Have you ever been surprised when you expected to be promoted but were passed over? If so, you may have overlooked the criteria employers consider when promoting employees. Not being aware of these could be what is keeping you from getting the promotion you want and experiencing career success.

Of course, employers look first to those who have the skills and experience for the job. They also look for those who enjoy working for the company and enjoy their work. But you can distinguish yourself from the crowd if you stand out as a team player, seek solutions for advancement of the company, keep a positive attitude, go beyond expectations, and work well with others.

Here are a few strategies for standing apart from the rest and improving your chances for a promotion.

Don’t be a clock watcher. Make a habit of getting to work and to meetings a few minutes early. You can use this time to have personal conversation and connect with others. Don’t always rush out at the end of the day, or worse, start packing up 15 minutes before quitting time to make sure you are ready to walk out of the door when the big hand strikes 12.

Build good relationships from the bottom of the company up. This is how you develop “connections.” Be friendly and respectful with everyone including those whose work is not directly related to yours. If you have ever left a file behind and had to enter a secured building after hours you’d be happy you had gotten to know the night security person. When a job opens in another department you want to be the first to hear about it through your network of contacts.

Be aware of the dress code in your company. It’s better to overdress a little than to under dress, so match your appearance to that of the people in the positions to which you hope to be promoted.

Don’t wait to be told what to do. Anticipate the needs of your team, your department, and your company. Step up and get the job done. Anticipate problems and propose innovative solutions before they occur. If you can help move projects along faster, offer your help.

Share your ideas. When you think you have an improvement idea, be sure to share your thoughts and a plan with your leader. Do not wait for someone to ask for your ideas. Sitting back and complaining is not likely to get you on the list of those to be promoted.

Volunteer for special projects. Those who avoid challenges and additional responsibility send the message that they cannot handle or do not want more work and more responsibilities, therefore, they tend to get passed by for promotion. Taking on projects, especially those that have a measurable outcome will help you to stand apart from your colleagues. Choose projects that will result in an improvement for your department or the company, make your boss’s life easier, or allow you to gain beneficial skills or knowledge.

Volunteer for some of the tasks nobody wants. There are always things that no one likes to do or that get overlooked, but that have to get done. Your altruism will ingratiate you with everybody. Look for better ways to get the job done so that it is not so burdensome or easily neglected.

Remember that any time you spend with co-workers is business-related. Enjoy parties and dinners, but save any serious partying for social occasions with friends with whom you do not work. Be careful what you post on social networking sites and what your friends post about you. These sites are increasingly being used as research tools by corporate human resources departments.

Learn from company leaders who are respected. They most likely demonstrate the values of the organization. Notice how they interact with others, how they make business decisions and how they spend their time. Emulate what you admire about them, in your own style.

Keep your head in a crisis. A leader must be able to stay cool and calm under duress. When you find yourself in a challenging situation respond calmly and resolve the crisis.

Show that you don’t have to be right or come out on top all the time. When you disagree with someone, give your opinion respectfully, but don’t feel you have to win or have the last word. Some people need to think about counter arguments before they change their mind. If you feel you need to make a clearer argument have a private, yet still respectful follow up conversation.

Be responsible for the success of the team. Even if you are not the team leader you are responsible for the success of the team. The goal is for the team to be successful, not to seek credit for your contribution.

Keep a file in which you record your major accomplishments. It will be useful during your performance appraisals and any time a manager gives you a natural opening to talk about your successes. It can also be useful if you find yourself in the job market again.

Do not be over confident or arrogant. This is a sure-fire way to be passed over for advancement.

There are no guarantees when it comes to landing a promotion, but people who differentiate themselves from the crowd by their positive contributions have a much greater chance of success.