5 Secrets to Getting Promoted

Getting ahead in your career doesn’t happen by accident. If you want to get promoted you need to dedicate yourself to becoming the best employee you can be. The following five tips can help you grow professionally and land a promotion.

1. Increase your skill level. If you’ve been passed over for a promotion in the past, it could be because you’re lacking essential skills needed to advance in your industry. To remedy this, evaluate your capabilities in comparison with those who have recently been promoted. If you determine that your skills fall short in a particular area, take action. This could mean finishing a degree, getting a particular certification or working with a mentor to grow as a professional.

2. Become indispensable. When management is choosing between candidates for a promotion, they’ll review each applicant’s track record. To make sure you stand out above the competition, focus on becoming your boss’s go-to person by volunteering for tough projects and always showing eagerness to offer a helping hand. When a project demands extra time, stay late or work through your breaks will. This will show your boss that you’re dedicated to fulfilling your commitments.

3. Be in the know. Having relationships with the right people is essential to advancing your career. To get ahead, focus on developing a solid group of supporters through networking, both inside and outside of your organization. You can build your network of contacts by becoming a member of professional organizations in your field and volunteering for cross-departmental projects and committees within your company. Remember, moving up is often more about who you know rather than what you know.

4. Excel in your current role. You can show your boss that you’re worthy of greater responsibility by producing higher quality work in your current position. To do this, you’ll need to always complete projects on time, show expertise concerning all aspects of your current position and get along well with your teammates. If you consistently exceed expectations in your present role, you’ll be on the top of the list when management selects a candidate for the next big opportunity.

5. Change jobs. Leaving your current job is generally a last resort to advancing professionally. After all, if you like your job, it makes sense to stick around as long as you can. But, if your employer can’t provide adequate opportunities for professional growth and advancement, it may be time to look for a new job. But remember to always conduct yourself professionally, even as you search for greener pastures. You never know who at your current organization might be able to help your career sometime in the future.

Have you recently been promoted? What do you think caused your supervisors to select you for advancement? Let us know in the comments section below.

Comments

[Michael Henreckson]

Promotions are all about you. Sometimes it's hard to get them without asking, but even if you don't have to ask, you're going to get promoted because you're trying. If you do well you're going to get noticed eventually. Just make sure your boss notices how useful you are.