It’s a position you don’t want to find yourself in, especially if you, like Fellows, want to take the next step. Here are four strategies to make sure you’re meeting expectations, over-delivering and demonstrating you’re truly equipped to take on more responsibility:
Make sure you and your boss are on the same page about what’s expected of you and what your top priorities are, says Rosemary Haefner, chief human resources officer at CareerBuilder.
“Clearly communicate the details of your assignments so your boss is more aware of what is on your plate,” Haefner tells CNBC. “You cannot assume that your boss understands the hours associated with assignments. Making him or her aware will help create mutually agreeable expectations.”
Don’t be afraid to have frequent check-ins or ask questions along the way, she says.
“Remember that it’s a team effort to reach goals,” the executive says, “with your boss as the lead person.”
“Shark Tank” investor and real estate mogul Barbara Corcoran has a simple strategy for making sure she’s on top of everything she has to get done.
“I make my to-do list at night, transferring items I couldn’t get done that day,” she says in an interview with Inc. Magazine. “I rate the items in order of importance: A, B or C.”
And be sure to keep a list of your high-priority tasks in a place that’s visible, says Craig Jarrow, author of “Time Management Ninja.”
“If you don’t regularly look at your list, you might as well not keep one,” he writes on his blog.
Assign yourself calendar reminders to make sure you don’t forget anything.
“Calendar management is the single most important thing, especially as you get busy and have more responsibilities,” the CEO of JPMorgan Asset Management tells CNBC.
“Unless you can stay on top of that religiously, it will end up owning you, and that’s not a way to go about staying organized and being on top of things.”
When you feel like you are in a good place, meeting deadlines on time and presenting great work, don’t be afraid to take initiative. Present a new idea to your boss or offer to help on different projects.
“Getting promoted is not just about doing your job,” says Suzy Welch, bestselling management author and CNBC contributor. “It’s about over-delivering, which involves rethinking the way you do your job.”
If you want to show your boss you’re ready for the next step, she says, then “you’re not just going to do what’s asked of you and what’s expected of you. You’re going to expand your job to help the company [and] help your team.”
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Video by Zack Guzman.
Disclosure: CNBC owns the exclusive off-network cable rights to “Shark Tank.”