Some people are content in their lives. Happy to stay at the level they are at work. Maybe they’ve got kids at home and enjoy the flexibility, or perhaps they have what so many yearn for, complete happiness. If you ask most people whether they want a promotion or not they’ll likely bite your hand off. It’s the natural order of things. If you do well, you should rise. Sure, there are hurdles and steps to overcome, but it should be within reach if you hit the right goals. For some, it comes naturally. For others, it can linger just out of grasp.
There is some luck involved of course, just like in everything in life. But it’s about tilting the luck in your favor. Doing everything you possibly can ensure the odds favor you. It won’t be easy. Nothing worthwhile ever comes easy. Thankfully, it’s something that if you work hard, you’ll see the rewards aplenty.
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These tips can help you get on your way to the all-important promotion, so best of luck.
Attitude is Everything
The way you carry yourself in work goes a long way. Do you walk around, head down and unwilling, or are you proactive to take on more work, eager to please and enthusiastic? The two things play a big part in how you’re perceived by others. Namely, how you’re perceived by your seniors, it isn’t easy to be like this all the time. People will forgive you momentary lapses. There are things to keep you going. These 35 Inspirational Quotes For Work To Keep You Motivated are a start.
Just focus on your goal. If you keep your goal in mind at all times, it’ll give you a reason to keep the right attitude for most of the time. It all comes back to being a professional, reliable worker whose known for doing the right quality of work in a timely manner.
Clothing plays a part too. The mantra fake it till you make it applies in some cases but mostly it’s just about dressing smart and keeping it professional. Look at those in the role you want to apply for. What do they wear? Copy them, and you’ll start to be seen as one of them. This may not be possible in a uniformed environment, but in those that aren’t it’s a good step to take.
Stay Away From The Gossip
This kind of crosses over with attitude but deserves its own paragraph. Gossip is endemic in the workplace. Especially in office environments or where you spend a lot of time in close quarters with your coworkers. You need to stay out of it. You can end up being dragged through the mire or getting into arguments which are completely needless.
There’s a difference between general conversation and gossip, too. If the talk drifts to areas which aren’t appropriate edge out of the conversation. If you want a promotion, then being one of the gossipers isn’t going to help. In fact it might just hinder your chances. Keep your nose clean and don’t give anyone a reason to knock you back when the chance to apply finally comes around. You’ll work out who the main gossipers are, you probably already know. Do yourself a favor and just stay away from them when they start to gossip.
Give Yourself A Wide Set Of Skills
It’s important to give yourself the best chance of success. To do this you need to have a wide range of skills. Promotion might mean moving into a role where you have to manage people. Or perhaps the next level of technical expertise. Either way, brush up on your skills beforehand.
Look at the role now. Maybe sit down with someone already in the role you want to apply for. Ask them what skills they need for the job. Really get into what they do on a day to day basis. Then you can focus on where you need to grow. It could be something marginal like IT skills. You could ask your current manager to enroll on a course, either internal or external to your business.
Everything you do gives them another reason to promote you. Make sure there are more reasons to promote than not and you’re well on your way. Look at languages too. They can really open things up for you.
If you already have a proficiency then hone in on it. If you don’t think about a beginners course, simply to show the willingness is there.
Make Yourself Indispensable
This doesn’t just work with getting a promotion, but getting a pay rise too. If you make yourself indispensable they’ll either promote or pay you more just to keep you. How do you do this? There are many ways. You can find a niche in your business area. Something small but vital and really zoom in on it so that you’re an expert.
Training is a great place to start. If you’re known for being able to train and are good at it, you can become indispensable by being one of the people able to impart skill and knowledge How would the company pass on their knowledge to new starters.
Think outside the box. It could be from an HR perspective. If you know the policies and points of law better than others you could end up being the go-to person for all things HR based. These include disputes, hiring, firing, apportionment of vacation time, that kind of thing.
Ask!
It’s critical you let people know what you want and how you’re going to get it. Sure, keep your head down and be a brilliant worker. You’d expect to get promoted automatically. It just doesn’t work that way most of the time unfortunately.
In most situations you need to stake your claim. Arrange a meeting with your manager and tell them you want a promotion and you’re willing to work for it. Once the conversations out there you can rest easy knowing the senior team know what you want and won’t pass you up simply because they think someone else might want it a little bit more.
It seems simple, but laying out your goals with your manager can boost you to success. The key point here is to do it in the right way. Don’t hint. Don’t be subtle. Arrange a meeting with one or two managers or senior staff and outline exactly what you want. They could even end up giving you some advice which proves critical in getting your promotion. If you’re already a strong member of the team there’s no reason they wouldn’t offer some form of advice.
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Consider Moving
Some people enjoy where they work and don’t want to move away. The sudden change can be hard on a family, but if you really want to get ahead it’s something you may need to do. If you work for a huge franchise then putting in for a transfer should be a fairly easy thing to do. If there are no promotion opportunities in your current branch or office then look to another where you could move on up. If this isn’t possible, then you could consider moving to a different company that does a similar thing.
A cross business promotion is a route a lot of people take. If you’ve made yourself indispensable, just the thought of moving might kick your current employers into action. Even so, you should consider moving, just to keep things fresh and your career moving in the right direction.
