Being promotion ready…

IMG_2630… to get the role you want and get paid what you’re worth

The next step in your career may lie in any number of different directions. If you have outgrown your current role it often makes sense to move between organisations to find new challenges. However at other times during your career the best next step may be to look for promotion in your current organisation. If this is the case there are a number of things that you can do in order to show your employer that you are ready for the next level of responsibility and benefits:

Choose your attitude

As responsibilities of a role increase inevitably challenges become greater. It is not possible to control everything all of the time. However we can all control our attitude and ensure that we turn up to work with a positive ‘can-do’ attitude each day. Choosing a positive attitude each day will not only help you meet the increasing challenges, it will also demonstrate that you understand the importance of being a role model to those around you.

If you are looking to move into a role where you may not yet quite fulfil all of the technical requirements, or may not have all of the necessary experience, then your current employer may be more willing to take a calculated risk on an existing employee with the correct attitude.

Communicate

In your existing organisation you are in the perfect position to:

  1. Communicate your desire for progression. The worst that can happen is that an expression of desire for progression provides the basis for a development plan to identify the skills that your employer thinks you need to work in order to be ready for the role;
  2. Talk to people in the positions that you want and understand how they got there;
  3. Network with other teams and departments in order to increase your understanding of the organisation and how your desired role fits with the overall strategy;
  4. Find yourself a mentor within the organisation who may be able to open some doors for you;
  5. Ask for feedback and use it well.

Differentiate yourself

There will always be competition for good roles. In order to differentiate yourself from your competitors it is important to:

  1. Honestly evaluate your strengths and ensure that you use them to achieve your career goals;
  2. Identify any areas where the business can make, or save, money and demonstrate this;
  3. Avoid any gossip and office politics;
  4. Go the extra mile – ensure that everything you do is completed to the highest possible standard and with the minimum of supervision;
  5. Consider broadening your internal experience by taking lateral career moves;
  6. Understand who are the principal competitors for the roles;
  7. Ensure your technical skills are up to date, and keep them that way;
  8. Take any opportunities that may exist for managing people.

Securing a new role in a new organisation will generally involve an interview process. In order to give yourself the best possible chance of progression in your existing organisation it may be helpful to view each element of your role, new assignment or new project, as parts of an internal interview process. Considering how to apply each of the above points on a daily basis in your existing role will get you a long way towards passing that internal interview with flying colours!

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