How to Land Your Next Job Promotion in 4 Easy Steps
There’s a common misconception that no hark work goes unnoticed… it definitely does, if you don’t do this
As we grow throughout our careers, a job promotion is always on the goal list. Whether you’re looking for manager experience or more autonomy over your work, you are the one in control of your career so let’s act like it. Here’s how you can get ready for your next job promotion, and actually get it!
Know Where You Stand
My company is very into processes and routines, and one of those routines is a quarterly appraisal. Our appraisal process is based around reflecting on the previous quarter and planning out the next. This is a great opportunity to goal set with your manager about the tasks that need to be accomplished and evaluate your skill-set to make sure you’re up to the task. Once you know exactly what you’re working toward (your manager too!) you can execute appropriately and show your results.
Increase Your Skill Set
About 8 months into my current role, I started to pinpoint the next area I wanted to go in for my career. It was outside of what I currently do so I had to figure out a way to develop the skills the role was requiring. I started reading books about the subject, taking Lynda courses, listening to podcasts, and actually began to work with some of the people in the department on projects together. I was able to tie in some of those skills into projects I was working on that helped me gain relevant experience and made sure to walk the walk.
Remember, this is something that’s going to take time but it’s a great way to build your resume, make your experience more impactful, and make the case for the promotion. A great place to start is consider what skills those above you have and how you can exemplify them on the day to day. This might involve special projects or stepping out of your comfort zone just a bit to propel you to the next level.
Make an Impact
As an employee, your goal is typically for the greater good, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get a win from it too! Think about some ways you can really make a difference to your team and make things easier overall. If you find processes that are redundant, tell your manager and provide a new and improved solution that’s more relevant. See a better way to communicate information or changes? Create your proposal, plan, and then implement. Be sure to track the results so you can show the improvements when making your case for the job promotion. If you’re able to leave a mark and make things easier, it’s a huge win!
Speak Up!
This is the most important tip! Your manager can’t promote you if they don’t know you want to be promoted. Whether it’s a job promotion or lateral move, this is in line with knowing where you stand, but telling your manager you’re ready or asking their thoughts is key. It’s poor practice to go behind your manager’s back and apply for an internal role and it’s SO much better if you have someone advocating to executives on your behalf. Plus, they can speak directly to the positive impact you had on the business.
Even if they say you aren’t ready, take it in stride and ask what you need to do in order to get there, then go ahead and do those things. That way, in a few months, you’ll be able to show you took the direction, feedback, and answered their concerns.
