Win That Promotion

[admin]

And Make More Money

You can’t believe it. Your manager or team leader has just announced they are leaving the company and you know their position will be “up for grabs”. You want it! You know you can do the job, and you definitely know you deserve the promotion. But how do you make sure another colleague doesn’t get it?

The first thing to do to is to be prepared. If you really want that promotion, start working towards it now. Right now! Whether your boss is leaving or not, start looking at the position you want to be promoted into. What skills and experiences does your boss have? What is different about that position to the one you currently hold?

It is important to consider what skills and experiences you already have, and what areas you may need to work on or improve, before you can legitimately put forward the case to management for your promotion. Make a list of what you see the person currently in the position doing, and next to each item consider what skills the person needs to have. Then make a list of the skills you currently have or use in your job, and which ones you need to work on.

For example, in your current position, you deal with customers on the phone, but your manager is the person who attends the meetings with them. In this case, you will need to work on your communication in meetings. There are several ways you can do this.

One is to ask your current manager if you could attend a couple of meetings. You will need to ‘sell’ the reason why you should attend the particular meeting. A good way is to build up a good relationship with a particular customer on the phone in the course of your daily work. Then when an issue arises and they want a meeting with the manager, you can have a good idea of the background to the case.

Going to the boss, and saying “I know you’re having a meeting with Mr Smith tomorrow, can I come too?”, may not work. However, try something like: “I’ve been talking with Mr Smith about the debt collection issue and I have reviewed the file with all the background information. Would it be helpful to you if I sat in on the meeting with Mr Smith tomorrow, since I am up to date with his concerns?”

This scenario is one of the better ways to gain the skills you lack for that promotion, because it shows you have taken the initiative, which is always a good thing. It also brings your work to the attention of the manager, and often when they are looking at leaving or moving on themselves, they are asked who should be promoted into their position.

If you are showing an interest in what is happening, and taking extra steps now to gain the skills you need, you will be putting yourself in a prime position to get that promotion.

However, if you are unable to convince your manager to allow you to attend some meetings, or you can’t gain the skills you need for the promotion you want at work, consider attending training courses. You may be able to do this through your work, but if not, attending certified training courses in your own time in the particular skills you need, will always look great when applying for the position. You can also take note of when you use those skills in volunteer or even social situations. Are you on a parents committee for a school? This can be brought up in your application to show you know how meetings are run and can actively participate in them.

Once you are confident that you do have the skills required for the promotion, the next step is to gain the attention of your manager, and preferably their manager, for doing good work in your current role. For example, if you deal with a particularly difficult customer, and feel you have done a good job solving the problem, email your manager on the case.

For example: “Just wanted to update you on the situation with Mr Jones. He called yesterday and was upset about the price he had paid. I was able to …” etc. Keep the email simple and brief and to the point. This allows your immediate manager to know you are taking initiative and working hard, and often will be forwarded on to their manager, because your hard work also reflects well on them.

In your annual performance review, let your manager know that you are looking for a promotion. Ask what skills they suggest you work on over the next year and request training in these areas. Most companies really want people to show an interest and be keen in their career development. The performance review should be an ideal opportunity to put your hand up for possible promotions in the future.

Of course, all this will only work if you actually do work hard, and are successful in your current job. Promotions are not usually given to those who do not work hard, or to those who take longer lunches than their colleagues, for example. If you want that promotion, you need to be seen to be doing a good job NOW, and can show your managers that you are ready for more responsibilities and challenges.