Pathways to Promotion

Pathways to Promotion

Bu Sig Nordal, Jr. 

You may well have been in the same job for a few years and enjoy the work and those with whom you work. But when you have had 'corporate' emails announcing the promotion of others it can make you think 'why them and not me?'

It is highly unlikely that you will suddenly be offered a promotion unless you do something proactive in order to attain one. It is not enough to do your work well and be reliable as you need to make yourself noticed more. What employers want to see is an employee with passion, a drive to get things done whatever the odds, a team player who provides solutions to difficulties and problems.

When you think of promotion it is often with a view to moving a rung up the corporate ladder but if you look at the long term there is a great benefit in moving sideways too. Taking on a job using similar skills within a different department improves your overall knowledge of the company and can increase your value as an individual with more than one string to your bow.

By demonstrating a strong and secure work ethic in that you are accurate and consistently meet deadlines shows you are dependable. Managers need to see you are secure in your skills and knowledge about your particular area of work so, if needs be, read up more about it. There is a wealth of additional information about all manner of things and you never know what new ideas may be sparked in you. Also look at articles and press releases from competitors to garner knowledge of how the business in which you work could improve.

If it is possible, see if there is anyone who could act as your mentor. This should be someone with more experience than you with whom you can talk openly with about work issues. A good mentor will offer suggestions and new ideas and give examples of previous successes and failures of their own to help guide you. Ideally the mentor would be someone at your workplace who can then inform others about your abilities and talents. However, one can often have friends in similar roles or people you have interacted with online so ask them!

Make every effort to speak directly to your manager about the attainable goals for your career and ensure that at meetings or just at lunch with colleagues that you contribute to discussions with good ideas. Sitting quietly and nodding does not make you stand-out from the crowd so make sure your opinions are voiced. That being said, only voice your opinions about work matters and make them as positive as possible – whatever you do, do not indulge yourself in the usual gossip as those who do are generally viewed to be lowering morale and also untrustworthy.

Above all, be committed and clear about your work. Make sure you dress and write with utter professionalism. Whilst you wait for your promotion, ensure you also stay focused on your current position and spend time to accumulate more skills, expand your contacts and increase your confidence. You know you are worth promoting so show how much you are worth to the business.