Share
Entry-level roles are where your career starts, but it’s not where you want your career to stay forever. Internal promotions are one of the best ways to climb the corporate ladder, but they won’t just come to you. You’ll have to put in some work to be the best candidate for the next promotion. Here are some ways you can increase your chances of getting promoted.
1. Track your achievements
One way to show that you are worthy of a promotion is to put your achievements on paper. Every time you receive praise for your work, put this feedback in a document. Title this document "Value Adds” or something similar, and each time you receive positive feedback, write down the date, who the feedback was from, and a summary of the person’s input. Over time you will add to this document and have concrete feedback to reference during performance reviews and conversations about promotions.
This document should also contain any major achievements you’ve had or areas in which you’ve added value, even if you didn’t receive direct feedback. For example, if you were working on an assignment that reached a major road block, but you proposed an idea that solved the problem, write this down. Over time you will have concrete evidence of the value you bring to the team, making you a good investment for the company.
2. Do More Than Just Your Work
Completing your assigned work and adhering to deadlines is critical if you’d like a promotion; however, to solidify your chances at a promotion, you should find ways to add value on top of your assigned workload.
Networking
It can be easy to fall into the habit of coming to the office, sitting at your desk all day, getting your work done, and going home. If you work from home, it’s even easier to isolate yourself and only focus on doing your work and logging off. While this is technically what your job requires, you want to build meaningful relationships with your manager and colleagues if you want to advance your career.
Networking is so important because not all promotions are advertised. By building work relationships you get access to the hidden job market. Let’s say you start talking to a company leader during lunch every day. Through these conversations, they’ve gotten to know you better and have learned more about your interests, goals, and past work. The next time that leader hears of a promotion opportunity that fits your skills, they will be more likely to approach you with the offer.
Networking also consists of knowledge sharing with others. You can do all the research you want, but some things are best learned through lived experience. Networking can keep you up to date on industry news and trends that you might not have been aware of otherwise. These additional insights can help you perform your job better, and in turn, increase your chances of getting that promotion.
Skills and Certifications
As you progress through your workload and job responsibilities, you will naturally hone your skills in your specific area. This is great, but you might need to do more if you’re hoping to get promoted.
One way to grow your skillset is to ask for assignments you may not typically get. Let your manager know that you’re interested in taking on more challenging work. Doing this will have two benefits: you’ll learn skills outside of your typical workload, and your manager will be impressed with your interest in doing more than what’s asked of you.
You can also expand your expertise outside of the office by obtaining certifications. A common place professionals go to for certifications is Coursera. The site has a wide range of certifications available, including AI, marketing, and project management, just to name a few. Focus on the skills that you think would best suit your career goals. Once your certification is completed, you’ll want to communicate these new credentials by sharing it on LinkedIn and mentioning it to your manager. If a promotion is between you and another person, and your peer doesn’t have this added knowledge, you’re more likely to get the position.
3. Make your goals known
Communication is extremely important when you want a promotion. The people in leadership are great at their job, but not so great at reading minds. If you sit around expecting your manager to intuitively know you’re wanting an advanced position, you’ll likely be disappointed when promotion time comes around.
During your next one-on-one with your manager, make your intentions clear. Explain that you would like to take on a more challenging role, and would be interested in any advancement opportunities that may come up. Explain why you think you can take on more responsibility: mention the achievements you’ve tracked and discuss any new certifications you’ve obtained. They likely won’t be handing out a promotion right then and there, but the next time a role needs to be filled, you’ll be top of mind (especially if you’ve created a stronger connection with them through networking).
Promotions are never guaranteed, and there can be a lot of factors that play into who gets them. There’s a lot that is outside your control, but these tips are a few of the variables you can control.
Share
