Getting the Promotion that you deserve

There's good and bad news for women hoping to break through the glass ceiling. The good news is that women -- with smarts, courage and sound advice - can change that by getting promoted and rising to the top. The bad news is that women still lose out to men when it comes to promotions and higher competitive salaries. To battle it out, Monster brings some tips from experts who have already arrived at the corner office:

Your boss will do whatever it takes to keep you on board if you make her look good by producing work fast and well. By finishing grunt work, solving problems, and improving or creating services and products, you will have an advantage over the competition. Make yourself valuable by picking up technical skills or honing your soft skills. Help people by using your skills to open doors in the long run and create relationships which will be helpful in future. 

Men tend to speak up about their career goals, and women think their performance will speak for itself. Therefore, ask your boss what you need to do to qualify for your dream job. Then put those suggestions into action. If you've performed well on those tasks and your boss is satisfied, consider asking outright for a promotion. However, make sure your boss is in the right mindset before initiating the conversation.

Follow opportunities and take chances. Have a great idea about a role you could fill for your company? Research it, write a proposal and present it to your boss. The company might be game. If nothing else, your superiors will notice your willingness to take initiative. As a result, they might remember you the next time they're giving out bonuses or promoting people.

Having a sense of humor and refraining from taking yourself too seriously is an important part of succeeding in the workforce. Being likable requires you to be happy. Feeling satisfied and fulfilled means finding balance between your personal life and work as much as possible. Getting burned out won't help you get promoted. 

Enjoying your work is a great motivator.  So if you enjoy your work, present new ideas, take ownership and increase your responsibilities – your devotion will lead to a promotion.