Get The Promotion You Crave In 3 Easy Steps

If you are eager to climb up the next rung of the career ladder, you may have hit a series of obstacles. Often, we can become very complacent in our current roles and we may not have even considered a different role in over a decade.

If you can do your job with your hands tied behind your back and metaphorically blindfolded, the chances are that you have been coasting for a little while. Coasting tends to mean that you haven’t undertaken any professional development and you probably don’t have your finger on the pulse of the latest ways of working specific to your sector.

To get the promotion that you crave, you need to be more proactive. While your current role is easy and stress free, you yearn to feel more challenge and really see the impact of your work. You also want to take on the extra responsibility that you think that you now deserve. Take a look at how you can get the promotion that you want in three simple steps.

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Upskill

As a highly skilled employee, you may be adept at completing the tasks needed for your current role in an efficient and exceptional manner. However, do you have the skills and qualifications needed for the promotion you seek? The next job up the ladder may be the natural route for your career to take, but you still need to ensure that you fulfil the person specification. Take a look at the roles that you are keen to apply for and check out the specs. Do you have the necessary training under your belt? If you don’t, it’s time to stump up some of your own cash and invest in yourself to make your applications more attractive to potential new employers.

Consider studying at an institution like Hofstra University if you need further legal qualifications to help in your law career. Or maybe, you want to look into online MBA courses to help you get a head start on those candidates seeking a leadership position without one. There are also plenty of soft skill based courses that will help arm you with presentation, teamwork and people management skills that more senior positions often require. Once you have these qualifications, you can apply them to your next role. Your resume will be more polished and attractive to the companies you apply to.

Extra Responsibility

If you are keen to stay where you are because you have an emotional attachment to the company you work for, you need to make yourself appear indispensable. If you notice that there are gaps that will allow you to take on extra responsibility, go for it. Strive to be the person to take the lead on an important presentation for a client. Be the individual that stays back late to complete a proposal. And volunteer yourself to lead a team of new starters and oversee their training. Your employer may not have positions that allow for promotion, but they may create one if you are proving your worth. Even if you don't manage to secure a position with the company you currently work for, the extra responsibility that you do take on can help you to secure a promotion elsewhere and will help you to secure a reference for your next role.

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Apply

To secure a new role, you need to actively apply for new jobs. Take a look at the job market, brush up your LinkedIn profile and ensure that your resume is highlighted on online jobs boards. Often recruiters will come to you with the positions that they have to fill, but you also need to be aware of those roles that are only filled via networking. Get yourself at local conferences and put the feelers out.

If you are ready to apply for roles, ensure that you only go for those roles that you really want. Don’t use a scattergun approach; otherwise you will lose track of your applications. Find out about the companies you are applying to and be specific with your personal statement. Ensure that your cover letter addresses a named individual and state what you can do for the company rather than what they can do for you. Be enthusiastic, talk about specific scenarios in your experience that address their needs and always remain concise.

If you are invited to interview, be smart, have a haircut and smile! Answer questions in a concise way and don’t be afraid to take your time, speak slowly and have some thinking time. An interviewer will appreciate your quiet confidence.

Going for a promotion is difficult and you will face rejection. However, keep being proactive, show your resilience and you will get the promotion that you crave.