Promotions are earned, not given. If you are being passed up for promotions, look within to figure out why. Don't blame your "playing favorites" boss or your "brown nosing" co-workers; take responsibility for your career and follow these steps to increase promotion opportunities:
- Develop a good relationship with your boss. Your boss should be your biggest supporter. Remember the universal truth: All managers want people on their teams who make their jobs easier. Do your best to make your boss look good; it usually pays dividends. Produce quality and timely work. Look for ways to help him or her achieve more. Ask for feedback and act on it. Be forthcoming about ways he or she can successfully manage you. Build rapport by learning more about your boss.
- Be great at your current job. You will only get a promotion if you're doing a great job in your current role. There may be things you don't like about your job, but so what? Do all parts of it well. Become an expert through training, reading, collaborating and working hard.
- Help the company execute its strategies. Work on tasks/projects that help the company meet its goals and execute its strategies. If you're not sure how your job ties to the strategies, ask. Always prioritize and do what's most important first. Don't get distracted by things that don't matter.
- Be seen as helpful. Being a team player builds your credibility and will make you the go-to person for solving tough problems. Put the team first, help a struggling co-worker, give credit to others and volunteer to help at company events. Perception is important; it doesn't matter if you think you are a helpful teammate; what matters more is that others think you are.
- ⢠Be a problem solver. People who expect "management" to fix all the problems in the workplace aren't typically seen as helpful, nor are they often promoted. Volunteer to tackle tough interdepartmental problems. Proactively communicate with a co-worker rather than triangulate through your boss; challenge yourself to achieve a positive outcome. Suggest a better process to ease frustration on a project.
- Exhibit positivity. People with a positive attitude are generally easier to work with, and hence more promotable. Stay positive when facing challenges and adversity; view problems as opportunities to make things better. Be friendly, smile more and complain less. Commit to having a positive effect on everyone you interact with.
- Look and act professionally. If you want a promotion, look and act the part. Dress professionally, be well groomed, communicate articulately, use proper grammar, refrain from swearing, don't gossip, don't complain, ask questions, smile and stay off social media.
- Sell yourself. Those doing the promoting need to know about the good things you are doing so you'll be on the radar for a promotion. Self-promotion is an art; it must be done in a way that balances talking about yourself with humility. You don't want to be perceived as bragging; that's just obnoxious. Make sure your boss knows your career aspirations, and engage him or her in creating a career development plan. Keep your boss and your peers informed on the status of major projects, and broadly share the team's accomplishments. Bring attention to a big win by asking your boss if you can celebrate by taking the team to lunch. Approach him or her with a solution to a tough problem, and ask your boss for support as you take the lead to fix it. Develop a relationship with a mentor higher within the organization who can sing your praises. Well-executed self-promotion is subtle, tactful and highly useful.
If you do these things well, you will increase your chances of getting a promotion. On the flip side, surefire ways not to get a promotion include complaining about your boss and co-workers, blowing off feedback, being manipulative, doing the bare minimum to get by, and saying things like "that's not my job" or "they don't pay me enough to do that."
There is almost nothing more rewarding than being recognized for a job well done with an opportunity to grow via a promotion, so go for it! As Gordon B. Hinckley says, "Do your best, and be a little better than you are."
For more information, contact Kerry Siggins at kerry.siggins@stoneagetools.com. To read her blog, visit www.kerrysiggins.com/blog.
