If you hand me a book, the first thing I’ll do is crack it open, stick my nose right in the center of the pages and give it a giant inhale, eyes closed as I soak up one of my favorite smells in the world.

I may look like a crazy person, but I don’t care. I love books THAT much. (As a biased aside, my own has a GREAT new book smell – give ‘er a whiff if you haven’t already!)

So you can imagine my own surprise at writing a review on ::gasp!:: AUDIO books today! But hear me out (no pun intended).

What is Audible.com?

Many of you may have already bucked the paper book trend (what are those again?) in favor of reading e-books on Kindle or your iPad. Audible.com is a subscription-based service (much like Netflix with a similar price-point) that allows you to listen to books while running, driving, or dancing in your room. Okay wait – maybe the new Britney album is a better choice for that last one. Big thanks to Nick Reese for telling me all about it! (It being Audible, not Britney).

I’m currently in NYC for one glorious month as part of my self-funded 14-city book tour, and I hyperventilated at the thought of narrowing down my book companions to fewer than 5, seeing as I have no less than 20 unread books on my shelves that I am dying to read (check out my full list on GoodReads).

Given that I will be traveling so much, now seems like a great time to (slightly begrudgingly) make the switch to audio – at least for a little while. So I signed-up for a free trial at Audible.com and wanted to share the experiment with all of you! I used my free download to get the book Talent Code – a must-read recommendation from my brother.

How the Free Trial Works (which includes one free book download)

You can sign-up by clicking here (note: these are affiliate links — all proceeds will go to cupcake consumption while in NYC). If you cancel before your trial period is up, no harm done! You still walk away with a free audio book. If you continue your membership, you will be charged a small monthly fee (starting at $7.95 depending on what plan you choose), which gives you one credit to use each month. There are also incentives if you refer a friend.

About the Tell-a-Friend program from Audible’s help forum (though I’m having trouble finding this on their site — shout if you know how to do this!):

Current Audible(R) customers will now have the ability to send an email to anyone who is not already a listener with an offer to buy any audio title at 50% off Audible’s already low prices. Upon purchase of that or any other title by the email recipient, the original Audible customer receives a $5.00 credit in his or her Audible account. There is no limit to the amount of credit coupons a customer can collect.

My initial review of Audible.com

Pros:

• I *love* the preview feature that allows you to listen to snippets of the book before purchasing
• I like the price consistency – one credit is applicable to almost all of the books on the site
• Books are super easy to download and play in iTunes (iTunes will ask you to re-enter your Audible.com account information)
• There is no need to create a new account — it’s conveniently linked up with Amazon.com
• If you cancel your membership after the free trial period, Audible pitches a “please don’t leave!” offer to pay $9.95 for a year-long membership. Sold!

Cons:

• My own ADD! I still have a hard time listening to audio books without getting easily distracted or wishing there was music on instead.
• The site navigation is a little bit clunky; for example: my previously stated difficulty on finding the Tell-a-Friend link.
• The search feature leaves MUCH to be desired (:::cough, cough they should use Google enterprise!:::)

Ready to give it a shot? About the AudibleListener Membership Free Trial

From Audible.com (who will do a much better job describing the details of the free trial than me):

Customers can enjoy a 14-day free trial of either of our popular monthly plans: AudibleListener Gold & AudibleListener Platinum. The Gold plan includes one free monthly credit and the Platinum plan includes two free credits. These credits can be applied to almost any title in our store. Participants in either free trial receive all member benefits for 14 days, and may cancel at any time during the trial period. When the trial period ends, memberships will renew each month at our regular Gold and Platinum rates.

I look forward to hearing your thoughts!

Are you an audio book convert and/or already an Audible.com member? Does this seem like something that you could get into, or are  you still stuck on books like me? I’m going to give it a shot for a little while – at least during the book tour…looking forward to testing it with some of you!

***

Book Tour Update:

I’ve been a little quiet lately…landed in NYC last Wednesday and decided to take a complete break from everything — from work, commitments, social media, and from buzzing around to see everyone and anyone I can fit into my schedule. I’ve gotta say — it feels amazing.

At first I caught a case of the Slow-Down Sads (my new term for feeling low when you suddenly slow down and stop DOING) but it’s nothing that daily yoga isn’t helping to cure. I’m in a place of transition and reflection — and though a little uncomfortable at times, it’s a welcome opportunity to re-evaluate everything I’m doing. More on all of this soon…for now, I’m continuing with my semi-hermit-just-enjoy-the-big-apple plan!

The picture below is the first time I saw my book in a major chain — facing out at Barnes & Noble Union Square!

Spotted: LAC makes it's debut in NYC

Speaking at my first book signing!

My heart is exploding with gratitude right now…so much that I can barely find the words to express a proper thank you.

Even amidst the thrilling chaos of launch day, I left the house (points!) to go for a run (double points!) and had a moment where I realized that Tuesday was THE proudest day of my life.

Partly because of the book being officially launched and unleashed to the world. Partly because it skyrocketed up to the top #1,000 on Amazon (#747 to be exact). But mostly because I felt such a sense of pride and overwhelming gratitude at the outpouring of support and community. I am truly honored and humbled.

Because of you: the book shot up to #750 overall on launch day, and peaked at #11 in Career guides!
Because of you: countless friends, family members, Facebook readers and Twitter followers heard about the book and checked it out.
Because of you: there are nearly 40 Amazon reviews to encourage those on the fence to buy the book (including an awesome video review from Marc Luber of Careers Out There!).

1. In other fun news:

• I was quoted in US News & World Report yesterday (with a full interview coming out next week). If you have a minute, check out And on the Side, I’m an Entrepreneur.
• Michael Bungay Stanier (@BoxOfCrayons) also interviewed me for his Great Work podcast – give ‘er a listen! I talk about how to find your passion, deal with “expectation hangovers,” listen to physical cues about your great work, diffuse your inner critic, time-management strategies and tips for navigating your career within an organization.
• Video interview with @SeanOgle on Location 180 – 5 Things That Almost Didn’t Make it Into the Book
• A peek into my brain through the eyes of my desk at Google in a fun feature on TagBento (click on the boxes for a story behind each piece of desk flair)
• Check out more awesome reviews and interviews on my book website’s Around the Web page.

2. Here are some behind-the-scenes screenshots of the statistics I see on my Author’s Central page on Amazon:

Statistics as of 10pm on March 30:

Sales over the last month: up and to the right, a very good thing! (Click to enlarge)

P.S. Amazon is tricky, huh? Their graph makes it look like my book is at #1 even though it’s #834. But hey, out of 8 million that’s not too shabby!

3. I still need your help in two major ways:

1. Launch Week Push until Monday – If you have the book on your wishlist and plan on buying it eventually, please buy it between now and Monday! Launch week, from Tuesday, March 29 to Tuesday, April 5, is the best chance I have at making a bestseller list. Every book counts. If you’re on the fence, check out some of the great Amazon reviews — I know you won’t be disappointed, and the book is currently selling for less than $9!
2. Speaking of Amazon -- I still have a goal to get to 100 reviews by Friday (we’re in great shape at 38!). If you have a copy of the book, I would be thrilled if you could leave an honest Amazon review sharing your thoughts — social proof is an amazing motivator for those who don’t know me (or my work) to get their own copy.

4. Coaching Giveaway — Reminder from Tuesday:

Two readers will win an autographed copy of Life After College: The Complete Guide To Getting What You Want and a 45-minute private coaching session ($300 value!) to help you find clarity and inspiration around whatever topic you choose.

Giveaway Rules:
Each of the actions below equals 1 or 2 entries. After you’ve completed one or more, leave a comment on Tuesday’s post telling me how many entries you’ve earned (we’re on the honor system here!):

1. Share this post on Twitter with the hashtag #LACBook – 1 Entry
2. Share this post on Facebook – 1 Entry
3. “Like” the Life After College Facebook Page – 1 Entry
4. Let me know you are subscribed to the Inside Scoop newsletter – 2 Entries
5. Write an honest review on Amazon.com (obviously only if you have already read the book!) – 2 Entries
6. Copy and paste this template email to let your networks know about the book – 3 Entries

The contest ends on Wednesday, April 3rd at 5pm PST.

5. Reader Testimonials…with pictures!

I’ve seen other authors do this and I think it’s a great way to share excitement about the book, put faces to readers’ names, and cross-promote all of you! If you send me a picture of you with the book and a testimonial (send to lifeaftercollege [at] gmail [dot] com), I’ll tack them on to the footer of my posts. This week we kick of with Bradley Will of Forward Looking Entrepreneurship!

From Bradley:

“I wish this came out 5 years ago (wow…it’s been that long). It would have saved me a lot of time and struggles!”

Thanks again for an amazing launch week everyone!! I can certifiably say I’m the happiest I’ve ever been…thanks to you.

There’s so much going on today that I barely know where to start! This is a three-part post: launch-day reactions and videos, interviews you don’t want to miss, and details on how to enter to win a signed book and coaching session from me!

1. Pinch Me.

My house is in a state of disarray, you couldn’t pry me out of my sweats if you tried, stacks of unopened mail pile higher every day, and I have to add things like “shower” and “leave the house” to my to-do list. In Jenny Blake world this can only mean one thing…book launch day is upon us, baby!!!

It’s finally HERE. Today.

What?!? I know…I can hardly believe it either.

Just as some girls spend years fantasizing about their wedding, I’ve had visions of my book launch party and first book signing for as long as I can remember. What I’d be wearing, how I’d be glowing with happiness as I celebrated the proudest day of my life with friends and family, and a feeling deep in my gut that I was fulfilling my exact purpose on this planet.

Through all the ups and downs of the last two and a half years, I am thrilled to report that my vision became a reality this weekend. I had my first book signing on Thursday (sold out of books!) and my book launch party on Saturday — a signing at Books, Inc. followed by drinks, dancing and cupcakes. Some short video highlights (courtesy of my brother Tom, aka T-Bones):

Video #1: Book Signing at Books, Inc – 36sec (open in new window):

Video #2: Cheers! From the book launch party – 8sec (open in a new window):

2. Interviews + “Behind the Scenes” Webinar Recording

I’m collecting all interviews, reviews and mentions on the book website — here are some that you don’t want to miss!

• Interview and book review at Forbes.com (thanks to the amazing Elisa Doucette!)
• The recording of my Behind the Scenes of the Publishing Process webinar
• My BlogcastFM interview (~40 minute podcast) on How to Get a Book Deal without a Massive Audience

3. In honor of LAUNCH DAY (SQUEE!!) I’ve got a special giveaway for you:

Two readers will win an autographed copy of Life After College: The Complete Guide To Getting What You Want and a 45-minute private coaching session ($300 value!) to help you find clarity and inspiration around whatever topic you choose.

Giveaway Rules:
Each of the actions below equals 1 or 2 entries. After you’ve completed one or more, leave a comment below telling me how many entries you’ve earned (we’re on the honor system here!):

1. Share this post on Twitter with the hashtag #LACBook – 1 Entry
2. Share this post on Facebook – 1 Entry
3. “Like” the Life After College Facebook Page – 1 Entry
4. Let me know you are subscribed to the Inside Scoop newsletter – 2 Entries
5. Write an honest review on Amazon.com (obviously only if you have already read the book!) – 2 Entries
6. Copy and paste this template email to let your networks know about the book – 3 Entries

The contest ends on Wednesday, April 3rd at 5pm PST.

Good luck and thank you so much for being here to celebrate with me!!

Big love and hugs to you all
Jenny

***

P.S. Webinar Reminder – If you’re free at 5PST/8EST tonight, join me and Brazen Careerist for a 30-minute webinar and 30-minute Network Roulette! During the webinar I’ll share my career development philosophy and side hustle tips for 20 minutes followed by 10 minutes of Q&A, then we’ll head into a 30-minute Network Roulette where the first five people to get paired with me will win signed copies of Life After College.

P.P.S. Bloggers - are you registered to attend #BiSC yet? This will be my second year in attendance at Bloggers in Sin City — a fabulous weekend of drinks, dancing, and chatting poolside. If you register by Wednesday, you’ll be eligible to enter to win another book + coaching giveaway!

Grab a cup of coffee, this is a long one! Many of my blogging counterparts have a weekly series where they round-up their work and link to great posts from others: Friday Linky Love, Writing Around the Webb, and Fresh Finding Fridays to name a few.

As much as I admire their consistency and commitment, I have fun doing mine completely randomly and giving them a new name every time (Couldn’t Have Said it Better Myself, Crock Pots, Links Galore, and Miscellaneous Musings). What I’m really trying to say is that I don’t have nearly the self-discipline to post these regularly. And yes, I also have commitment issues.

Change Makers TV Interview – Video Now on YouTube! (~30 minutes)

I was honored to be a guest on Gopi’s local TV show — during which I talk about blogging, the book, career advice, and even my dating life (which led to a guy jumping out from behind a car as I was leaving…alone…at night…to ask me out…after he watched the interview from the sound room…and continued to beg ask as I politely said no at least five times. FML.)

One note before you watch: my book is called Life After College: The Complete Guide to Getting What You Want, not “The Complete Guide to a Perfect Life,” which I would not claim to have or advise others to strive for. The real beauty of life is in imperfection, which is also what makes a slight verbal typo perfectly okay with me. {RSS/email readers: Click here to watch}

Two interviews with fabulous women: Betty Jean Bell and Tia Singh

Audio interview with Betty Jean Bell of Love Your Work Life - It only took five minutes on the phone with Betty Jean for me to feel like I was instantly talking with one of my best friends. Her passion and energy is absolutely contagious! Take a listen to the ~25 minute podcast or click here to download the mp3, where I talk about my blog, the book, the quarter-life crisis, and pursuing big goals. Head on over to Love Your Work Life (and check out her adorable Christmas header!) to learn more about Betty Jean and her network of coaches.

Written interview with Tia Singh for her Live Your Life YOUR Way series - Tia is another coach extraordinaire who I met through Twitter. She literally sparkles (as her Twitter handle suggests), and we have quickly bonded over our emoticon abuse (exclamation mark, anyone?!?!!) and our love for helping others flourish. I was so honored to be featured in her series, and very touched by her wonderful introduction. Read more here.

Both of these ladies are giving a way a free copy of my book, so head on over and comment to enter!

#Reverb10 – I’m participating and have an author prompt on Dec. 21 — wuhoo!

I’m excited to be participating in the #Reverb10 project with many other bloggers. It’s a daily prompt to help people “reflect on this year and manifest what’s next.” I’m also incredibly honored to contribute an author prompt (author bios here) – look out for me on Dec. 21, baby!

I’ll be answering the prompts on my Tumblr so I don’t annoy you with daily posts — here is a sneak preview of my first post:

2011: This next year will be the year of FREEDOM. Freedom from shoulds, cant’s, have-tos and obligations. I want 2011 to be the year of trusting my gut, listening to my intuition, and making decisions that are nothing short of SOUL-STIRRING. {Read more here}

Awesome links elsewhere – most definitely worth checking-out:

• Ashley Ambirge (of The Middle Finger Project) - The 67 Emotions of Online Success – heartbreaking, moving, inspiring, incredibly touching. Must read. Ashley is one of the writer’s I most look-up to — I am blown away by her posts every single time.
• Tyler Vooren’s post 30 Surprisingly Difficult Ways to Be Extraordinary and his Top Secret Advanced Riskology Support Team Exposed (I share many of the same mentors/friends/role models).
• Leo Babauta’s FREE 121-page Focus book – I’m a little late to the game on this one (he released it last month while I was in yoga heaven), but this book is AWESOME. And did I mention free?
• An inspirational speech (transcribed) from my “most amazing life coach ever” Ruth Ann Harnisch – Six Things I Learned in Six Months of Doing Nothing.
• Scott Stratten’s TEDx talk, Keep Going Until We Stop – Scott shares his realization that “being a big deal isn’t a big deal” and shares his deeply moving stories about how he “just kept going” no matter how tough (and tragic) life got. He also learns the important lesson that “we need to STOP so that we CAN keep going.” The passion and emotion he speaks with is unparalleled.
• Everett Bogue’s 1 Simple Strategy to Save $2,000 this Holiday Season and Make Everyone Love You Forever. Love the audacity with which he opens the post. And I’m so IN on reducing needless spending/gifting pressure.
• Diggy (of Upgrade Reality) - 24 Things I’ve Learned in 24 Years – very wise words and great reminders. I would have put together a very similar list!
• My friend and fellow coach Scott Asai (based in LA) recently put together a promotional video for his services – it’s a great way to learn more about coaching (and get in touch) if you are interested.

A follow-up note to my June post, Serendipity and the Art of Being Alone

Ann on the right...and yes - Tyson Beckford on the left. Not me in the middle, but I would cozy up to Tyson any day.

Some of you may remember my story earlier this year about spending the weekend alone in New York City after existing plans fell through. While shoe shopping, I met a woman named Ann – an amazing lawyer who had a house built for herself in Italy (with her own hard-earned dream fund).

We ended up going to lunch then dancing on booths together at Bagatelle Bistrot in our new Louboutins — girl power at its finest! I later dubbed Ann “my NYC angel” and she calls me Jenny From the Rock (as in Alcatraz).

While in NYC this week I’m attending Ann’s big 40th birthday bash to help her celebrate in style. Living proof that random meetings can turn into beautiful friendships…and a reminder to get out there, be yourself, keep going when life throws a curve-ball, embrace surprises and be open to the beautiful art of serendipity.

A snapshot of the invite...can't wait!

I feel like I just sent myself to my room: GROUNDED due to blog neglect. And don’t come out until you are ready to apologize!

So here I emerge, tail between my legs, with a bit of an apology. See, even if you didn’t really notice or didn’t really care, I know that I’ve been neglecting you these last few weeks. I haven’t been living up to the high standards and twice-weekly publishing schedule I try to uphold on this blog. Because I don’t want to waste your time with sub-par content, I end up not publishing anything at all, even though I have so much I want to say and share.

The truth is that I’ve been overwhelmed (AGAIN). Contrary to popular belief (at least based on a handful of humbling and incredibly nice emails I have received recently), I do NOT have it all figured out. “It” being this magical place where accomplishment AND inner peace co-exist, where I seamlessly balance life’s demands while walking a tightrope of my own expectations, and where I pay-close-enough-attention-to-but-somehow-don’t-over-feed my crazy emotions that seem to run amok every day.

So I have been prioritizing the book, my day job, my sleep and my sanity over just about everything else. I haven’t been writing as much as I would like, responding to emails in a very timely way, commenting on other blogs, tweeting or really upholding my end of the social media bargain. But we all need a break sometimes (or a turtle shell to hide under), and this has been mine.

That is not to say I haven’t been thinking about you. Drumroll, please! Enter THE MOST RANDOM POST OF ALL TIME.

Things I’ve been wanting to ask/say/share these last few weeks:

1. I would love your support for my SXSW Panel - I’m pretty much scared shitless to even tell you about this panel (let alone lead it), which is why I know it’s important that I do. I submitted a proposal to speak at SXSWi (tech-geek heaven) called “Got 99 Problems But a Blog Ain’t One” to help bloggers understand what it takes to get a book deal even without a gigantic platform (much like my inside scoop book newsletters). In order to have a shot at presenting, I need your help — will you vote for my idea if you think it’s a good one (even if you’re not attending)?
2. If I Had Known Just One Thing E-Book – I’m a contributor in the free career-related e-book compiled by Shane Mac called “If I had known just one thing.” You can either download the book as a PDF, or navigate through the fancy HTML pages (using your arrow keys). My submission is called “Don’t Wait.”
3. Book Photo Voting & Contest Winner - Thank you SO much for the comments and votes. I’m sorry I haven’t had a chance to reply to your comments, but I read every single one and appreciated them so much — you have no idea. I still haven’t decided which picture I’m going with; the popular vote seems to be for photo #2, but I might just be leaning toward #1 (both need a closer crop). And (drumroll again) the winner of the first-ever-giveaway of my own book is Sneha — congrats! The book is in the mail (and by mail, I mean off to the copy-editor for the final round of edits. Eek!)
4. Career Moxie BlogTalk Radio Guest Spot – I speak with hosts Tiffany and Allison about why you don’t need an official mentor (and share what inspired me to write my book). The show is about 30 minutes long, and covers how to create informal mentoring relationships and how to find mentors in unexpected places.
5. Psychology Today article mention - Speaking of mentors, one of my favorite people, Susan Biali, recently wrote an article for Psychology Today based on conversations we’ve had recently about time management, saying no, and taking care of ourselves. The article is called, “Shackles or soul-stirring? Decide before you commit.” The part where she quotes my email response as “Eeeeeeeeeee!!!” cracked me up. Guilty as charged
6. Hosted Pam Slim for an Authors@Google Talk – I was very excited to host Pam (another role model who blogs at Escape From Cubicle Nation and has a book of the same name), for an Authors@Google event earlier this month. She makes a case for building a “side hustle” (either within your company or outside if it) as a critical part of being successful in the workforce. Check-out the 45 minute video (with a short intro from yours truly).
7. Coaching update – after 2.5 years, 115 training hours, 100+ 1:1 coaching hours, 9 supervised calls, a written exam, an oral exam, and 2 major 3-month long “I’m not cut out for this” dips, I am now a Certified Professional Co-Active Coach (CPCC)!

Just for Fun:

• Check out these AWESOME retro aprons from Cupcake Provocateur (sent by my fabulous friend Jenny Ferry)
• Want a song with so much bass it will make your butt vibrate when you listen in the car? Download Bassnectar’s Bass Head
• Need some inspiration? Check out 10,000 Ideas and Resources for Writers
• I was honored to be a guest speaker with Merlin Mann at an ASAE event this week. Check out an awesome talk he recently gave at Rutgers on Time & Attention.

Blog Posts I’ve Loved Recently:

• Andrew Weitsman’s “Time Enough for a Life“
• Danielle LaPorte’s “Your Permission Slip from the Universe“
• Elisa Doucette’s “There is a Time for Everything“
• Derek Shanahan’s “A Day in the Life“
• David’s transcription of an awesome “How to be Alone” video on YouTube by Tanya Davis
• Ben’s “Energy Bankrupt“
• Doniree’s “Input-Output and a Calm Presence“
• Chelsea’s “Wrestling My Muse into Submission is like fighting a RABID. DOG.“
• And finally, congrats to Ryan who just landed an awesome new gig in Kansas City and Grace on her 2-year blogiversary!

Words of Wisdom from a Recent TUT’s Notes from the Universe:

You’re the only person who knows what’s right for you. The only one.
And if you already know what this is, commit to it. If you don’t, commit to nothing.

Only you know,
The Universe

That’s it for now…I hope you all have a wonderful rest of your week! I’m off to continue my search for a life filled with rainbows and unicorns. Or just watch some so-bad-it’s-GOOOOD reality TV.

I recently had the honor of being the featured guest on ChaChanna Simpson’s BlogTalkRadio Show, A Stellar Day with ChaChanna. The 45-minute show, “Movin’ on up in your company,” covers how to have promotion conversations, tips for moving up the corporate ladder, and common promotion pitfalls to avoid. Listen here, or for those of you who don’t have the patience to listen to audio (like me!), I’ve summarized my talking points below.

Summary of my key points – 10 Tips for Moving Up the Corporate Ladder:

1. Don’t just focus on promotion as an end in itself - It’s like losing weight: you can either focus solely on the number on the scale or on getting healthy overall. Getting healthy has many more fringe benefits. Similarly, don’t just focus on the promotion itself. Focus more on the competencies, expectations and behaviors that will lead to a promotion; you’ll be better off in the long run and most likely get there faster.
2. Build your career like a pyramid not a ladder (Carol Bartz) – Don’t be afraid of horizontal moves. Focus on finding work that is soul-stirring (as Tim Gunn would say) and make adjustments along the way. Much better (for most people) to focus on finding work that is a great fit rather than just on getting promoted. Sometimes you have to make a lateral move, but if it leads to greater happiness and productivity, it’s probably worth it in the long run.
3. Have the right conversations – ask your manager: what does success look like? In 3-6 months, what would you love to see me doing? What should I be doing to operate at the next level?
4. Be an observer – Pay attention to people who have been recently promoted or who work in the level above you. What skills, experiences and attitudes do they have?
5. Save the entitlement – You may think you deserve a promotion (and you might be ready) but also be aware that much of the time people think they deserve promotions earlier than their managers might think so. Be willing to compromise and navigate this through open, direct conversations. Also remember that it often depends on many factors outside of your job performance alone (the economy, other people in the company, etc).
6. Networking is key – Often there will be more people involved in deciding whether to promote you than just your direct manager. Try to get experience working on projects that involve other leaders within the company.
7. Want a promotion? Ask for more responsibility instead – In many companies, you pretty much have to already be operating at the next level before you get promoted. Keep this in mind. Keep asking for more responsibility.
8. Stand out - Make yourself indispensable by being proactive, having a positive attitude and being a flexible “team player.” Come up with ideas, solve problems before your manager asks. Do what it takes to be their right hand.
9. Don’t sacrifice your sanity just to work toward a promotion – It’s not worth it! You’ll get angrier and angrier if the promotion doesn’t come right away, but mostly because YOU are giving too much. Keep the balance and remember to have fun, even as you’re trying to move up the ladder.
10. Focus on impact, not just output - As you are taking on more and more responsibility, focus on delivering quality work that makes an impact. Be able to show that the work you are doing is improving the company in a material way (for example: increasing sales, making processes more efficient, making programs more effective).

What did I miss? Any other tips for moving up the corporate ladder?

***

While you have your headphones on:

For those of you social media newbies out there, I also recently delivered a 40-minute webinar for People OnTheGo called “Accomplishing More with Less: 4 Social Media Tools You Don’t Want to Live Without.” I cover the basics of Google Reader, Delicious, TweetDeck and WordPress. Take a listen: Part 1 and Part 2.