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Looking for a Promotion – Land one successfully!
Updated: Jul 12, 2021
Ever wondered what is keeping you from the promotion? Is hard-work truly sufficient? It is aspirational for any employee at any stage of his career. Here are some tips and identified blind spots that you may be missing:
Are you ambitious? Is it time for your next title?
Know yourself
You could be in a job where you feel your skills are going unutilized or you are undervalued. You could be caught in the wrong job or your motivation to stay on the job is not met and this gives you enough reason to rethink life choices. You should know that majority population changes careers even in the same organization! Skill set and qualities are transferable aspects. When you look for a promotion, your selling points include not just the work you do rather the qualities you bring to the table – also known as the X-Factor. Before asking for a promotion – ask yourself if that is what you truly want and what is your sell point to get it. Then go ahead with it!
How will you take your next big step? Success may be closer than you think. Do not quit now!
Performance Matters
Before a promotion, do a self-check. Are you satisfied with yourself? This matters before you approach your boss and seek a promotion you deserve! Demonstrate the qualities you have in the role you seek – in advance! Yes, that is right, do it for a month for free and build your case. If you have no reportees and want one, start mentoring your interns better or someone in another team who can vouch for your leadership. Then in the next big meeting highlight the qualities that you demonstrated. This hack will put you ahead of others!
Your body language matters. It can speak volumes - more than words can covey.
Confidence Matters
You would be surprised to know how few things like punctuality and a well-mannered person can subconsciously influence the mindset of the management. Are you always turning up late for meetings, dropping food all over yourself or seeking extensions for work you forgot? You just demonstrated – you do not value time of your client, you are sloppy and lazy. But doing the complete opposite demonstrates you care. Invest in yourself because if you feel confident, you will deliver with confidence. When you demonstrate punctuality, tidiness or promptness – you show the employer that you are more than just the average joe. Want to start now – choose 3 qualities that set you apart and start demonstrating them in the workplace.
You would not know till you do not try. Express yourself. Speak your truth.
Communication is Key
It is appalling that most of us are too scared of communication. We envisage the scenario in our head and the story starts and ends right there. We are all great storytellers: we love to predict the reaction of another. But is a reaction certain? Think of it like this: have you been able to predict your parent, your partner or your child completely. Can you claim you have never been surprised by people close to you? No. Right? Communication is key. Do not assume you will not get that promotion, ask for it.
Once you know what you want, you can narrow the gap from where you are to where you want to be.
Seek New challenges
What sets you apart? Are you looking to grow? Are you looking to make others around you grow? Those who dare, soar. Learn to accept challenges. When they come, do not shy. This will set you apart. It is easy to do the day job but when you are seeking more, you need to go the extra mile.
Strive! Achieve! The world is your oyster.