5 Ways to Win the Talent War and Secure A Promotion at Work
If you are ready to step up the career ladder, it’s time to demonstrate that you are capable of a promotion. While most people think that doing a good job and going the next mile is all they need to get a promotion, it doesn’t always suffice. Here are five suggestions to help in your efforts to receive a promotion.
Make your Boss History
It may seem ironic, but one of the best ways to secure a promotion at work is to make your boss’ job easier – or let’s see, completely obsolete. Don’t get me wrong, you are not trying to get them fired or take over the reins or show them that you can do something better; you’re simply allowing them to trust your work and put more responsibility on your plate. By effectively delegating their duties to you, they can focus on new areas that need the supervision and assistance of higher-ups. Strong work goes up the chain, improves the company, and gets you noticed.
Be Responsive
Don’t be the annoying employee who is always ‘too busy’ to answer emails, take calls, reply to IMs etc. You don’t want to be labeled unresponsive and inflexible, which may whisk away any chances of promotion you may have. If you want to climb up to the upper echelon, always be responsive and don’t make up silly pretexts for not getting back to people. While nobody expects you to be a ‘yes man’ or a “dogsbody”, if a request exposes you to a new part of the business or helps you develop a new skillset that can accelerate your growth; grab the opportunity.
Keep Your Boss in the Loop
You don’t want your manager to stay in the dark about the mini successes you score in your job from day to day, do you? While the big wins are often highlighted, your manager is sure to overlook the extra hours you put in, the difficult client you successfully persuaded, or the 1% growth in sales that you managed all on your own. So, make sure you document them and send your boss a summary each month. If you are managing a team, give your boss an update on their successes as well. Documenting your successes shows your competency and willingness to put in your best to your superiors.
Be a Positive, Uplifting Person
Optimism is sure to get you noticed and make people willing to work with you. Help the people around you and lift people up. Remember that you can’t be promoted until you are replaceable. Train others to fill in your shoes and be willing to teach others to do everything you know how to do. The mark of good leadership is empowering others escalate beyond yourself. For example, the best manager is one that has had other members of their team go on to become managers and leaders themselves. Be the type of leaders who can grow and produce leaders.
Show A Desire for Promotion
Unless your bosses are mind readers, make sure your superiors know your desire to move up. Let them know what your career goals are and what you need to meet them. Find ways to mention your goals and ambitions multiple times, so they stick in their memory. If they don’t know you are looking to move, they will automatically assume that you are content in your current job role and not willing to take on more responsibility. Every time a new promotional opportunity pops up, your name is bound to stand out in their mind, until eventually they will be sure that you are ready to be promoted.
