Want A Promotion? Bring Your A Game

Are you struggling to get the promotion you deserve? With the pandemic and companies primarily focus on business continuity, your next role may not happen any time soon unless you do something a bit extra.

So how can you push your case for the new role without appearing insensitive to your employer’s top priority, i.e. keep the sales coming in? We have a few ideas.

In this business blog post, we look at some of the strategies you can take to keep your career moving in an upwards direction. Let’s begin with what you can control from the get-go – your mindset.

Mindset

There is a saying: we get what we ask for. Arguably, there’s a lot to this insofar as what we get in life is really up to us in the most. Your next role will materialise when you own the goal to get it.

Your mindset, i.e. your beliefs and what you’re prepared to do, insofar as the action you’re willing to take to get what you want – will, in the end, decide where you end up in your career.

Therefore that next promotion really may be as straightforward as setting yourself up for success with the right mindset.

Start early

Honing your set of beliefs can begin at any time, and ideally, the sooner, the better. For example, the top academic, arts and sporting achievers knew what they were aiming for and got what they deserved early on. The first street skateboard gold medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics went to a 13-year-old.

For many career high-achievers, their training starts ‘before’ they land a job. Learning how to knuckle down and study and be a consistent performer is a good habit to learn early on, but it’s never too late to work on yourself.

Write down your goals. What’s your goal for the next 24 hours, and for the week, month and so on? See this article on how to create goals.

Performance

Inc.’s article on how to get promoted in 3 steps is worth a read. Written by Jim Scklecksher, CEO, Inc. knows a thing or two about reaching the top and what it takes to get there. His three steps include:

• Do your job well
• Bring something extra
• Train someone to do your role

Current role

Our thoughts on how to do your job well start with taking control of your role as soon as you get it.

Know exactly what’s required of you to get the job done to the satisfaction of your management and the business.

How will you know you’re doing well in your role? Ask everyone, not just your bosses. If you’ve responsible for customers – ask them to rate your performance and where you can improve.

Something extra

To outshine your colleagues, you will need to bring something extra to the role and the business.

Think outside the box, with new ways to do your job to save time and money. Plus, think holistically about where you can make a difference beyond your role. You can take on more work but don’t run yourself into the ground – you don’t have time for burnout or a mental breakdown!

For example, consider how you can bring more customers to the business or, if that’s not your thing, what you can do in the community to improve the business’s reputation.

Staying physically as well as mentally healthy is a goal we all need. Participating in sports-related charity events can help you achieve both peak fitness and extra recognition with your employer to secure that promotion. For example, choose an event that stretches you both mentally and physically.

Choose to do a middle distance run and train for it. Use your social medial profiles to connect with your followers about your participation in the fundraising charity fun-run.

Reach out for donations for the worthy cause and on the day of the event, your attire should include your business brand. Share the photos on social media. This type of marketing is priceless for your employer and it will earn you vital merit points for getting your promotion when you need it.

A replacement

To move from your current role, make sure someone is ready to take it on without costing your employer valuable time and resources. You can train your replacement while you’re in the role and let your boss know your replacement is ready to step in it when you move on.

Create A New Role

Your promotion may require someone to move on or up within the business which will delay your promotion. Therefore often your best option is to create a new role. Show off your skills and value to your employer as well as create a job description and how the new role will make your boss’s job easier.

If there really is no room for a new role and the way up is not an option in the foreseeable future, you may need to consider a role with another employer.

Summing Up

Getting a promotion is not just about money, but who doesn’t want the extra cash in their pay packet? Then there’s the acknowledgement of being appreciated that comes with a higher level role and your overall job satisfaction.

So what does it take to beat your peers to that all-important promotion?

You need to know what you want and how to get it and this starts with honing your mindset. Also, performance is everything, so do well in your role, add something extra, and create a new role or seek it with a different employer if the promotion is not forthcoming.