You’ve worked hard all year and a new position has opened up. It would mean new responsibilities, a new title, and of course, a nice raise. You’re ready for this new opportunity, a promotion could really mean good things are ahead for you.
Everyone wants to be promoted but not everyone puts themselves in the best position to be promoted. Whatever your industry, your goal is to make yourself promote-able and these 5 tips will help give you a good shot when that corner office opens up.
Getting that promotion can be the first step towards bigger and better things in your career. When opportunity comes knocking you want to put yourself in the best possible position to answer the door. These tips can help give you a leg up on the competition.
Good luck.
Everyone wants to be promoted but not everyone puts themselves in the best position to be promoted. Whatever your industry, your goal is to make yourself promote-able and these 5 tips will help give you a good shot when that corner office opens up.
- Act professionally at all times. A promotion typically means more responsibility, more power, and more authority. Your goal is to act like someone who is worthy of those things. This means acting like a total pro at all times. Look the part, talk the part, and act the part. Don’t whine or complain to co-workers, don’t gripe about office politics. You arrive to work on time every day (or early), dressed for success and ready to dive in.
- Be proactive. Take the initiative. On the road to your promotion don’t be afraid to flat out ask for more responsibility. Far too many employees simply do the basics of their job and clock out at the end of the day. People who do the bare minimum are not promotion material. If you know an important project is coming up, ask your boss how you can help. If you know the company has a need you can fill, offer to fill it. Bosses notice an employee who is willing to do what it takes.
- Network, network, network. Many employees want to be invisible to the bosses. You want the exact opposite. If you work for a large company, you want your boss to know who you are, what you do, and more importantly how well you do it. If appropriate, introduce yourself to other supervisors or managers in the office. If your name is known, you will be talked about behind closed doors. Make sure the conversation is a good one.
- Learn new skills. Pay attention to growing trends in your industry as it pertains to equipment and technology. Don’t’ sit back and wait for your company to start using them, stay current. Offer suggestions on implementing new software or equipment. Office technology is growing at such a rapid pace it’s hard to keep up but try and stay ahead of the curve. Any new skill or knowledge you can acquire that may benefit your position or your company as a whole will only make you more valuable and marketable.
- Don’t listen to workplace chatter. If you’ve implemented the first four of these tips then some of your lazier coworkers will be talking about you. The words kiss-up or brown-noser might be used. Don’t listen to it. There’s nothing wrong with being good at what you do, wanting to be better, and wanting to get ahead. Don’t get defensive and don’t apologize for it either. On the other hand, it’s also important not to garner a reputation as a snake in the grass so don’t snub your co-workers, throw them under the bus, or deliberately cause ripples in the workplace. You can get ahead without being a jerk. If your co-workers look down on you for being competent that’s their problem and likely says more about them than it does you.
Getting that promotion can be the first step towards bigger and better things in your career. When opportunity comes knocking you want to put yourself in the best possible position to answer the door. These tips can help give you a leg up on the competition.
Good luck.
