Want a Promotion? Go After It!
Editors Note: Big thanks to Amy Collett for this guest post! All ideas and concepts belong to the author. To submit a guest post please email brian@brianharrington.org.
There comes a time in the workplace when you decide you want more pay, more responsibilities, or a more prestigious title. You know that you have earned it, and are ready for the change. While you can always start looking outside of your current employer, it may make sense to reconsider: instead of looking for a new job somewhere else that provides these enhancements, consider asking your employer for a promotion. It may seem daunting, but if you go about it correctly, you can move up the ladder. And regardless of the outcome, your boss is more likely to respect your confidence.
Not sure where to start? Here’s some advice from Brian Harrington:
Why You Should Go for It
Although it sounds obvious, Business News Daily points out that if you don't talk to your boss about growth opportunities at your company, he or she might not even realize you want a promotion. You don’t want to miss out on a promotion because no one knew you were interested.
And even if you aren’t ready to ask for a promotion, you should always be talking to your boss about your goals and ambitions. He or she can tell you what you need to work on in order to be considered for a promotion later. It will also show your boss that you're actively trying to improve, which will help when you’re ready to ask.
Assess Your Work
Before you decide to ask for a promotion, it’s important to do a self-audit of how you work. Are you completing projects and tasks as required and in a timely fashion? Are you contributing more than is asked of you? Do you look for extra work or offer to help others? How do you work with your colleagues? Are you always on time? Do you dress the part?
Taking stock of your work gives you a chance to determine areas of strength and weakness.
An honest assessment of your behaviors and productivity will help underscore for you why you deserve a promotion, or it will raise a flag for you that it’s time to make some changes. Maybe you realize you’ve left work five minutes early every day for the last month, or maybe your work momentum has slowed down. Or just maybe you recognize that your productivity has increased as you’ve been helping out with more and more projects over the last year.
How to Ask
Timing is everything. When you present the idea, pick the appropriate time and place. Scheduling a meeting in advance with enough time allotted for the discussion is crucial. Try to avoid times that fall immediately before lunch or leaving time, and try to reschedule if you know your boss has had a bad day. It’s also beneficial to time your meeting soon after a noteworthy achievement versus out of the blue.
It’s also wise to make a list of your key achievements and note how they’ve benefited the business, but steer clear of comparing yourself to your coworkers. What you really want to do is present your request for a promotion as a win-win situation by showing your boss that promoting you will also benefit the company.
Additionally, be sure you make a plan to follow up. Before leaving the meeting, ask what the next steps will be so you have an idea of when your boss will contact you. If you don’t hear back, send a follow-up email. While you don’t want to pester them, knowing your boss is likely busy, you also don’t want to be forgotten. If your boss turns down your request for a promotion, don’t be afraid to ask why you were denied and how you can improve for future opportunities.
You’ve Been Promoted! Now What?
Although you shouldn’t discuss the accompanying pay raise until you’re offered a promotion, you should be prepared to have the conversation. Be sure to do your research and know what you’re worth. Sites like Payscale allow you to check out the average salaries for your industry, and in some cases, your company. You’d rather ask for too much than not enough.
You Didn’t Get the Promotion. Now What?
First of all, give yourself a pat on the back for making an attempt at a promotion. Next, take stock of the entire situation. Do you feel unsatisfied with your current career trajectory? Maybe you’re frustrated because you wish that your boss would trust you with bigger projects, or maybe you feel overworked and underappreciated. Either way, striking out on your own and launching your own business just might be the remedy. There are tons of different avenues you could explore, ranging from traditional brick-and-mortar stores to ecommerce businesses that operate solely online.
You can put all of the skills you’ve learned in the workplace to good use as an entrepreneur. After you’ve drawn up your business plan, you can complete all the steps to become your own boss and register your new LLC. This business structure allows you to access special tax benefits and even protect your personal assets. Working with an online formation service will make the process a breeze. Check out zenbusiness.com reviews and consider whether the formation services they offer are a good fit for your needs.
Of course, you might decide to simply look for another job, as opposed to jumping into the world of small business ownership. However, before you start looking elsewhere, be sure to update your resume. For an even better shot at landing an interview, teach yourself to write a unique cover letter for each individual opportunity. According to Zety, to maximize the impact of your letter, you must do the following eight things:
Create a professional header with your info.
Address the hiring manager by name.
Show relevant achievements to introduce yourself in the first paragraph.
Target the employer’s needs and prove you can help in the second paragraph.
Explain why you want to join and convince the employer you want to stay in the third paragraph.
Reiterate your offer and make a call to action in the final paragraph.
Sign off with a proper formal closing and your full name.
Include one more achievement in the postscript to stand out.
In the end, you should consider this a learning experience and get what you can out of it to make improvements that will pay off later. Whatever you do, don’t take it personally and don’t let losing out on a promotion affect your attitude.