How to Get a Promotion
The corporate world is often referred to as a ladder; each rung and each step brings you closer to the top, and opens up more opportunities for you to move up and succeed in your professional goals. All companies give promotions to employees, although only a selected number of people ever move up the ranks and rungs of the corporate ladder. If you want that promotion, here are some tips to keep in mind.
Refer to Your Employee Handbook
Not all companies have the same policies and protocols for promoting employees. Different companies have different rules for promotion, and consider many qualifications for promoting an employee:
Tenure, or the length of time you spent in the company, is almost always considered if you’re up for a promotion. The longer you stay in a company, the better your chances are of getting promoted.
Conduct and performance. Word of good conduct and exceptional performance gets around companies very fast. If you do what is expected of you and exert extra effort for your tasks, the company will promote you to a position where your skills and work ethic are needed the most.
Available positions and company finances. Promotion opportunities are often opened up to employees if a slot is open, and if the company can afford to promote an employee to a vacant position or a newly-created position.
Do a Monologue
promotionGetting yourself promoted to a higher position in the company is all about self-promotion. You have to be able to convince yourself that you deserve the promotion. Think of a monologue as an interview session with yourself, where you ask questions you can expect from the Human Resources department regarding your promotion. Here are some questions you should ask yourself:
What makes you deserve the promotion more than other prospective candidates?
What can you contribute to the organization if you do get promoted?
How much do you expect for a salary increase or benefits if you get promoted?
Ask For It
While companies are more than willing to promote their best employees, sometimes word doesn’t get around as fast as you expect it to. Sometimes you have to take matters into your own hands, and ask for the promotion yourself. It may seem drastic or boastful, but the right kind of assertiveness can get you the promotion or pay increase you want. While it’s best to write a respectful letter to your immediate superior about a promotion, you can also suggest the idea during off-days and relaxed company meetings.
For many professionals, a promotion is all that stands between climbing up the corporate ladder, and staying in the same entry-level position that you’ve been in since the beginning. With these tips, you can get the promotion you always wanted, and make that steady climb up to the position you think and you know you deserve.