Promotions are often announced at the start of the year, and sure enough at some of my client companies I have started receiving the lists of new additions to executive management. If you expected to make that list but didn’t, here are 5 steps to take to maximize your chances for next time:
Confirm the timetable
Did you miss the decision process altogether? Many people wait till their year-end performance review to state their expectations about the next promotion. A year-end review is a good time to get constructive feedback about your performance and in this way outline next steps. But promotion decisions may have already been made. Even if they aren't finalized at review time, there often isn't enough time after the review to make adjustments and get the results needed to alter the upcoming promotion decisions. If you expected to get a promotion last year, don’t just assume the next cycle starts later in the year. State your intentions now and ask specifically about WHEN the decisions are made. Sample language to your boss: I was disappointed not to see my name on promotions to VP. My performance review was strong. When were decisions made? When will the process start for next year?
Confirm the process
When you state your promotion intentions now, also confirm HOW the decisions are made. I’ve written before about how leaders are selected. A lot of criteria is subjective – how strong your relationships are, how visible you are, how unique your qualities are. These metrics will vary by company (and even by department). You need to understand what matters to the people involved in your decision. Do not assume which clients, which types of projects, and which results get the most attention. Ask your boss and your mentors what the priorities of the company are. Sample language: I’m working on [insert clients and/or projects here] and focusing on [insert metrics – e.g., increasing new business, expanding existing business, streamlining process by this measure]. What is our biggest pain point right now? What is the priority for this year?
Get real about your gaps
Understanding the who, how and when of the promotion process only matters if you are promotion material Your boss and mentors will only be able to support you if you are promotion material. So a big part of your strategy for the next promotion cycle should be an introspective look at your individual performance.Sample questions to ask YOURSELF: Are you someone who can hold your own with key decision-makers? Are you tapped for key clients and projects? Are you getting results?
Target the decision-makers
Your boss might assure you that you are working on the biggest priorities and performing them well. Maybe s/he did go to bat for you. But another common reason that a promotion fails to get approved is that other decision-makers don’t go to bat for you. Who else makes decisions about promotions? How much visibility and support do you have in departments outside your day-to-day? How much visibility and credibility do you have outside your company? The higher up you go, the more important it is that your impact is felt throughout the company and even your industry. Ask your boss and your mentors who needs to know you. Ask for help in getting cross-functional projects or opportunities to speak or publish to your industry colleagues. Sample language: Which stakeholders do you recommend I spend time with? How can I get more involved and establish thought leadership – are there upcoming conferences or white papers I can participate in?
Build in check points throughout the year
Even if you haven’t done your best to date, by starting now you have several months to turn things around. Mark your calendar for when you’re going to check in with your boss about priorities, results and upcoming projects. Schedule the meetings you need for the relationships you need to develop. Register for the conferences. Itemize when and how you will put yourself out there. Day-to-day work gets busy really fast, and it’s easy to get caught up in the work and suddenly it’s mid-year. If you don’t build in regular and visible check points you can easily miss the next promotion cycle.
Keep in mind that if you are already doing all the right things but still not getting what you want and deserve at your current employer, you might need to look elsewhere. The job market is picking up, and in the next post I will share tips for how to take advantage of an improving market for your job search.
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