How do I get promoted?
Updated: Apr 7, 2020
This week’s reader question is familiar: How do I make sure I’m setting myself up for promotion? Here are some tips:
Be proactive. Let your boss know you want to be promoted and get their honest assessment of your likelihood. Knowing your short-comings now can help you address them.
Understand expectations. Ask, ‘If I am really successful in this role what would I have accomplished by the end of the year?’ Document this.
Document your accomplishments. Create a quarterly record with metrics of all you have accomplished. Share with your boss and any other key stakeholders.
Invest in your network. Do your job 15 - 20% less well, and invest that time in building relationships across (and outside) your org. Find out who is in the room for promo decisions and build authentic relationships with them.
Find an advocate. Build a relationship with someone who can actively champion your career and has power within the org. If you can’t find this in your org, it might be a time to find a new role.
Increase your visibility. Make sure people know what you are working on. Some examples: create a monthly update or do a lunch-n-learn of learnings from your latest project.
Be selective. Focus your activities on what is going to move the needle the most. Be very wary of doing too much team admin work, which often falls disproportionately on women versus men.
Build your brand. Know what you are best at and double down on those skills. Ask yourself, ‘What do I want to be known for?’ Then craft that into an elevator pitch for yourself.
Ok, powerhouse mamas, what are your best tips for this ambitious mom?
(And, what are your burning questions for the community?)
