ALT-3 Strategies for getting yourself Promoted
SO YOU WANT A PROMOTION?
For some, getting promoted is the hardest battle. I remember working for the State Government and being surrounded by hundreds of Level 1 employees. Level 1 was the entry level into the government. I met women who had been working for the State Government for 15 years or more and had never been promoted. This is what I learned about how to get promoted from my five years in State Government:
1. PROMOTION COMES WHEN YOU DEMONSTRATE YOU WANT ITThe first step to getting promoted is to let the people who do the promoting know that you are interested in promotion. This is as easy as asking for an appointment with the person as high up the tree as you can get and clearly letting them know what you are interested in should it come available. No-one is going to come to your desk in the back of the office and ask you if you want to advance, you need to let them know it is something you desire.
2. PROMOTION COMES WHEN YOU ACTIVELY SEEK IT OUTThe second step in getting promoted is to actively apply for positions that will build the skills, knowledge and experience into your resume that is required for the position you are wanting to apply for. As I look back on my career, I went from being a level 1 casual employee to an acting Level 4 officer in just 3 years. This was virtually unheard of. How did I achieve this? I actively sought it, both vocally and through my demonstrated competence.
3. PROMOTION COMES WHEN YOU HAVE A PROVEN TRACK RECORDThe third step is to develop a track record for being a consistent high performer. A team player with a can-do, going the extra-mile is too short attitude, will ensure that you move to the top of the pile. After all, when the boss is asking supervisors who to look at to consider for promotion, they are immediately going to choose their high performers. You want to be the first person that comes to mind and that leads us to the next point,
4. PROMOTION COMES WHEN YOU ARE KNOWN BY THOSE WHO MAKE THE DECISIONSDon't ever knock the power of personal networking! The number of job offers and promotions I have earned on the back of a personal recommendation from someone I've worked for have been many. Once again I refer back to my work in government where I went from a Level 1 receptionist to acting Level 4 in just three years. In my pathway I met many people that I recognized were powerful and I naturally gravitated towards them. It was not that I was "using" them for my own means, but I wanted to learn as much as I could from them. They sensed this 'hunger' in me, which I like to think of as focus, and were happy to feed me. This included extra opportunities to prove my worth!
These are just a few options. I would also recommend studying to improve your skills, as this will make you ready for promotion.
Getting promoted is not as hard as making your promotion work for you and in some cases I would have to say, be careful what you wish for! With promotion comes increased responsibility and stress!
