Maybe you’ve bounced around a bit or maybe you’ve been at your company for awhile: either way, you know you want to move up from your current job role into a higher one.
While there’s no magic bullet formula for making a promotion happen, there are some things that can be done to improve your chances.
Here are five ways to increase your chances of a promotion.
1. Spot the gap.
Sometimes there’s a perfect open position just waiting to be filled. When that’s not the case, you have to do a bit of exploration. Ask yourself: In your employer’s hierarchy, is there a natural place for you to move up, or will getting promoted require you to create a position for yourself? It’s important to identify this early on in the process, as it will help you decide what you need to do to get ahead. The best way to do this is to create a little organizational chart for yourself (or use an existing one if the company already makes theirs public). Where do you sit right now? What’s the easiest move for you to grow into based on your experience? What’s the most ideal move for you, from a broader career perspective? Answer these questions to help give yourself a direction.
2. Do some research on your current salary and desired salary.
These days, there’s a tremendous amount of information on compensation available online. Sites like Comparably use anonymous employee reviews to help you see what people like you are earning, and offer a peek into the culture needs at a given company. (For example, if you work at Microsoft and want to know what people in engineering say about their compensation, or what people of color say about the company, you can find that here.) Having a good read on the compensation will help you prepare as you engage in talks with your manager about a promotion.
3. Take on more responsibility in your current role.
The best way to show you’ve got what it takes to advance is to show that you can do the work already. Volunteer for new projects. Have a conversation with your boss about taking on more assignments. Step up as a mentor. There are many ways for you to position yourself for more responsibility. An easy way to make sure that you’re providing value in the right way is to ask yourself the following: What can I do that would directly help my boss? My team? My organization? The answers will help guide you toward a shift in responsibilities that’s truly meaningful in the eyes of the people around you.
Related: How to Get a Job in a New Industry
4. Enroll in training courses and other educational opportunities.
If up until now you’ve ditched every corporate training or education opportunity your company offers, now’s the time to change your behavior. Learning something new can be incredibly valuable to you as you move up, but there’s an added bonus: by seeing that you’re taking the initiative to attend training and educational programs, you’re sending a message that you care about the work you do and the company you work for. That can’t ever hurt you as you gear up for a promotion.
5. Make your intentions clear to your manager.
It doesn’t matter if there’s a role open now or in 10 months: you want to make sure your manager knows what you’re aiming for. Set up a few minutes to have a formal discussion about where you are now and where you want to go. Ask for feedback from your manager on what you need to do to improve your chances of getting there. Be courteous and respectful — don’t push them for an exact date or time on when you will be promoted — but be firm in asserting that this is something you want. You’ll be amazed at how some people will go out of their way to make it happen.
