Fatten your paycheck!

Want to earn more money at your current job or in a new position? Here are the easy, proven ways to pump up your paycheck!

●1 Dress to get noticed!

Tend to dress casually at your job? Here’s one good reason you may want to consider wearing more professional-looking outfits: In a survey of 1,000 senior managers, 80% said they were more likely to promote an employee who showed up to work appearing more polished! Why? It sends the message to supervisors that you take your job seriously and want to move up the ladder, so they’re more willing to invest in you!

●2 Get your company to pay for a certification!

Getting certified in new skills—like becoming a notary public— often qualifies you for a raise or promotion. And a new survey reveals that three in four employers are willing to pay all or part of the fees for the classes and tests you need to get certified since your new skills may help bolster their bottom line! Bonus: When you’re ready to hop jobs, your certifications will help you land a bigger starting salary! Find out what’s available for your field at Careerone Stop.org (search for “certification finder”).

●3 Work less, learn more!

Think the quickest way to a promotion is putting in longer hours at your workplace? Nope! In a new survey, employers rated working overtime dead last in requirements for moving up! What was number one? A passion for continually learning about your industry, for instance, by attending webinars, seminars or classes! That’s because it keeps you up on the latest trends and news in your field, which can help your company excel.

●4 Fatten your paycheck by aiming high!

Next time you’re negotiating a raise, start with a number that’s far higher than what you’d expect to get or make a joke about asking for an outrageous sum, for instance, $1 million. Sounds like a strange strategy, however, a study in the Journal of Applied Social Psychology reveals that when the initial number you ask for is higher (even when said in jest), the final agreed-upon salary is usually higher, too! Researchers explain that your boss subconsciously latches on to the first number you throw out and, as a result, strives to come closer to it!