won several awards, and been asked to speak at client conferences. Many of her bosses have directly attributed her success to her ability to think ahead.
She often shares career tips and advice on Instagram (@getacorporatejob), and this insight certainly amazed many social media users. Since the video was posted in December, it has gone viral with over 482,000 views and more than 11,500 likes at the time of writing.
Hopefully, many more people will try it out and reap the benefits that Smith has experienced. However, she highlighted that it's something she learned to do gradually, and it's fine if people don't instantly get it right.
"This is a learned skill, and it's OK if you don't get the question right the first time," Smith told Newsweek. "You might think your boss is going to ask question A, and they ask question B. You'll learn, and eventually, you will guess question C, and you'll smile inside and remember reading this article.
"It's harder to do at the beginning of your career, or when you start a new job or start working for a new manager. Those situations make it more challenging to learn this skill," she said.
The Social Media Response
Smith was amazed by the reaction to her video, as she's heard from many fellow professionals who agreed wholeheartedly with her tip. While many people refer to this notion as "managing up," Smith says it's more specific than that wide-ranging concept.
Of course, some people questioned whether this one trick could be the cause for all her success. If anyone isn't sure, Smith urges them to try it out and see how beneficial it can be.
Smith said: "People have been sharing the video, which means the tip is practical advice that people feel they can actually use during day-to-day interactions with their bosses."
Among the comments on Instagram, many people thanked Smith for her career advice. One comment reads: "This is so useful, thanks for sharing! Definitely helps reduce time too."
Another Instagram user wrote: "This is really useful. I try to anticipate the next move, questions and consider them already in—for example, my data model—or prepare for easy adaption."
A third person wrote: "great thinking! Stay ahead is really important."
Have you had a workplace dilemma? Let us know via life@newsweek.com. We can ask experts for advice, and your story could be featured on Newsweek.
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