How to Make More Money in Your Career
Unlocking Career Success: Earning More While Loving What You Do
Have you ever felt stuck in your career, wondering why your hard work isn't paying off or why you’re not earning what you deserve? It’s an all-too-common frustration. The good news? You’re not powerless to change your situation. In fact, the secret to a high-paying, fulfilling career is within your control.
The key is this: Position yourself to provide the most value possible. The more value you add, the more leverage you have for higher income, meaningful work, and greater autonomy. Let’s dive into what this means and how to achieve it.
Understanding Value: The Foundation of Career Success
Value is the cornerstone of every successful career. But what does “value” actually mean?
In simple terms, value is the worth of something—how much benefit or enhancement it brings. In careers, value is determined by two factors:
Supply: How rare your skills, expertise, or abilities are.
Demand: How much people need or want what you offer.
For example, consider the medical field. Becoming a surgeon requires years of specialized training and expertise (low supply), and the demand for skilled surgeons is high due to the critical nature of their work. As a result, surgeons earn significant salaries, with average annual incomes exceeding $239,000. Compare this to a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA), where the supply of workers is higher, the skills are easier to obtain, and demand is more easily met. CNAs earn closer to $38,000 annually.
The takeaway? To succeed financially, you need to position yourself where your skills are both rare and in high demand.
Why Most People Struggle in Their Careers
Many people find themselves in low-paying or unfulfilling jobs because they’re operating on bad career advice.
You’ve likely heard phrases like, “Follow your passion” or “Follow the money.” These sound good on the surface, but they’re inherently flawed. Both approaches are self-serving—one prioritizes your personal desires, while the other focuses purely on financial gain.
The truth is, successful and fulfilling careers are built on service. When you focus on providing value to others, everything changes. Instead of chasing money or passion, your mission becomes solving problems and meeting needs.
Treat Your Career Like a Business
One of the most powerful frameworks for building a successful career is to treat your career like a business. Here’s what this means:
Your Employer is Your Customer: They have a problem or a gap between where they are and where they want to be. Your job is to solve that problem.
You Are the Product: Your skills, experience, and expertise are the product you’re offering.
Your Work is the Service: The time, energy, and attention you give are the services you provide to solve your employer’s problems.
For example, let’s say you’re hired as a social media manager for a nonprofit organization. The nonprofit’s problem is raising awareness and attracting donors to fund its programs. Your skills in content creation, storytelling, and graphic design enable the nonprofit to connect with donors, build relationships, and secure funding. By solving this problem, you provide immense value to the organization, making you an indispensable asset.
When you start thinking like an entrepreneur—someone focused on adding value—you shift from being a passive employee to an active problem-solver. This mindset will set you apart in any industry.
The Power of Finding Your Niche
A niche is your unique position in the market—the intersection of what you’re good at, what you enjoy, and what people are willing to pay you for. It’s the sweet spot where you can thrive professionally.
To clarify your career niche, ask yourself these five questions (what I call the 5 Ps):
People: Who do you want to help or serve?
Problem: What challenges or needs do these people have?
Process: How can you solve their problem? What skills or knowledge do you bring?
Place: Where do you want to work? (e.g., industry, environment, location)
Purpose: Why does this work matter to you?
When you define your niche, you’re no longer trying to be all things to all people. Instead, you’re positioning yourself as the go-to expert in your area of focus. This alignment makes it easier to find and excel in the right career opportunities.
Maximizing Your Value: The 5 Ways to Add Value
To increase your income and career satisfaction, you must consistently add value. Here are five ways to do that:
Make Money: Help your employer increase revenue through sales, marketing, or new business opportunities.
Save Money: Reduce costs by improving efficiency or cutting unnecessary expenses.
Improve Processes: Streamline workflows, solve operational challenges, or enhance productivity.
Promote Reputation: Enhance your employer’s brand or public image through exceptional work.
Boost Morale: Foster a positive work environment by improving team dynamics, motivation, and cohesion.
For example, if you identify inefficiencies in your team’s workflow and implement a solution that saves your company $50,000 annually, you’re demonstrating measurable value. This positions you for raises, promotions, and greater opportunities.
The more value you add, the more leverage you have to negotiate higher pay, better projects, and increased autonomy.
Recap: Building a Career That Pays and Fulfills
We’ve covered a lot of ground, so let’s recap:
Understand Value: Position yourself where your skills are rare and in high demand.
Treat Your Career Like a Business: Think like an entrepreneur and focus on solving problems.
Find Your Niche: Clarify where you fit in the market by aligning your skills, interests, and market demand.
Maximize Your Value: Add value in ways that directly impact your employer’s bottom line or success.
When you take these steps, you’re not just working a job—you’re building a career that’s financially rewarding, personally fulfilling, and deeply impactful.
Take the First Step: Free Career Niche Worksheet
If you’re ready to start clarifying your career path and unlocking your potential, I’ve got something for you: a free Career Niche Worksheet. This tool will guide you through defining your niche and identifying where you can add the most value.
Ready to Transform Your Career?
If you’re serious about earning what you’re worth and loving what you do, check out my Career Change Accelerator program. This coaching program is designed to help you:
Identify your unique value and niche
Build a strategic career development plan
Overcome obstacles and build confidence
Position yourself for higher pay and fulfilling work
You are your greatest asset. When you start treating your career like the valuable business it is, you’ll unlock the success and satisfaction you deserve.
Let’s make it happen.