THE BRAZEN CAREERIST- Promotable? Take this quiz to see if you are

One of the most important indicators of whether you should switch jobs is if you're in line for a promotion. It's not so much that you should be climbing a ladder, but more that if you're not being recognized for great work, then you're probably not doing great work. And if you're not doing great work, this is not the job for you. We should all be doing great stuff.

Take this quiz to find out if you'll get promoted.

1. Are you friends with your boss?

The hardest workers don't get promoted. The most likable people get promoted. Did that sentence make you angry? Lose one point. That's because you are wishing you didn't have to be likable, and you're mad that people who work less than you do get promoted ahead of you.

Did you already know office politics is about being nice? Give yourself a point.

2. Are you working on high-profile projects?

Do you work on the project that everyone else wanted? Give yourself a point. Did you say, "Who knows? I don't know what everyone else wanted." Lose a point. The key to making yourself useful is to work on the stuff that matters to your boss. Some stuff matters more than others.

3. Are you paid at the high end of the range for your position?

Investigate the salary range for your job. Check PayScale.com, and then ask around at work. If you're at the top of the range, give yourself a point. If you're embarrassed to tell your co-workers how much more you're making than they are, give yourself two points, but don't bring this topic up again.

If you're at the low end, you were not highly valued to begin with, so getting people to switch their opinion of you is going to be hard. Do it by asking your boss to get you to the top of the range; back up your request by listing all your achievements.

Too scared? Lose three points. Did you do this but were ignored? Lose two points (and remember that you got a point for trying– it's a good lesson meant to inspire fearlessness later.)

4. Do you work fewer hours than everyone else?

If you do, I promise that they're annoyed. Did you just think to yourself that you work less  because you're smarter than everyone else? Lose two points: no one cares how smart you are (see number one).

You should not be the hardest worker because that makes you look desperate. But you can't work the fewest hours either, because then you look like you don't care. And that's being a bad team player, even if you're getting the work done. If you find you have a lot of extra time because you're a total genius and finish everything early, spend more time networking at the office.

Can you remember the last time you initiated a conversation with someone who dislikes you? Give yourself a point for good office politics and a point for bravery.

5. Do you feel like you're due a promotion because of your experience?

Give yourself a point for setting aside time each day to let people know how great you are. Take a point away if you think people who do this are annoying.

Give yourself a point if you can think of the last thing you did where you consciously said, "This is way beyond the call of duty, but it will be good for my career."

Score yourself:

• 5 or more points - You'll probably be promoted.

• 3-4 points - You're doing well. Look at where you lost points and fix it.

• 1-2 points - You need coaching because you're not understanding how to meet your goals.

• Less than one point - You're in trouble.

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