While promotions took a hit in 2020 during the height of the pandemic, promotions in 2021 started to rise again. As businesses are getting back to “normal,” some are changing the way they do things. It could be a perfect time to advance your career and move up the chain of command within your workplace.
However, one thing that hasn’t changed about promotions is that they’re typically given to people who can show they’re ready. Skill, hard work, and dedication are all important. Those are things that will get you noticed by your employer.
If you want to move things along a bit faster, though, you’ll have to show your boss you’re promotion-ready. Let’s cover a few effective ways to do that.
1. Demonstrate Work as a Priority
Getting your work done each day and staying productive is important to career success. However, if you want to move up and change your job title, you’ll have to go above and beyond. This will demonstrate to your employer that you’re dedicated to your career.
Make sure you have productive work habits. Show up on time each day and focus on getting things done. You should prioritize working with a team and collaborating whenever possible. Your office space should be clean and organized, even if you’re working from home.
If you work remotely or in a hybrid position, it’s a perfect opportunity to show your dedication and demonstrate work as a priority. Have a dedicated home office or workspace with all of the essentials, including:
- A desk
- A chair
- Storage space
- Computer
- Printer
- Shredder
Even if you only connect with your employer via Zoom, they’ll see your space and know you’re dedicated to getting things done efficiently and effectively. They’ll also know that you have dedicated work hours at home, so they can count on you to be available consistently without leaving them to wonder when they might be able to get a hold of you.
2. Share Your Goals
Having a conversation with your boss about getting a promotion might seem a little overwhelming. Instead, you can spin it and make it a bit easier on yourself by discussing your goals.
Talk about things like how you want to advance your education, take on more responsibility, or work with coworkers more often to come up with fresh ideas. When your employer knows about your goals and how you want to grow within the company, they’ll be able to guide you down the right path and make it easier to navigate and achieve those goals.
3. Join the Right Groups
It’s important to have a healthy work-life balance, no matter how hard you’re hustling for a promotion. However, if you truly love what you do, there’s nothing wrong with dedicating some of your free time to bettering yourself for the promotion you want.
Consider joining a professional organization, taking classes related to the job you want, or asking for advice/mentorship from a senior leader within your business. There are often many desirable employee benefits that come with a promotion, including:
- Flexible work schedules
- Mental and physical health care
- A company-matched retirement plan
Putting the work in now and connecting with the right people won’t just get you the position you want, it can help you achieve the benefits you want. Those are all things you can negotiate with your employer as they discuss the terms of your promotion. With all that being said, it’s important to remember what you’re working for and why you’re putting in the extra time with school, organizations, and mentors.
4. Show Your Leadership Potential
For an employer to consider promoting you, you’ll have to demonstrate that you can be a leader above your current position. Collaborating with your coworkers is great and something you should do on a regular basis. However, if you’re always the one in the group sitting in the corner and not contributing, your boss isn’t going to see you as leadership material.
Choose to act like a leader within the office. Don’t get involved in drama or politics. Be respectful, trustworthy, and confident. A leader should be a role model for all other employees. While you shouldn’t automatically take on an attitude of superiority, you should be able to guide and lead your coworkers now so you can potentially lead them in the future.
As you start to act more like a leader, don’t be surprised if coworkers come to you for advice or to ask how you might do things. People who portray themselves as leaders will eventually be viewed that way by others. That’s another bonus for you. As your employer sees other workers reaching out to you for help or feedback, they’ll be more likely to officially move you into a leadership position.
5. Take Feedback Seriously
Some people don’t like to receive feedback, or they worry that anything that could be taken as “negative” means they’re not doing a good job. That’s not necessarily true.
Feedback is very often a good thing. When it’s constructive, it’s an essential resource for helping you grow personally and within your company. As a plus, asking your employer for feedback is a great way to show them you want to do your best and continually get better.
Of course, it’s not enough to just ask for feedback. Make sure you’re taking it to heart and making changes to improve yourself and your career. As your employer sees you taking feedback seriously, they’ll appreciate your dedication and your willingness to go the extra mile. That’s something leaders do.
You don’t have to be a specific kind of person to show that you’re promotion-ready. However, capitalizing on soft skills like leadership, team collaboration, and time management can all help you prove to your employer that you’re ready to move up within the company.
Whether you work from home or in an office setting, these suggestions can help you get the promotion you deserve. If you’re truly ready to take the next step in your career, put these ideas into practice and enjoy the benefits that come with a higher position.
About the Author:
Jori Hamilton is an experienced writer residing in the Northwestern U.S. She covers a wide range of topics but takes a particular interest in covering topics related to business productivity and marketing strategies.
