How to Get a Promotion at Work - CareerAlley

How to Get a Promotion at Work - CareerAlley We may receive compensation when you click on links to products from our partners.1 Most people start out in a new job or career hoping to climb the ladder to the top. If that sounds like you, then you might be wondering what you can do to stand out even more to your bosses and impress them enough to offer you a promotion. Every workplace is different; while some companies recognize potential almost immediately, there are others where youll need to consistently prove yourself over a longer period of time in order to be in with a chance of moving up. The good news is that there are several things that you can do to put your name on the map and get yourself talked about as a viable candidate for promotion. Weve put together some of the best things to do if you want to climb the career ladder with your employer. 1. Go the Extra Mile: One of the biggest ways to really wow your boss is to always go the extra mile in work. Thats not just when it comes to customer service if thats part of your job, but when it comes to all the other tasks that you do. Employers tend to promote employees who they can trust to not only do what is asked of them but also go above and beyond when possible. This will prove to your employers that you are passionate about doing the best that you can in your line of work. Photo by Elijah Hail on Unsplash 2. Always Be Eager to Learn: Promoting from within is something that most employers take into careful consideration, and one of the biggest factors that they look for in a potential candidate is an eagerness to learn more. Bear in mind that if you get the promotion, there will probably be a lot that you dont already know about the role, and your employer will want somebody who is willing to take in new information and learn as much as they can to work to the best of their ability. Never be afraid of asking your boss questions about your role; they will respect that you want to know as much as possible to improve your performance. 3. Work on Yourself: Depending on the kind of job that you do, taking courses and getting additional qualifications could help put you in a better position for a future promotion. Whether you take the time to study for a part-time degree program or engage in leadership training to help you work as a better manager in the future, employers will respect your resolve to improve yourself, your knowledge and your abilities. In addition, having these extra, relevant qualifications on your resume can help when it comes to applying for higher roles in the future. Strong leadership is a key quality to develop and you can find leadership training options here if youd like to seriously pursue strengthening this skill. Photo by Ashley Whitlatch on Unsplash 4. Be a Positive Employee: When it comes to choosing the best candidates for promotions, your attitude will be more important to your employer than your current skills and abilities. Remember that skills can always be learned, so its the attitude that you have towards your current role thats going to impress your employer the most. Along with being eager to learn more, you can make a good impression by being positive about your role. Not only should you be able to own up to any mistakes that you make but being able to view them positively and learn from them in the future will certainly make you stand out to your boss. 5. Set a Good Example: Employers look for workers who are already setting a good example to others when it comes to choosing who to promote. Being a model employee should be one of the very basic things that you do in order to improve your chances of promotion in the future. No employer will want to promote somebody who needs to be constantly spoken to about things such as turning up on time or breaking simple workplace rules. Avoid office gossip and politics; people who can rise above the temptation to get involved with this usually demonstrate that theyll be a fairer manager. So, be an example for other employees to follow, since this is just what your employer will be looking for when hiring for a higher position. Employers tend to promote employees who they can trust to not only do what is asked of them, but also go above and beyond when possible. Tweet This 6. Communicate with Your Boss: You might feel a little apprehensive about talking to your boss regarding a future promotion, but this can actually help you to get where you need to be. Dont go straight up to your boss and ask him or her to promote you (unless you think that this might actually work). Instead, communicate with your boss about your hopes and plans for the future, and let them know that you are interested in working your way up the company. In many cases, this will be good news for your boss, since many employers are always looking for people who are eager to progress. Dont forget that if you work for a large company, your boss may not necessarily realize that all the efforts you are putting in are in hopes of getting promoted. By speaking to them, youll make it clear that this is what youre working towards, and they will be able to keep you in mind when a role does arise. 7. Get Clear Expectations: Alongside talking to your boss about your own hopes for the future, this is also a good opportunity to speak to them about what theyd expect from you in order to gain a promotion. By sitting down and talking to your boss, youll be able to discover what they are looking for in a promotion candidate and what will really impress them from you as an employee. Even if youre not yet comfortable talking directly to your boss about a future promotion, ask them what you can do to exceed their expectations; they will usually be more than happy to let you know. 8. Be a Team Player: Although your boss will want to see that you are able to distinguish yourself from your peers at work, this doesnt mean that you should stop being a good team player. In fact, people who get promoted tend to work well within a team and take leadership whenever it is appropriate. If you can get your team working well together naturally and contribute a lot to group projects, this is something that will surely shine through to your employers. If youre the kind of person that people can bring their work problems to and work fairly with everybody, your employer will notice this quickly. Smartly executed self-promotion is the key to career advancement, and in our hyper-connected days, LinkedIn is one of the best tools to help you do this. The question isnt whether you should be leveraging social media, but rather, how to best take advantage of this powerful medium to separate you from the pack. Tips for Self-Promotion CareerAlley 9. Display Commitment: Last but not least, employers look to promote people who can demonstrate passion and a clear commitment to their work. This doesnt mean dragging yourself into work when youre really sick or working through every weekend, but you should show that youre willing to put in a lot of effort into getting results and helping your employer to shine. If you work for a small business, this is even more important, since entrepreneurs look for people who they can rely on to have their back and strive for the best results for the brand. Getting promoted at work isnt always easy, but there are several things that you can start working on today to improve your chances. What's next? Ready to take action? Choose the right tools to help you build your career. Looking for related topics? 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