8 Ways to Demonstrate You’re Ready for a Promotion  

If you sit at your desk quietly doing what’s asked of you and waiting for a promotion, you’ll probably be waiting a very long time. Of course you should be doing the job you were hired to do, that’s the minimum your boss expected. To be ready for promotion, you not only need to do more than what is required, you also need to demonstrate to those higher up that you are ready for greater challenges. You’ll need to provide concrete evidence that your talents will be even more beneficial to the company in a different role.

Manage Yourself
Bosses love the people who don’t require hand-holding to complete a project because they have projects of their own in addition to managing their team. It’s easy to appreciate an employee that manages her own workflow and delivers assigned tasks on time and done right. Make things happen without first asking for direction.

Exceed Expectations
If you promise it, deliver it. If possible, deliver it earlier than expected. When you complete an assignment, ask what’s next. Exceeding expectations stretches beyond job performance. How well do you understand the workings of the company beyond your tiny bubble? Ask questions. Obtain a greater understanding of the company as a whole and its place in the market. Acquire new training or skills outside the office, perhaps through volunteer work, then apply those skills at work.

Elevate the Company
It’s natural to want to talk about yourself when explaining why you deserve a promotion, but the company isn’t in business to make you happy. The organization’s goal is to grow the business and increase profits. Think and speak in terms of “we” and “our,” which indicate engagement and ownership. Of course you will want to have a ready list of your greatest achievements, but be prepared to explain how your work has benefitted the company. Instead of reminding your boss that you expertly planned the winter sales meeting, explain that you saved the company 20% on travel for the event. Detail how your promotion will allow you to expand on what you have already accomplished for them.

Bring Out the Best in Others
You’ve probably noticed that the best leaders have excellent teams no matter where they go. Why? They help the people around them to grow and develop their best qualities. They lead by example and their enthusiasm is contagious. Before they were awarded a title, more leaders were the de facto leader anyway. Are you the person in the department that everyone else comes to with questions, even the people who have been with the company longer than you have? Managers will notice when an employee has mastered his or her job and has begun teaching others.

Delegate
Your boss doesn’t do every task that comes across her desk. She delegates. Begin by delegating tasks to others in your department and holding them accountable for their completion. Your delegating should accomplish two things: it should free you to tackle meatier tasks and speed the overall completion of the project. By demonstrating “divide and conquer” you indicate your readiness to manage something bigger.

Be Visible
Being visible can be difficult, especially in larger companies where it feels like you are part of the herd. Take action to increase your visibility. You don’t have to bounce off the walls with enthusiasm, but you definitely want to reflect light and positivity, not doom and gloom. Light attracts and darkness repels. Volunteer to create the spreadsheet no one wants to tackle, to lead the meeting or to work with the high-maintenance customer everyone despises. Volunteering calls attention to you in a positive way.

Present a Professional Image
There’s an old adage, dress for the job you want not the job you have. It still rings true. How you dress, however, is only a small portion of looking the part. Make your every move demonstrate you’re ripe for promotion. Arrive earlier than average instead of strolling in after the opening scene expecting others to bring you up to speed. Be exemplary: be courteous to everyone, avoid conflict and gossip, act professionally.

Raise Your Hand
If you love your job and you excel at it, it might seem to your boss that you’re happy where you are. If you want a promotion, raise your hand (figuratively, of course) and make it known. There’s a strong possibility that your boss has no idea you are interested in the recent posting or that you have your sights set on a move to the marketing department. You might be surprised at your boss’ willingness to mentor you toward your goal. Even if a position is not available at the moment, yours will be the first name to come to mind when a position you’d be perfect for opens up.

If you have been waiting for a promotion, or worse, been picked over for one, it’s time to see yourself the way your superiors see you. You might be missing, or inadvertently hiding, the very qualities that your boss is looking for.