Moving up the career ladder takes careful planning. To put yourself in the best position possible for a promotion, start today by evaluating your weak spots. Strategize now how you’ll make positive changes and come out on top of the competition.
- Keep abreast of new innovations in your field.Just because you’ve earned a degree and landed a job, doesn’t mean you should stop learning. It’s easy to become complacent if you’ve been at your job for a while, but if you want a promotion, continuing to add to your skill set will put you ahead of the competition. It’s not enough to attend free, in-house training. Go above and beyond by attending workshops or conferences outside of work that will immediately make a positive impact on the job.
- Offer solutions to problems.There are employees who consistently highlight problems, and there are employees who offer solutions. It’s easy to guess which employee will earn a promotion. According to the World Economic Forum’s, The Future of Jobs report, complex problem-solving topped the list as one of the most desired skills by managers. Showing your boss that you can tackle any difficulty will make you a valuable asset and earn you more responsibility and respect.
- Demonstrate a strong work ethic.You may think this is obvious, but too often, employees rely on seniority in their position or longevity with their company for a promotion. In fact, tenure has little to do with promotion decisions. Come in early, stay late, manage your time wisely and make yourself available when you’re needed.
- Volunteer for special projects.Any good employee can do what is expected, but not too many do what isn’t expected. When opportunities come up to work on special projects that might take nights or weekends to complete, the employees who volunteer will immediately be on the radar of managers when it’s promotion time.
- Be a leader.For any employee looking to move up the corporate ladder, demonstrating strong leadership skills is essential. Consider what type of leader you want to be.
“Great leaders are aware of their own style and make the effort to learn how their style actually comes across to their team,” says Michael Burke, supervisor, MSR Communications, a public relations firm. “They learn to flex their leadership style to individual team members so that they communicate and behave in ways that motivate and inspire.” Great leaders also project confidence balanced with humility, while garnering respect.
- Improve soft skills.According to Forbes, a recent report showed a whopping 94 percent of recruiting professionals believe an employee with stronger soft skills has a better chance of being promoted to a leadership position than an employee with more years of experience but weaker soft skills.
Possessing strong interpersonal skills, such as the ability to articulate your message, collaborate with others, empathize with team members, and energize your employees will set you apart from the pack.
- Socialize in and outside of work.Deals made “on the golf course” are only part of what it takes to succeed in the workplace. Socializing with coworkers gives you the opportunity to build positive relationships and relate one on one, building trust. Socializing shows that you are one of the team, but the benefits are two-fold.
We spend more time in the workplace and around our coworkers than most anywhere else. Employees who have positive workplace relationships are happier at work, and happy workers are more creative and productive.
- Train your replacement.Believing that we’re irreplaceable is a mistake when it comes to promotions. If your boss believes you’re indispensable in your current position, he or she won’t be enthusiastic at the prospect of replacing you. If you can demonstrate that you have someone in mind who can perform all the functions of your job and can smoothly transition into your vacated spot, your boss will be much more likely to view your promotion favorably.
- If you want a promotion, ask for it.Asking for a promotion doesn’t have to be the stress-producing event we fear. Having the confidence to ask for a promotion begins with fostering a good relationship with your supervisor. If you’ve done your homework and feel prepared to argue your case, you’ll be more in control.
If your immediate supervisor won’t be influencing the promotion decisions, ask for his or her support, and go higher up the ladder until you find the person making the decisions. Prepare a presentation by showing what you have done for the company, offering specific examples, listing your major achievements and identifying the reasons why you’re the best candidate. If you’ve met the criteria in items 1 through 8, you have set yourself up for a positive response.
- Earn an MBA.Whether you work for a large corporation or a small company, earning an MBA will show your employer you’re serious about your career. Earning an MBA indicates you’re willing to devote time, energy and resources to your career and your employer.
An MBA degree shows you value self-improvement and personal growth. Your leadership and management skills will improve as well as your soft skills. You’ll connect with people from diverse backgrounds in other locations and in different companies, gaining the opportunity to learn different strategies from a new set of peers. It shows you care about improving your value for your employer, and when a position opens, an MBA degree demonstrates credibility with your supervisors.
Begin your promotion quest by evaluating where you are now, and where you’d like to be in one, three, five and 10 years. While you’re working toward your MBA, you can also focus on participating in more social events with your colleagues and improving your oral presentation skills. Have your eye on the future with a plan in place now and you’ll hit the fast track to earning that promotion.
Learn more about the NKU online MBA program.
Sources:
Forbes: Why Soft Skills Will Help You Get the Job and the Promotion
World Economic Forum: The Future of Jobs
CNN: 23 Traits of Good Leaders
