Many people believe that promotions are a natural part of working and they will happen automatically. Although this may be the case for some people, most people will have to work towards their promotions and not leave it to chance.
If you are focused on a bigger salary or a better job title then being a valuable member of a business is your first mission, demonstrating you have the potential to be a great manager and leader is your second. With this in mind, we have compiled a list of things you should consider in order to climb the promotional ladder of success!
The reality is that ascending the career ladder requires proactive effort, strategic planning, and continuous personal development. Achieving a promotion often means significantly more than just a pay rise; it's a recognition of your value to the organisation and a testament to your potential as a leader and innovator within the business.
1- Know Your Goal
It is vital that you know your own personal goals so you can work towards achieving them. If you fully understand where you want to go and how you can get there, you can work at developing the skills and knowledge you need. You can do this by looking at job descriptions and information about the role you would like to aim for, ensuring you have all the abilities that are listed as essential for that role.
Understanding your career aspirations is paramount. Begin by thoroughly analysing the role you aim to secure in the future. Examine job descriptions and role requirements to identify the skills and experiences deemed essential. This insight will not only guide your professional development but also help you tailor your contributions to your current role, ensuring they align with your long-term objectives. Remember, clarity in your career goals is akin to having a roadmap; it directs your efforts and keeps you focused on the journey ahead.
2- Continue Learning & Developing
If you are offered the chance to go on a course or there are opportunities for professional development, be sure to take them! You can also take things into your own hands and broaden your skills with something like a Linkedin Learning course. Also, why not look at open university courses too and get some solid qualifications along the way! Make sure your manager or employer knows what you are doing and why. If your employer sees you are working towards a workplace goal with continued learning, they will be more inclined to fast-track you as you are showing a commitment to improving yourself. If you work hard at ensuring all your skills are the best they can possibly be, you are more likely to be considered for a promotion.
The landscape of industry and commerce is ever-evolving, necessitating a commitment to lifelong learning. Seize every opportunity for professional development, whether it's industry-specific courses, workshops, or the above mentioned broader educational pursuits. Highlight your learning initiatives to your employer, showcasing your dedication to personal growth and your ambition to advance within the company. Demonstrating your investment in your professional development can significantly enhance your visibility and position you as a prime candidate for promotion.
3- Get The Basics Right
In order to be taken seriously for any promotions within your workplace, you must do a great job within your current role. You should work your hardest to get excellent performance reviews and be known as an employee that performs ‘above average’ in all areas. Your reputation can really help or hinder your chances of promotion so make sure you get a positive one by doing all the basics well, including things like attendance and punctuality. Being positive and happy goes a long way too, all these things may seem small, but put all of them together and your manager is more likely to consider you for the next step.
Excellence in your current role is the foundation upon which your aspirations for promotion rest. Strive to exceed expectations in all facets of your job, from project execution to collaborative efforts with your team. Attendance, punctuality, and a positive demeanour are fundamental, yet they significantly impact your reputation within the workplace. A consistently high performance and a proactive approach to challenges will set you apart as a reliable and invaluable member of the team.
4- Give Recognition And Help to Others
Don't just talk about a good game for yourself, recognise other great colleagues and give them recognition too. Companies usually like to promote people who are motivated and who can motivate others. Also, if people in your team need help and support and you have the time, offer it to them. This is a great way of showing your employer that you go above and beyond what is expected of you. These types of traits and actions show you are a helpful team player, that you are inclusive not self-absorbed, demonstrating you are likely to be a good manager in the future.
The ability to uplift and recognise the contributions of your colleagues is a hallmark of leadership. Foster a culture of appreciation and support within your team, offering assistance where needed. This not only enhances team morale but also demonstrates your capacity for empathy and leadership. Such qualities are often sought after in candidates for promotion, as they indicate an individual's potential to manage and inspire a team effectively.
5- Make Managers Jobs Easier
As well as helping your colleagues, extend this to your supervisors' and managers' too. Look at their working days and see if there is anything you can help them with. Try taking some of their concerns off their shoulders to help with the workload. Choose wisely so tasks don't impinge on you finishing your own, maybe something easy to complete that you know your manager just doesn’t like to do! Lending a hand shows you have empathy, workload awareness and helpfulness. You will soon become a valuable asset to them in their everyday work schedule and this has the potential to elevate you over others when it comes to promotions.
This initiative not only showcases your versatility and commitment but also your understanding of the broader business challenges. By aligning your efforts with the objectives of your supervisors, you cement your status as an indispensable asset to the team.
6- Network
Get involved! Attend parties and other networking events to ensure that you are engaged and connected with people in your company. Also, look at external networking events that have people attending with direct relationships to your company and managers. There is nothing like being positively mentioned by someone outside of the company! If this would be hard for you to do, as not all people are naturally outgoing, remember you actually don’t need to be physically present! There are plenty of courses (Linkedin Learning again!) on how to network online that will take the fear out of doing this, offering great strategies to use within a networking environment. After all, would you try a parachute jump without some courses first?! The more you push yourself to do networking, the more it becomes easier to do over time! This is all about recognition and the more you are recognised, the more people talk about you. Managers are more likely to give a position to someone they recognise, who they know directly or by distant reputation, over a random applicant they do not really know. A lot of people do not realise that familiarity is a strong key to success.
Networking, both within and outside your organisation, is a powerful tool for career advancement. Engage in company events, industry seminars, and online forums to build connections and increase your visibility. Remember, networking is not just about making contacts; it's about building meaningful relationships that can open doors to opportunities and endorsements.
7- Communication Skills
Getting promoted eventually means managing more people, so great communication skills are essential. Get this right from the start, do your research on how to communicate with different types of people and get the best from those communications. Go on a communication course, do some research on the subject and why not read the classic book 'How to Win Friends and Influence People? You won't regret it!! If you are going to rise the ladder of promotion you will need to raise your game on communication and relationship building!
Effective communication is the cornerstone of successful leadership. It's imperative to hone your ability to convey ideas clearly, listen actively, and motivate others. Mastering the art of communication will not only aid in your current role but is essential for any leadership position you aspire to in the future.
8- Be Prepared To Ask
Some people may be automatically promoted, but this is not always the case and do not leave it to chance. Be prepared to speak to your manager about how you feel and how you want to progress. Communicating with the person who is likely to give you a reference for a new role or actually be the decision-maker is key. Be prepared to have that conversation, ask how you could improve for future roles and be prepared to receive honest feedback. See any highlighted issues as positive and take their comments on board, working to improve in any areas they suggest. Whilst you may think you are doing well, your manager may have hesitations in certain areas. By being aware of these and showing improvement it sends out positive signals, you now have sorted out a problem that potentially could have held you back without you even knowing it was a problem in the first place. Also, you are now placing your manager in a mentor type of role which can have a real positive effect on your relationship with them. You now have an upper hand over people that have not asked for their advice.
9- Follow The Application Process
Although you may have worked in the company for a long time, it is likely that any vacancies will be advertised on the Internet and external candidates will apply. Ensure that your CV and references are up to date, so you aren’t surprised if your manager asks you to apply through the usual application process. Create a cover letter that illustrates all the work you have already done for the company and why you are looking for a promotion. Once you’ve done all this, you are ready to go!
Conclusion
Promotions are great things, they keep you energised with new challenges . They usually come with a pay increase and if you keep reaching for consecutive promotions, step by step you will be astounded where you can reach. Just keep open-minded, positive, have a thirst for learning and improving and you will succeed. We have another great blog about this that is worth checking out - ‘How to Promote Yourself at Work’, give it a read, it is worth it! Best of luck with your journey! If you need help preparing for interviews, or updating your cv, be sure to check out our other blogs and articles below.
Some Blogs & Articals:
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