7 Job Success Secrets For A HIGH PAYING 6-Figure Income - The Humble Penny (2024)

7 Job Success Secrets For A High Paying 6-Figure Income – Updated February 2023

Do you want to earn income in the top 4% of people in the country? Or do you simply want your income to grow significantly above inflation?

If your answer is a yes, it can become so provided you have decided exactly what you want.

Ever heard this quote before?:

“Ask, and it will be given onto you. Seek and you'll find. Knock and the door will be opened to you”.

Perhaps you have but not used in this context.

Before you can ask for anything, you must first know what you truly want and give yourself the permission to go and get it.

The same goes for making your ideal income.

Here is another way to think about it:

Our rewards in life will always be in exact proportion to our contribution (or service).

In order to increase your income, it's important to ask yourself how you can raise your contribution in order to match your income goal.

If the words “contribution” and “income goal” don't recur in your daily vocabulary, read on.

One of the often-overlooked levers for financial independence is your career.

Many people stick to their jobs and receive the same pay every year or at best inflationary pay rises.

If you recognise your job as a really important pathway for accelerating your journey to financial independence, you will see that job very differently.

Today, I'm going to share with you really important “secrets” for how you can use your job to work towards making a ton more money.

Money is not everything.

It is not the destination for happiness but instead a vehicle for helping you to create your version of freedom and more 😊.

From Humble Beginnings to High Paying 6-Figure Income

Now let's talk about my personal journey and how I've been able to go from someone who used to do a cleaning job (making £80 per week) many years ago to make a comfortable high paying 6-figure income.

I was able to do make 6-figures before I turned 30 in my career and repeated it across various jobs.

In addition, I have been able to repeat it in business a few times and continue to.

I'm sharing this perspective not to brag at all!

If you're a regular reader of this blog, you'll know that that's not my style.

In all politeness, I have no interest in impressing you.

What is my style though is to tell you the reality of how it is and hope that the ideas wake you up to a new reality.

Before we dive in, I'm going to make this super practical because jobs play really important roles in our lives day-to-day.

It's important that we really have a good perspective on the realities of work.

I'm somebody who is pro work, by the way, and I enjoy working.

But it's very important to understand what position that job plays in helping you obtain what you want to achieve in life.

Most of us just do our jobs to pay our bills and do not think it is something a lot bigger.

I'm going to give you a lot more insight on how to start to rethink your job to move forward.

Before we talk about the secrets for career success, I'd love to start off with some real truths about your career.

Some of these might shock you.

So get yourself prepared, because the more you become exposed to these, they will really change the way you see your job going forward.

Hopefully, change it in a really positive way.

1) Your Employer Does NOT Care About YOU.

This might come as a bit of a shock, and I hope it doesn't, because what your employer cares about is your employment contract.

Specifically, they care about the terms of the employment contract and making sure that you abide by the terms of that contract every single day.

Should that get you worried in some ways?

No, because what you should be caring about is your North Star goal.

By that, I mean the journey to financial independence. That should be your great focus.

That job you've got then becomes your vehicle for change for helping you get towards that goal of financial independence.

2) You Will DEFINITELY Leave Your Job.

The pandemicshowed us that it's either you jump or you get pushed.

One of these will definitely happen at some point.

Now the question is, when are you going to leave that job?

And if you're still in that job and have been in that job for years, what is the cost of hesitation?

What is it costing you every single year to remain in that same job?

I say this because believe it or not, you're actually poorer every single year, by remaining in the same job.

It might not become obvious, but I'll share a bit more about this as we go along.

3) You Decide YOUR WORTH. NOT Your Employer.

Whatever you're being paid today has come about because you chose to accept a particular remuneration.

You have decided on a particular value for your skillset.

If you understand this truth, it means that if you want to make more money on this journey of your career, you have to review the way you think about what you're worth to the marketplace.

That is a very important truth because that has many knock-on effects for whether you become someone who hits high paying six figures and above, in the near future or not.

This is all driven by your mindset around what you think you are worth.

Now I've got those truths out of the way, I'd love to give you a bit of a background on me.

If I look at my life over the last 20 years, I look at them in two halves.

1st Half: Decade of Survival

The first half of my life in the UK (aged 14 to 24) I look at as my decade of survival.

I did pretty much any job that you can imagine.

I worked in a:

• paper factory as a cleaner
• sandwich shop
• as an animal technician
• an assistant to an assistant, etc.

I even worked as a waiter. A lot of the jobs I did were not the kind of jobs that gave you a payslip.

2nd Half: Decade of Thriving

In the second half of the decade (aged 24 to 34), I become Financially Independent. I'm currently 37.

It is not a coincidence that in that period I saw the greatest rise in my career journey and personal development.

This played a huge role in accelerating our financial independence and the confidence for so much more beyond this.

Read: My 1 Year Quitversary From My Corporate Job

Now, what's interesting is when you go look me up on the internet, or look at my LinkedIn profile,you will not see any of those jobs anywhere.

All you will see are my “successes” in the second decade of the last 20 years.

That's because, in the 2nd decade, I began to thrive.

So my LinkedIn profile although it shows accurate information, does not show complete information because it doesn't tell a complete story of a transformation.

And that transformation is critical.

If you are somebody who at the moment is thinking…

“wow, I currently make £/$_____. When am I going to become that person who starts to make high paying six figures and above?”.

I'm going to use this time to speak to you about career success secrets that you will never hear from a career advisor.

The things I'm going to mention below are things that people will not talk to you about ordinarily.

I've come across these things that have helped me become a success in my career by going through them myself.

Now just a bit of background, I most recently worked as a Chief Financial Officer and previously did a bunch of other senior Finance roles.

I now run my own business and do whatever I want, when I want!

I also previously ran a number of family businesses, etc.

How To Make a High-Paying 6-Figure Income

Let's dive in now and start to look at these practical career success secrets and tips to help you work towards £100K and above if this is what you desire.

INTERLUDE: 5-DAY ROCKET YOUR INCOME CHALLENGE

If you dare give yourself permission to earn far more than you do today, then join us LIVE for our Free 5-Day Challenge.

You'd need 1 – 2 hours per day for 5 days to create a life-changing Income Plan.

Interested? Click here to join

1) Move Jobs Every 2 – 3 Years

Now you might be thinking this is so counterintuitive (especially during a pandemic) 🤨.

Why would you want to move jobs and keep moving jobs every two or three years?

This applies, especially if you're somebody in your 20s 30s or even 40s.

The reason for moving is that the marketplace continues to evolve and price your skillset a lot quicker than your skillset might be priced in your current employment.

Here is a real-life practical example:

I used to work with a guy (a good friend of mine today) who was my manager when I used to work with him.

After two years, I then pivoted to get myself a much higher job.

I carried on in that employment for a couple more years and then moved on to get another better paying job.

Now, what's interesting about that is that today in the eyes of the marketplace, when you compare my friend who used to be my manager, to me (before I quit my CFO job), I was two or three positions ahead of him.

Why?

Because I chose to make the leap every two or three years.

And because I did that risk-taking, I not only got paid a lot more each time I moved on, but I moved up in position or rank such that in the marketplace when compared, I am positioned at a higher level.

This is almost unbelievable when you think about it.

The only difference is that I chose a different tactic entirely to move jobs every two or three years.

Each time I moved, I asked for £10k or £15k more in my pay.

And by doing that not only has my income risen super fast, but I've also risen in position a lot quicker.

2) Get a VIP Employer

So you might be thinking, what is a VIP employer?

Have you ever asked yourself, how your current employer differs to what you might be able to get out there in the marketplace?

Below I've sketched the different types of employersas I see them and how they link to your potential wealth creation:

There is a very direct link between the type of employer you've got and the level of wealth generation you can get.

Have a look at the chart above.

At the very bottom of the pile, you've got what I refer to as Crap Employers.

These are people who just offer you a salary and holiday, that's all.

Next up, I refer to these as the Basic Employer.

They offer you a bit more. They might give you a salary, a bit of holiday and then a decent pension beyond the bare minimum you'd get by law with a “crap employer”.

This is what most people get these days.

Next is the Premier Employer.

Now you're kind of moving up in the world because this employer gives you additional health care cover, which is amazing.

But above all those guys is the VIP Employer. This is the company you want to be working for because they would give you more perks, bonuses, and extra holidays.

Beyond the VIP employer is the VIP Plus or Platinum Employer.

Now you're really at the top of the tree.

These guys give you something rare, which is share options or equity in the business you work for.

You should really sit down and ask yourself, what type of employer have I got?

• Crap
• Basic
• Premiere?
• VIP?
• VIP+ ?

Which one is it? 🤔

The more you choose a favourable employer, the more you are likely to generate wealth and build that wealth over time.

A real-life example is that I used to work for an employer who at the time did not offer me a pension contribution.

In fact, nobody in the company was offered a pension contribution because it was an entrepreneurial business, it was only two years old.

Back then pensions were not a compulsory requirement for employers.

And what that meant was that over a couple of years that I worked at that company, I lost out 10s of £1000s in potential pension contributions.

Although I benefited in other ways because I was learning entrepreneurial skills, enjoyed my work and was helping to build a business, it costs me financially as well.

Is your current employer costing you your future wealth?

3) Ask For a Paid Qualification From Your Employer

What do I mean here?

I'll give you an example of my journey.

I did an Executive MBA through a previous employer and that MBA cost, approximately £70k for the program that lasted two years.

Half of that money was funded by my employer.

Now, you might be thinking, so you went and you did the course, and you learn some things.

What does that have to do with money?

Well, of course, it has everything to do with it 😎

My perceived price in the marketplace went up another £40k+ (per year).

It meant that when I went out to the marketplace and pitched myself.

I was asking for £40k+ (per year) more than I was earning before I finished that qualification.

Now think about it.

Imagine you were being paid £40k per year more.

What else comes with that?

Pension contributions, because typically, your pensions are based on gross salary.

So the more money you're making through, say, doing a specialised qualification, the more money you are building towards your wealth overall.

That's on top of all the other benefits you get that are based on gross salary e.g. bonuses (depending on what industry you work)

By doing an Executive MBA, I'm viewed inherently as somebody who has a master's degree.

And obviously, with that comes a perception of:

• Intelligence,
• Authority,
• Expertise.

So many other things come about by doing a specialised qualification provided, it's something that's really sought after out there in the marketplace (or your niche) and something that gives you a ton more personal value in your own life.

So much has happened because I chose to do an Executive MBA at a really reputable University.

I did mine at the Judge Business School, University of Cambridge.

And I go back to that institution every single year to go and do some further learning for free.

Choosing to ask your employer for some further studies is something that will add an unbelievable amount of value to your life, provided they are paying for it!

That's the whole point.

They're paying either a big portion of it or all of it for you.

So you are then acquiring a skillset that has value potentially for life.

4) Become an Intrapreneur

What do I mean here?

You're currently an employee at a company or a business.

You could also become somebody who has a bit of an entrepreneurial flair within your organization.

A practical example:

I used to work with a bunch of guys who made fairly good incomes ordinarily.

Their basic salaries were quite good – between £5k and about £8k net income per month, so very good salaries.

But these guys also found a way of being able to negotiate for themselves 10 to 25% of any business that they were able to bring in to the business that we were all working at.

What that meant was that every single month when I was calculating their commission's they were earning stupidly large sums of money!

So imagine they're making £5k to £8k per month of net income. They'd also be making like £20k+ per month just in commissions alone.

And I've seen this at all levels e.g. somebody just making say £2k extra just by bringing in a particular type of business or a client.

The key though is that these people did what most people do not do.

Which is to go to their employer, their manager, whoever and say:

“Look, I'm going to explore my networks and if I bring somebody into our business, look at all this value this could add to our company.

Oh, and by the way for doing that, can I please get a recurring commission of about 10% for bringing that business in?”

This is how you start to change the game when it comes to your income.

The key is to ask 😀.

5) Become a Side Hustler

Now, I mentioning this because I wanted to offer you a particular perspective on side hustling that most of us do not think about.

Side hustling is in effect, risk-taking on the back of your employer's balance sheet.

You're effectively taking risks with the comfort of your employment from your employer.

That's really what you're doing.

If you're somebody who wants to hit £100k plus, prioritising side hustles, whilst you're working is exactly what you should be doing.

So you've got yourself a bit of a cushion.

And by doing the side hustle, you're in effect, diversifying your income and giving yourself options in case anything ever happened to your employment.

Watch my video called 14 HIGH PAYING SIDE HUSTLE IDEAS:

Pick a side hustle and explore it.

Begin to apply the skillsets you're learning in your job to a new environment, which is your own business or side interest.

6) Do Your Bosses Job

So most people go to work and they've got a manager, of course, who tells them what they should be doing.

But how about if you started to figure out how to do your boss's job?

Imagine you've got your own normal job description.

But you made it your business to learn one or two or three skillsets or to take on an area of responsibility beyond that which you've got remit for.

What that does, is that it puts you in pole position for asking for pay rises that exceed the typical 2% or 3% that everybody complains about every single year.

You should be the person asking for 10 to 15% pay rises.

But how can you ask for that kind of money?

By doing your boss's job, of course, because you took on some of their responsibility.

You sit in that room and look them in the eye and ask for your money.

They cannot say no, because you know how to do their job, you've become a lot more protected.

You'll be seen as somebody who is forward-thinking and somebody who deserves that unusual pay rise.

That is how you can be that person who hits a high paying six-figure income because you are doing something unusual.

You're raising your contribution to reach your income goal.

TOP TIP:

Make sure that at the start of every year, you sit down with your boss and come up with a development plan.

You say to them:

“These are the areas I'd love to take things on. Oh, and by the way, I'd love to help you out a bit more to take on some of your responsibilities and take things off your plate.”

That's the language to use when you do that 🤫.

Your employer or boss will look at you and say, “Oh, that's nice. Yeah, that's great.”

This conversation shows that you are developing.

You also have to say to them (and not many people have the guts to say this):

“As a result of doing that, if I hit all my goals in a year, let's agree between us a conditional pay rise of 10 to 15%.”

Choose a number, but make sure you agreed and as soon as you leave that meeting, write out an email to them as confirmation.

…Because a year later people's memories start to get affected and they forget what they've said.

If that happens, you dig out that email and show it to them. Boom! There's your pay rise.

Write and thank me when it happens 😉

7) Ask For More Money

The number of people out there who do their jobs day in, day out, but without actually asking for more money is unbelievable.

Do not be one of those people.

People who ask for things either receive what they've asked for or get a no. That's the worst that can happen.

But more likely than not they'll get a yes because most people do not ask.

Throughout my entire career, I have always been that person who at the very beginning of the year, I'm thinking to myself,

• what is my income goal?
• What proportion of that income goal is going to come from my day job?

You should be doing exactly the same thing.

Because if you're thinking like that, then you will already have the questions and the type of income goals that you want to be asking your employer for.

This helps you already secure that element of your income goal, just from your employment alone.

My tip in this area is to make sure that you are definitely asking for way beyond the 2% that everybody talks about.

I'd be asking for 10% and above, and you should be doing it using two things.

i – Market Data

For your particular skillsets that you've got to look for some piece of research that justifies that type of income that you should be paid for the skillsets you bring to the marketplace.

Recruitment companies tend to create this type of data annually as a way of creating a marketplace for jobs that lead to their commissions.

Find a reputable recruitment firm and grab their latest shiny report filled with usually inflated salary expectations.

ii – Development Plan

Come up with the things you want to be learning and areas of responsibility that you want to have in the year ahead.

With those two things, sit down with your manager, or your boss or whoever, and begin to have those conversations.

And when you finish having those conversations, be that person who then says:

“Ah, there's one more thing, I'd love to propose a conditional pay rise of 10% or 15%, for hitting my goals.”

Ask and you will receive! Don't be that person who is culturally shy.

Do not be shy at all.

The only people who receive anything are the people who ask for them, that's just facts!

So be that person who asks, and you'll be that person who sees their income going up year after year after year.

Remember, if you asked last year, it will be expected that you will ask again next year, and guess what happens?

It becomes the norm, it becomes what gets done.

You get paid more every single year because you are delivering more value every single year.

I'd love to recommend a book that you should make sure you definitely check out.

This books definitely helped me get better at negotiating what I believe I'm worth, it is called Getting To A Yes

Conclusion

The one final thing I wanted to mention to you is to remember that you should enjoy working because your work should be seen as a vehicle for change to get you towards that goal of financial independence.

Don't be one of those people out there who hates their job but stays put.

If you hate your job, leave it and go and get another one (get a much higher paying one) because there are jobs out there even in recessions.

You will find this journey will become a lot easier and easier because you've sorted out the mindset you require for making this a success for yourself.

Want to grow your income significantly?

Join us LIVE for the Free 5-Day Rocket Your Income Challenge by clicking here to join.

You'd need 1 – 2 hours per day to work through our daily workbooks and to join us LIVE for a short daily call to create your income growth plan.

Hopefully, see you there 😀

What To Explore Next>>

• 9 BEST Passive Income Ideas for £1000 per month (In 2020)
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• 21 Passive Income Ideas For A Freedom Lifestyle
• 14 HIGH PAYING SIDE HUSTLES For 2020 To Start Today With Little Money

What To Watch Next>>

Let me know in the comments below which of the tips I shared today resonated with you as something you'd take away and practically apply?