We've all heard the myths about the teenage office tea maker who made it big in business with an enterprising idea, but there is a lot of truth in those stories. Sure, you may not be able to become a millionaire company director from an entry level job every time, however there are plenty of opportunities to move up the career ladder if you put in the hard work and show willingness. If you are concerned that you haven’t made it on to a major graduate scheme and have signed up to a role traditionally taken by non-graduates, or unsure how to make yourself stand out for promotion, read on.

Request work and responsibility
Those who sit quietly and get on with the job they are asked to do make for efficient, reliable workers. However, to get ahead and aim for promotion, you need to be ambitious and show a willingness to take on more than just what you are given. When possible, ask for your role to get bigger or suggest ways you could expand on your existing work. Maintaining a good standard while adding these extras could lead to a reward from your boss either putting you up for promotion or increasing your responsibilities and adding to your salary.

Look out for internal promotion
If putting in the extra hours or doing more in your current role isn’t bringing any better prospects, then perhaps it is time to look at whether your current company is offering any vacancies internally. You will have the advantage of being known to the business and not competing with external people: the result could be a fantastic new lease of life for your career. Do be careful to approach it the right way without being overly critical about your present position. This is not the time to air your true views on your boss as, if unsuccessful, you might find yourself with even fewer prospects.

Network
Overused or not, the phrase "It's not what you know, it's who you know" is proven correct time and time again: whenever you get the chance to expand your network, ensure you make the most of it. You never know who or when someone might decide you would be the ideal employee from word of mouth, after a brief meeting or a even from long running friendship.

Don’t be scared of change
Struggling to get through another week, inputting numbers and hoping that one day the job of your dreams will land in your lap is a one way ticket to a lifetime of dull office work. If there is no sign of progress in your job, career or life in general, take a chance to get what you really want. It might mean quitting your current position to devote yourself to job hunting full time or even starting an internship to learn new skills for an industry change. Both could be the solution to the daily doldrums.