How to Get Promoted at Work; Strategies for Moving up the Career Ladder

Who doesn’t want to get promoted at work? But, knowing how to get promoted at work is the key to grow faster and get the promotion you deserve. Well, yes, we all do and so we try to give our best to get that promotion, however, most companies take their sweet time to evaluate a possible promotion. 18 months to two years is an average for most companies to promote an employee (if he’s been delivering enough to be promoted).

You are more concerned about getting promoted when you are at entry level career; you turn no stone unturned to get that promotion faster. However, you must know that promotion at work doesn’t always mean it’s the right career move. If you are at an entry level career, an early career promotion may prove to be too much, too soon, i.e. it may bring responsibilities beyond your expectations. You must know that promotion on the job is not just about increased salary, but also increased responsibilities and challenges tougher than ever before.

So, if you are ready to take new challenges and solves bigger problems, while you have already been killing it at work, promotion is surely the natural next step. And this article will discuss how to get promoted at work the right way.

When aiming for a job promotion, you can’t just rely on luck. While some seem to advance in their careers despite themselves (yes, we’re talking about the bosses’ son here), there are various tried and true ways by which you can increase your chances of getting promoted faster.

4 Ways to Increase Your Chances of Getting that Big Promotion

To know how to get promoted at work, you must know all the elements that increase the chances of getting a promotion. Here are four ways to increase the chances of getting a promotion and move up the career ladder quickly.

1- A for Attitude

Keep in mind that your attitude toward your job counts most. While you may spend tons of hours getting your CV ready for your first job and nailing the interview, It’s not enough that you can do your job well.

Your attitude toward your job and how you react to various problems or situations in the office are just some of the factors that will be taken into account when your bosses decide who to promote.

Ideally, you should have a positive, problem solving attitude, i.e. coming up with the solutions that can improve your work quantity and quality, increasing productivity, cutting costs etc. In a nutshell, you should be able to overdeliver for the job you have been hired.

2- Get an Advanced Degree

Having an advanced degree translates to better career opportunities and higher salary. Evaluate your options and see if enrolling in an advanced program will be good for you. You can even go to the HR manager and inquire if the company offers tuition reimbursements or other similar programs.

Alternatively, you can explore free or paid courses online with which you can learn new skills and develop expertise to optimize your work. There are tens of such courses available online on platforms like Udemy, Coursera, LinkedIn Learning etc. If you are not sure which course to take, you can always consult your manager/supervisor to know what skills are much in demand and what kind of training can help you step up the career ladder.

3- Discuss Your Career Goals with Your Boss

Many people want to know how to get promoted at work without having a career goal. If you are among those, the first thing you must do is to make a career plan that details your goals and what you’ve done so far toward achieving them. Ask to have a meeting with your boss so you can discuss your goals and career growth with him or her.

After you have discussed your goals, ask your boss what you need to do or what areas you need to improve on so you can get a promotion. Depending on the outcome of the discussion you can reevaluate the courses discussed above or you may also want to start a part time test project to develop expertise on your own.

4- Volunteer for Big Projects

If you know you can handle a challenging task, volunteer for it. This will help increase your visibility in the workplace and get your bosses to notice your accomplishments.

Volunteering for such opportunities doesn’t just increase your chances of getting that big promotion, but it actually helps you grow professionally on a fast track plan. The more challenging volunteering opportunity it is, the bigger promotion it can bring.

The Bottom Line

Promotion at the workplace is not given; it’s earned and you must be sure that you’ve proven yourself in your current role before you intend to get the better one. I am sure, with the above tips, now you know how to get promoted at work.

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