Navigating Promotion (by simply asking)
Would you believe me if I told you the way to get a promotion is simply to tell people you want one? It's okay - I wouldn't have believed me a year ago either. But in reality - if you don't voice your goals, people won't know that's what you're shooting for. I want to share the story of how I got my promotion within a year of starting my current role. While this may be an exception, it isn't impossible, especially for an early in career professional.
Let me share some of the hard truths I learned throughout my journey before outlining the process.
The higher up you are in the corporate ladder, the longer it takes to get a promotion. You have to work really hard and show that you're worth it. That being said, while early in career professionals may have more opportunity, there’s also have a larger pool of people to compete with.
If you don't voice your career goals, you won't be able to achieve them as easily. In general, people are on your side. They want to help and see you succeed. Establishing your personal board of directors is important in reaching your aspiration. They can help provide guidance, expertise, and support with each task at hand. Whether you're confused about office politics or need to learn how promotions work, your mentors can help you get there.
The way I went about my promotion was by having open and honest conversations with my leadership. I already knew the path I wanted to be on since I had spent immense amounts of time reflecting and coming up with a 5 year career plan (reach out to me if you're stuck on how to do this). And I simply voiced that.
April 26th, 2021: I had my regularly scheduled sync with my manager where I asked her about my grade level and talked through my current career plan. I chatted with her on the different initiatives I'm currently working on and asked her what other tasks I can undertake to go above and beyond in my role. Talking to her helped me realize what I was missing and she gave me amazing advice on the next steps. In addition to that, she was able to give me ideas on a stretch project I could work towards to help set me apart.
May 25th, 2021: I had another 1:1 with my manager where I updated her on the side project I took on and shared the outlook I gathered from my co-workers. She was able to give me feedback on the progress and told me to reach out to her manager (my director) and chat with him. She also gave me a list of 2 other managers to schedule an informational session with who would be great mentors down the line. Setting up 1:1 syncs allowed me to gain advice on the processes at my company, the politics involved, and the expectations around my responsibilities.
June 8th, 2021: I had a conversation with my director to catch up, chat about my quarterly business review, walk through the priorities for our organization, and ask about what a promotional path would look like.
Later on the same day, I chatted with my manager and relayed the information from my director keeping her in the loop and being completely transparent about the process.
July 23rd, 2021: I chatted with my mentor to update him on the progress. This isn't directly related to how I got my promotion but I share this because it's important to keep your mentors informed as to what's going on so that they can be a part of your journey and help you grow or even vouch for you when needed.
August 17th, 2021: Now that it is closer to a new fiscal year, I chatted with my director again to talk about the new years strategies, receive updates about our team, and ask more clearly regarding the promotion timeline.
August 24th, 2021: I received unofficial news from a peer that I am on the right track and should hear good news in the next couple of weeks.
September 23rd, 2021: My manager called me to announce that I have officially been promoted to the next grade level with a salary increase!
To summarize, getting a promotion can be a long process but you have to go after what you want. Having open, transparent conversations about your goals is the first step in the procedure. When you are reaching for the stars, you have to be intentional about every conversation that you are having. Going into these calls can be intimidating but if I can do it, so can you! If you need help having these conversations, let me know or just book a mentoring session with me here or comment/email me with any questions. I'm rooting for you to get that promotion!