Gone are the days when punctuality at work was enough to get you in the good books of your employers. Today’s managers are more stringent when it comes to promoting their employees, increasing their privileges allowances and salaries. It is business after all and all investments made towards the business must pay off.
Sheryl Sandberg once said that it is hard to visualize someone in the position of leadership if they are always waiting to be told what to do. Therefore, for you to be able to secure your next promotion at work, you need to prove to your management that you are ready and well capable of handling the promotion.
With this in mind, here is how to secure your next promotion at work.
- Advance your skills
When landing your current job, you had the required qualifications. But you are now aiming for the next level that will require new skill sets. Therefore, training for it is imperative as it will help you keep up with current trends in your line of work.
You do not have to go back to school for this. Thanks to online courses, you can find a suitable relevant short course online that will even offer you a certificate upon completion.
2. Track your records
Good work ethics is important, but, are you being productive? Always ensure to keep a record of your work, and achievements, that is, sales, clients you have brought in, and so on. Take note of how much business you have generated for the company when you are ready to ask for a promotion. It is always important to back up your theory with statistics.
Work for the job you want
This tip does not sit well with most people since it seems like working for free. However, it is a method that could work to help you get your next promotion. The logic with bosses is that if you are capable of handling the work without promotion, you will be able to perform better given the position.
Therefore, if you want to be a manager, then you need to start demonstrating leadership skills by taking initiatives and being willing to do work that others might not be willing to do. This way, you are making your promotion the obvious choice.
3. Own your work
For employers, work is their priority. Therefore, an employee who does their work diligently and competently is more favorable to them for a leadership role.
In everything that you do, do it with pride and see it through to completion. The idea is to be very good at what you do; do not allow anyone to doubt your capabilities.
4. Make your boss aware that you want a promotion
All the above-mentioned tips are great. But, does your boss know you are interested in the promotion? Being vocal can go a long way especially since your boss might not know you would like a promotion or they might have put you into consideration especially if the promotion is in a different department. You then need to be patient for the opportunity as you continue proving your value to the company to your superior.
5. Make yourself indispensable
Workplaces have become very competitive with everyone trying their best to keep their jobs. For this reason, having a strong skill set is no longer enough to make you invaluable. You need to prove that you are worth more to your employers.
A great way to do this is by putting your emotional intelligence to play. A worker who can communicate and work effectively with other employees and clients is a very valuable asset to the company. Therefore, work on your communication and problem skills to help you get an upper edge.
These are just but a few ideas to help you scale up to the next level. It is important to remember that nothing good comes easy. No employer is going to give you a promotion on a silver platter. You need to be prepared to put in a lot of work and effort to get to where you want in your career.