How to Ask for a Promotion and Move up the Career Ladder

I bet you’re thinking that you’ve reached the height of your career. You’re scared to try new roles because you believe companies prefer younger employees. No matter which way you look at it, there’s no room to progress or a promotion. The problem is, that with this mindset you cut all chances of ever getting a promotion. But you’re not alone. A study from Robert and Half revealed that only 39% of employees asked for a promotion.((Robert Half: Starting Salary: Negotiable or Not?)) So what’s the solution? To create a plan. This is easier said than done. But, if you work on the right tasks I’m confident you’ll get the promotion you deserve. Let's look into how to ask for a promotion and move up the career ladder.

The Power of Goal Setting

Your perfect plan will consist of writing down clear and concise goals. Goal setting is the most important skill you can master to achieve any type of success in your life. Take this Hardvard study for example, where MBA graduates took a survey on goal setting. 13% of students who had set goals with no concrete plans were twice as successful than the 86% who didn’t set any goals.((Harvard Study: Goals Research Summary)) The interesting part is what happened to the 3% of students who’d set goals with concrete goals. These students were earning 10 times more than the 97% class combined. Intrigued? You should be. Goal setting can make or break your chances of reaching the success you desire.

Setting Goals the Right Way

The first step to setting any goal is by defining what you’d like to do. Since you want a promotion, write this goal down in a journal. Next, break this goal down into micro goals. For example, ask yourself what’s required to land a promotion in your current role. A great tool to break down your goals is Workflowy. For most of the goals you’re setting, you won’t have all the answers, but don’t let this stop you from making progress. If you’re ever stuck, make it your next step to find someone who can help you find the answers you’re looking for. Finally, take time to reflect on your progress. In your journal, you’ll be able to view what’s accomplished and where you’re falling behind. I recommend you check your progress at the end of each week, month, and quarter. This may seem exhaustive at first, but it’s intended to help you avoid heading in the wrong direction. Here’s a summary of the goal-setting process:

1. Clearly define what you want to do (i.e. Land a promotion in the next 12 months)
2. Write your goal down in your journal
3. Break your goal down into micro goals (i.e. take 1 hour of a specialized course in my field daily)
4. Write down daily goals in your journal
5. Review your progress each week, month and quarter to make necessary changes

How to Start Progressing in Your Career

Hopefully, by now you know how important goal setting is. It’s time to start learning the tactics that will help you get that promotion you deserve. Although I’ll share several tactics to landing your promotion, it’s best that you only focus on 1–2 at a time. This will prevent you from getting exhausted and help you master each tactic. Start by focusing on the areas you’re the weakest in and move forward from there.

1. Demand a Promotion

Demanding anything sounds harsh, but here’s why it makes sense to do so in your career. Being demanding will allow you to speak up for yourself and not feel guilty for asking for a promotion. As mentioned before, a study revealed that more than half of employees didn’t ask for a promotion. That’s why being demanding is your ticket to ensuring you’re heard by upper management. You don’t have to come off as arrogant or rude, rather be someone who knows their value. The problem is, you’re your worst critic. And, because of this, it can sometimes be challenging to focus on your positive qualities. Here’s a solution: Start writing down your daily accomplishments in a separate spreadsheet. Have columns for the date, type of accomplishment, and how you overcame your challenge. It may feel weird at first, but you’ll be building a personal database of your accomplishments. Make it a habit to review this spreadsheet each week to know what you’ve accomplished. You’ll quickly realize what value you bring to your team and the company. An added benefit for doing this is being prepared for your performance meetings.

2. Goof off in Your Free Time

Ever wondered why people who’ve worked the hardest sometimes don’t get promoted? It’s most likely because they’d failed to network with others in their workplace. But don’t take my word for it. A Hardvard study revealed that lawyers who networked the best earned the most money.((Harvard Business Review: Learn to Love Networking)) These lawyers had a “promotion mindset”, while the others had a “prevention mindset” People with a “promotion mindset” believe networking can bring them growth and advancement. And those in a “prevention mindset” believe that networking is a task they’re obligated to do. Even if you’re an introvert you can still be successful at networking. So how can you improve your networking skills? By taking small action every single day. Network daily and don’t wait until you’re in need. Networking involves building authentic relationships, so start by changing your mindset. Think of networking as building relationships first, and receiving help second. Make it a habit to improve your emotinal intelligence daily.((Psychology Today: How to Use Your Emotions to Build Relationships that Work)) As you focus more on providing value for others, you’ll begin to grow a strong supportive network.

3. Spend Money on Nice Clothes

Do you dress better outside of work or don’t really pay attention to what you wear in the office? If so, you may be giving people the wrong impression. Research shows the clothes employees wear affect their chances of getting a promotion.((Robert Half: What You Wear To Work May Be Preventing You From Getting A Promotion)) So what should you wear? The choices will vary, but wearing something professional is always the safe bet. For example, wearing a dress shirt with slacks, and dress shoes is appropriate. If you’re currently wearing jeans and a shirt to work, this can improve the way your boss and team perceives you. But if you’re already dressing business casual, wearing a tie can be the next upgrade you make. Your goal is for others to view you as the perfect candidate for a promotion. You don’t need to wear a suit to work every day unless it makes sense. Get into the habit of putting more thought into your wardrobe because everyone is watching.

3. Give Yourself a Promotion First

Before you receive any promotion, you have to promote yourself first. Here’s what I mean: Build a mindset that allows you to feel worthy of a promotion. If you don’t feel certain about getting a promotion, then why should anyone else? Besides working hard to exceed your performance goals, prime your mindset with visualization. Visualization is a technique psychologist have used for years. This technique has helped people reach their desired emotional states and life goals. Start by visualizing the outcome of your promotion You can visualize two types of stimulations, an outcome or process. Thinking of an outcome involves visualizing the end result of your goal. A process-based visualization involves visualizing the steps required to reach your goal. For example, if you’re looking to get a promotion, imagine your boss congratulating you. Then visualize the steps you did to get there. This could be studying on the weekends to learn new material, or taking on extra to help your team. As you’re visualizing, focus on feeling the experience to reap the most benefits. It can take some time getting used to, but the rewards will be worth it.

4. Work Less Than Most

Getting a promotion isn’t earned by working harder, it’s done by working smarter. By being productive, you’ll be more likely ot meet your work deadlines and manage stress better. Productivity is a skill that most people put on their resume, yet fail to execute effectively. Spend a lot of your time practicing productivity until you nail this skill down. Learn how to prioritize your work and delegate tasks. For example, if you’re struggling with a presentation, ask your teammate for help. Don’t spend hours trying to figure out how to create a PowerPoint slide. Also, look for ways to optimize your schedule. For example, if you have 5 meetings booked in one day, ask yourself if they’re necessary. Often times, it’s more efficient to communicate via email than waste time in a meeting. If you want to boost your productivity, here're 50 Ways to Increase Productivity and Achieve More in Less Time.

5. Surround Yourself with Motivated People

“You’re the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with” - Jim Rohn

You tend to pick up habits from people you spend time with the most. So, surround yourself with with people who have productive habits and drive. Listen to productive podcasts and learn from experts who are achieving massive success. These experts have the same amount of time you do. And, if they were able to achieve massive career success, so can you.

Final Thoughts

Picture a Monday morning and feeling excited to start your day. These past few months have been exhausting but also rewarding. You now feel that there are many opportunities out there to help you advance in your career. You’ve stepped out of your comfort zone, began networking, and now feel worthy of a promotion. You’re a completely new person and are more confident than ever. The best part is, your boss saying good things about you to everyone in the office. You know it’s only a matter of time before you get promoted. Wouldn’t this be amazing? This can be your reality if you’re willing to work hard to improve in the right areas. There’s no secret formula to achieving great things in life. It only takes hard work and determination. You now have a mini blueprint on how to get a promotion and climb the corporate ladder. My guess is that most of the people reading this article won’t take action. You’re not an average person. You’re an action taker. Now go get your promotion, it’s all yours.