6 Proven Ways to Get That Promotion

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Most people want to climb the corporate ladder. They want the recognition that they are a valuable employee, the increased say in company affairs and, naturally, the bigger paycheck that comes with a promotion. A lot of those people, however, feel that they have been passed over for a promotion that they deserved. It is frustrating and discouraging when you feel like your hard work is not being acknowledged or appreciated. So, how do you make your manager notice your contributions to the company?

Unfortunately for ambitious employees, there is no perfect formula for getting the promotion or raise you feel you deserve. Everyone’s situation is different. Each position requires different skills, each manager looks for different qualities and each company values different traits. If you want to get that promotion, make sure you know what your company and your supervisor is looking for. Then, tailor your approach to fit your company and the position you want.

An accountant looking for a raise will need to display a different skill set than someone who is looking to move up in the graphic design world. A journalist needs different qualities than a computer programmer. There are, however, some common themes among people who climb the corporate ladder. Here are six proven ways to get that promotion you are seeking.

Have the Right Attitude

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A positive attitude is essential if you want to move up the corporate ladder. You do not have to pretend that everything is always butterflies and rainbows, but keeping a “glass half-full” attitude will go a long way with most managers. An employee with a pessimistic or negative attitude is considered by many employers to be as undesirable as an employee who is chronically late to work. In fact, an employee who uses vulgar language, consistently leaves work early or takes too many sick days is considered to be preferable over an employee with a poor attitude. So, you are hurting your chances at getting a promotion if you have a habit of complaining on the job. In the event that you think you need an attitude adjustment, make it a point to find the silver lining of any situation. Use challenges as learning opportunities, and above all, keep complaints locked behind your lips.

Dress For Success

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There is some truth to the phrase “dress for the job you want not the job you have.” Unfortunately, that does not mean that you get to be a superhero if you come to work every day in tights and a cape. It does mean that what you wear matters.

Many companies have relaxed their dress codes over the past few years. The number of employees who have to wear a suit to work every day has decreased, but taking shameless advantage of the “casual dress” rule at work could hurt your chances at a promotion. What you wear is an essential part of how you present yourself. Wearing jeans with your friends is fine, but denim is not always a good idea at work.

That does not mean that you have to stop participating in casual Friday or that you need to wear a suit and tie to work every day. If your company favors casual clothing, a suit could actually hurt your chances at a promotion. Instead, model your style of dress after your supervisor or the members of the team you hope to join. Avoid copying outfits wholesale, but pay attention to skirt length, number and size of accessories, shoe style and color palette. Red pants or animal print might be acceptable in your current job, but if your supervisor sticks to neutrals, you might want to tone down your style.

Be Sociable

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This is the most dreaded piece of advice for any introvert, but plenty of extroverts fail to socialize in a way that helps them climb the corporate ladder. Going out with your friends every weekend might be great for your social life, and volunteering in your community is always worthwhile. Those pursuits, however, do not necessarily help you reach the next stepping stone in your career. If you want that promotion, make it a point to socialize with your coworkers outside of office hours. Take part in the company softball league or join the team for drinks on Friday night. Spending time with your colleagues outside of work shows that you are invested in the company. A manager is more likely to promote employees that care about the company’s future over those who are just putting in their 40 hours a week. No one wants to give more responsibility to an employee who is just going through the motions.

Succeed in Your Current Position

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This is somewhat self-explanatory. If you are not succeeding in your current position, you are not ready for a promotion. No manager is going to give you more responsibility if you are overwhelmed by the responsibilities you already have. Before you start eyeing the position above you, make sure you are on top of your current tasks. You may want to move up the corporate ladder sooner rather than later due to financial reasons or because you are less than enthused with your current responsibilities, but you have to prove yourself in your current position first. Make sure you are getting feedback from your manager. If you are not, ask for some critiques. Find out what you are doing well and where your manager feels like you are struggling. Ask about what skills you need to improve on and how to develop them. Inquire about how else you can help the team or company succeed from your current role. Honest feedback will help you strengthen areas where you are weak, and help you continue to excel in areas where you thriving. Simply asking for feedback also reassures your manager that you are dedicated to succeeding in your current role.

Prove You Are Capable of Doing the Job

If your manager does not think you can do the job she is looking to fill, she will not promote you. It is that simple. So, before you get that promotion, you have to prove that you can handle the increased workload and responsibility. Make it a point to look for neglected tasks, and volunteer to handle them. Ask your supervisor what else you can do to help the team. Proactively seek out more responsibility rather than waiting for someone to ask you to do it. Try and make sure the new responsibilities you are asking for mirror the responsibilities of the position you are hoping to gain. If search engine optimization has nothing to do with the job you want, learning the inner workings of Google is a poor use of your time.

You may not be able to take on the exact responsibilities of the position you desire. In that event, take on responsibilities that are similar to those in the job you want. If your dream job involves writing large amounts of content, offer to create some copy for a new advertisement or craft the invitations to the company Christmas party. If you want a position that involves working with lots of data, find responsibilities that involve working with numbers. That way, your manager sees that you have the basic skills needed to fulfill the new position.

If you find you are lacking a necessary skill, take control of your career and find a way to acquire the skill. Become part of a continuing education program or take on online class. Plenty of reputable certifications, such as Google Ad Words or HubSpot Academy’s Content Marketing, are available at no cost.

Make Your Interest Clear

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Your manager has a lot on their plate and may not even be aware that you are looking to move up in the company. Make sure that your manager is aware that you are looking for a promotion or a raise. Ask them about growth opportunities and the trajectory of your career. There is always the chance that you are a strong candidate for a promotion, but your supervisor has no idea you were interested.

The most natural time to bring up a request for a raise or promotion is during your annual review. Ask for a promotion or raise, and make sure you have facts that show why you are the best choice. Just like a court case, you need evidence to support your claims. Data and numbers are some of your best friends in this case. It is difficult to argue against the success of a salesman who is consistently at 150 percent of goal or a computer programmer who has 50 percent fewer bugs than her colleagues. If your job does not work with hard numbers, you can still show that you were a positive influence on the company’s bottom line.