10 Ways to Bag A Promotion

Have you been wondering how to get promoted? If it’s time to make your next career move you can’t just hope your boss will tap you on the shoulder for that promotion – you need to prove you’ve got what it takes! We’ve put together 10 action tips that will get you noticed and promoted. 

Tip #1 – Make your boss’s job easier

Every boss loves an all-star employee who makes their life easier and helps them look great at their job! Do what is needed – with a great attitude – to take a load off your boss’s plate and give them peace of mind you can handle it. You’ll move towards a promotion; getting yourself noticed as an indispensable, capable member of the team.

Tip #2 – Put your hand up

Be proactive – it’s how to get promoted. Create your own opportunity for promotion by putting your hand up to work on bigger projects or more complex tasks. It will challenge you to grow as an individual performer and professional and show your boss you’re willing to take on new opportunities.

Tip #3 – Go the extra mile (without expecting anything)

If you’re wondering how to get promoted without putting in the hard yards, we’re sorry to say – it’s not going to happen. Just because you’ve been with an organisation for X number of years doesn’t mean you ‘deserve’ that step up. You need to go the extra mile – consistently and without expecting an immediate outcome – to show your boss you’ve got what it takes.

Tip #4 – Bring positivity and energy to the office

Be THAT person. The team member who brings a great attitude to everything you do.

A great attitude rubs off; your positivity can lift and motivate the team around you (while negativity can bring everyone down) and your boss will notice this. Positivity, energy, and motivation are important characteristics of team leaders and managers; so if you’ve got your eye on a leadership role – bring it!

Tip #5 –  Let your boss know

It might seem obvious but have you told your boss you’re keen to progress? Working on how to get promoted means speaking up and getting on your boss’s radar. It doesn’t necessarily mean flat out asking for a promotion there and then, instead, open up a conversation about career progression. Schedule a chat with your boss to share your career goals for the next 12 – 18 months and ask them for input on what steps you can take to get there.

Tip #6 –  Don’t get caught up in office drama

No workplace is ever 100% drama free, but if you want to bag that promotion, avoid getting caught up in workplace politics. Rise above it and treat all co-workers equally to maintain a stellar professional reputation and show you’re a problem solver, not a drama maker.

Tip #7 – Be social

Saying ‘yes’ to joining social workplace events is a smart move if you’re wondering how to get promoted. This doesn’t mean attending every single happy hour but joining key events like team building, Christmas and EOY functions shows your interest in strengthening workplace relationships. Keep things friendly but professional, making a fool of yourself at the Christmas office party won’t get you closer to a promotion!

Tip #8 – Clearly communicate what you’ve accomplished

You must be able to clearly communicate the results you’ve delivered, what you’ve accomplished across numerous projects including timelines, important deliverables, and budgets. Demonstrate the qualities you bring to the role and how well you work and collaborate with others. Don’t assume your boss knows everything you do, keep track of your wins so you have clear, quantifiable results to wow them with your performance.

Tip #9 –  Learn how to say ‘no’

Saying ‘yes’ to everything you’re asked to do by everyone at work will only hurt, not help, your chances of a promotion in the long run. When we’re juggling a million different things it’s virtually impossible to deliver your best effort on each project

Great leaders have boundaries. If you’re already swamped and stressed up to your eyeballs with work, you won’t make a strong candidate for stepping up to even more responsibility. Learning how to say ‘no’ to tasks that have little to zero relevance to your role, is one of the best things you can do for your career.

Tip #10 –  Take up professional development opportunities

“What got you here won’t get you there” – Marshall Goldsmith

If you want to get ahead in your career commit to being a lifelong learner, always levelling up your current skills and staying up to date with industry knowledge. Professional development courses relevant to your industry, whether a weekend workshop or an online course, are a great way to show your boss you’re serious about career progression. If you’re lucky, they might even agree to pay for the training.

It all comes down to being an action taker, not just waiting around and hoping for the promotion but taking the reins and making it happen!