How to Grab That Promotion At Work

Are you hungry for a promotion at work? A promotion could be a quick path to more pay, responsibility, autonomy at work. While a big raise is always preferred, even a small pay increase can add up to a lot over a month or a year.

Own Your Current Responsibilities

To set yourself up for success, own your current work responsibilities. Telling your supervisor that you’re ready for more is one thing. Excelling at your current responsibilities shows them that you could be capable of more.

If you’re unclear on how to excel at your current role, ask your direct supervisor. Focus on improvement to set yourself up for an upward move.

Do More than the Minimum

In the cult classic movie Office Space, Peter Gibbons jokes with his friends about how he zones out at work for hours at a time. In reality, inhabiting your role for the paycheck doesn’t look good. Your manager may not see you as an ideal candidate for a promotion if you show low enthusiasm regularly.

Take the initiative to show that you care about your company’s mission and goals. Find room for improvements and do them. Manage your time efficiently and hold yourself to a high standard. Going above and beyond with your attitude and actions is key in demonstrating you’re ready for a promotion.

Tell Your Managers You’re Looking to Move Up

Does your boss know you’re interested in a promotion?  If your boss thinks you’re content, they might not pay as much attention to your performance. Let them know what your career aspirations are and why. This will nudge them to pay more attention to your performance and potentially start the promotion process.

Research other positions within your company or at others. You might find a similar role that pays better in another department or at another company. It’s never a bad idea to interview at other companies to explore all your options.

Keep in mind that your boss may not have the ability to offer a promotion. Keep the lines of communication as open as you feel comfortable. If they know that you’re thinking of leaving for a promotion elsewhere, they may be even more willing to move you up the chain of command.

Performance Reviews

Performance reviews are not always helpful or frequent enough. Make an effort to check in with your boss on a semi-regular basis.While your boss may have to fill out a performance review form with “yes” or “no” questions, take the time to have a two-way conversation.

Come prepared. Keep a log of any significant accomplishments ahead of your performance review. If you can show that you’ve improved using a particular metric, even better.

Your manager may not know how you increased revenue, lowered costs, or made major efficiency improvements. Come with a list of those accomplishments in hand so you can boost your boss’s awareness of what you’re doing for the team and the company.

Use the time to gather advice and constructive feedback on how you can improve and get the promotion you seek. Then follow through and show that you’ve taken the advice to heart.

Apply, apply, apply

Moving up a level or two may be possible within your current team or management organization and could lead to a 3% pay increase. Moving to a new job elsewhere yields an average 10- 20% pay increase.

If you can stay at your current company, internal promotions show an upward trajectory and dedication. These desirable traits look great on paper for when you want to jump companies in the future. While it may not pay as well, an internal promotion might be easier to come by than moving to another company.

While weighing the costs and benefits, keep applying to jobs that seem interesting. When interviewing, take all the constructive feedback you can get. A great question to get this information is, “Do you have any hesitations about my resume I can clarify?”.

Stay Focused on Your Long-Term Career Goals

If you feel stuck in a career rut, try not to be too hard on yourself. Everyone feels that way every once in a while. Reflect on your wins when you need a boost and believe your coworkers when they compliment your work.

Look to others within your organization whose job titles or positions you admire for inspiration. Study how they got there themselves, and you might find some clues to help you on your path.

Good luck! You’ve got this.

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