A cousin of mine recently joined the industry. As the ol' s/w guy in the family I got a call from Mr.Bright and Excited asking me how he can grow fast and get noticed in a large software services company. In a shameless act of self aggrandizing I pointed him to this blog. So here goes…

• This one is right at the top : Get business. If you can do something to get business you will straight away get into the top management's radar. This doesn't mean a sales role, but could be as simple (or complicated) as a proactive proposal
  
• Write a tool that serves the cause of execution excellence (productivity improvement, effort tracking, defect prevention..the list is endless)
  
• Make a process improvement proposal and sell it to SEPG. Track the benefits with metrics and publish to a wider audience
  
• Speak up during organizational meetings
  
• Organize team outings. Be the josh person in your account
  
• Write a KM white paper based on the 'innovative best practices' that you used in your project 
  
• Reach out and give help. Take part in technical and management mailing lists and fora. Reach out to people outside your current network and offer solutions. This will keep you networked among the 'happening' crowd 
  
• Give a talk about something cutting edge and exciting. Don't forget to invite your boss and your boss's boss to attend!
  
• Great work speaks for itself. Always go beyond what is mandated. Stretch and go the extra mile
  
• Do something that is important for your boss but that nobody else wants to do. This will build trust and make you stand out

Please feel free to help my cousin out by giving your own tips. I am sure there are better ones than the stuff I have mentioned above.