How to get a Promotion (relatively quickly)

A reward most employees cherish is a promotion. It could be in terms of a better pay, a bigger title, or both. A promotion shows that the organisation not only recognises, but also appreciates your work. It is the ultimate flex an employee can possess. Though corporate ladders are often dissed upon, there is nothing wrong with wanting to climb it. After all, it means you have a goal and are willing to work towards it.

But a large number of employees around the world complain that their promotions are long overdue and thus they consider moving to different organisations. While organisations need to look into this matter as a part of their Employee Management program, individual employees must also play their part to ensure they are ready for the promotion they think they deserve.

Let us look at 10 ways to speed up your promotion.

1.  Work-Life Balance is necessary
   Unless you have a healthy balance between your personal, professional, and social lives, you will never be satisfied with either. It is only a matter of time before the worries and stresses of one, begin to creep into the other, and the mess begins. De-clutter your personal and social life, and then do the same with your professional life. Prioritise your tasks and notice the confidence slowly rise.
   (You’re going to need this confidence!)
2. Create or Add Value
   Any organisation or team notices value. Even during the hiring process, the recruiters weigh the value a certain individual’s skills will bring to the team and the role they are interviewing for. And the same carries forward into the duties and responsibilities of the role. A slight proactivity on your part, by showing a constant addition of value (to the projects, team, and the organisation) will go a long way in drawing attention towards yourself.
3. Bring Clients and/or Revenue
   One way to showcase your proactivity is by bringing in new clients, which, in turn, brings revenue into the organisation. Also, renewing contracts with existing clients is an excellent way of showing your employer that you are serious about being a part of the company’s future. Businesses like profits, and someone who walks the talk, is more likely ahead in the line during the next appraisal.
4. Relationship Building
   One of the most key factors when looking at climbing the corporate ladder is the art of Relationship Building. Yes, you read it right. It is an ART. And a tricky one. Building a relationship doesn’t have to be confined within your own organisation. Networking effectively outside your immediate professional circle is a smart investment of time. Attend conferences, seminars, workshops. Try approaching industry-leaders and initiate conversations by asking them for valuable insights. Also, try building relationships with people in other departments within your organisation. Such interactions do not go unnoticed. Good organisations value EQ as much as IQ.
   Knowing the names of people and addressing them by the right name would be a good start, don’t you think?
5. Get Feedback
   Once your task or project has been completed, as for feedback from the client and from your immediate superior. Many of us shy away from feedbacks, purely due to the fear of criticism. IT IS ALRIGHT. Feedbacks will give you a chance to deliver better results in the coming tasks and projects. Furthermore, it will give you extra points over your previous self, which was afraid to ask how you did. Continuous improvement (Kaizen) isn’t just a model for organisations to adopt, but also for individuals to adhere to, if they really want that promotion.
6. Learn from others who have been promoted
   Ever heard of the phrase “If you want to be a millionaire, hang around other millionaires”? Well, that’s true even in this case. If you are seeking a promotion, spend some time around those who have successfully climbed the ladder at your corporation. They know how things work. Have conversations with them to see how they added/created value, what they did differently to bring more recognition to their work. In the due course of time, your aim should be to understand their steps taken, and if you can imbibe any of them (or similar to) in your journey.
7. Recognise Co-workers
   Appreciation and recognition is innate to joy among human beings. Just like you would like to be applauded for your work, so does everyone else. Helping people without them asking (if it is within your domain), giving meaningful suggestions when required and clapping like a fan when someone truly outdoes their previous work, are all characteristics of leaders. And your company is noticing. Oh, yes, it is!
   Most employees prefer sticking to their own work schedule and keep their heads down to avoid being asked for help. It is the responsibility of the upper management to find and groom potential leaders to carry on the company’s mission and vision into the future. You just have to decide which characteristics you wish to develop and showcase.
8. Improve communication and soft-skills
   Upgrading your soft-skills (inter-personal and presentation included) could prove to be one of the key factors when showcasing your willingness to adapt to a promotion. Learning how to respond, react and conduct yourself in situations that could relate to your future position, will serve very well when your positive points are being weighed.
   Communication is a key aspect of putting your best foot forward when making your case for a promotion. How you convey your worthiness will show the deciding members how you deal with transparency and your ability to speak up. Clear and efficient communication exudes confidence – a virtue much valued by all organisations.
9. Make your Superior’s job easier
   Yes, that’s correct. Efforts to make your superior’s job easier will generally put you on a fast-track towards a promotion. But, before you begin thinking on that, let me clarify on what terms I put forth this point.
   To begin with, your superior does not expect you to know the complexities of their task, unless they have specifically asked you to help them at any time, or have exposed you to it in any manner. Yet, when you do something that is outside your role description, it sends them a signal that you are ready to take on a higher responsibility.
   Furthermore, it shows your ability to act as a team player and help out, regardless of the role or title.
   Imagine being in the eighth grade and are able to solve math problems for the tenth grade. Wouldn’t you be the popular kid in the whole school?
10. ASK
    I saved the most important one for the last. ASK. It serves well in two ways – (i) the deciding body notices your confidence in asking for what you want and believe you deserve, and (ii) if at all you were not in the race for the promotion, you just brought the spotlight upon yourself and there is a good chance your characteristics will be highlighted.
    Someone once told me, “Always ask. The worst that can happen is they say ‘no’. But that is something we have already thought of in our minds. And thus, won’t be too shocked. But imagine what happens when they say ‘yes’! That’s a jackpot worth asking for!”

Promotions are a tricky domain, but when you do your part, it will be noticed. Sometimes sooner, sometimes later. But they will be noticed. By taking the above mentioned steps, you will put yourself ahead on the ladder, and unlock a new level of self-confidence which you probably didn’t know you had.

Book a Workshop with us to learn which skills could propel you up the corporate ladder, and how to navigate the rough waters.

Which steps have you already started with? Let us know in the comments below.