Having worked at a high growth company for close to 2 years now, I’ve noticed a lot of common trends in the people who get promoted. I’ve also noticed that most people think that performance is the only thing that determines promotions. While that’s true in some cases, it might take longer than expected to get the promotion that you wanted if you solely depend on performance. Here are things that I’ve seen people exhibit who get promoted often/quick.
- Work Ethic
- If you’re up for a promotion, performance isn’t the only thing that will be taken into accord. If there are two people who perform equally well in the same role, work ethic can be a determining factor as to who gets the promotion. As you get more senior, your role carries more responsibility and becomes more complex. People would rather promote a person with strong work ethic because they’re willing to work harder to learn the new complexities of the role.
- If you’re up for a promotion, performance isn’t the only thing that will be taken into accord. If there are two people who perform equally well in the same role, work ethic can be a determining factor as to who gets the promotion. As you get more senior, your role carries more responsibility and becomes more complex. People would rather promote a person with strong work ethic because they’re willing to work harder to learn the new complexities of the role.
- Visibility
- A quote that I heard that I’ve found to be very true is “nobody is going to promote your brand quite the way you can”. For example, if you’re coming to work early and leaving late, find subtle ways to let your manager know that you’re working hard. This could be something as simple as sending an email with a question early in the morning/late at night. Also, keep in mind that your manager isn’t the only person deciding if you get promoted. His or her manager, (likely a director or VP) will also play a large role in deciding who gets promoted so make sure to stay on their map as well.
You should be a bit more subtle than this.
- A quote that I heard that I’ve found to be very true is “nobody is going to promote your brand quite the way you can”. For example, if you’re coming to work early and leaving late, find subtle ways to let your manager know that you’re working hard. This could be something as simple as sending an email with a question early in the morning/late at night. Also, keep in mind that your manager isn’t the only person deciding if you get promoted. His or her manager, (likely a director or VP) will also play a large role in deciding who gets promoted so make sure to stay on their map as well.
- Ask
- Simply put, let your manager know that you’d like to be promoted. That puts you on the front of their mind for a promotion. This is the easiest thing you can do to increase your chances of a promotion, and it also lets your manager know you’re thinking about a future within your company which is always a good thing. You’d be surprised how much managers value people who make it known that they want a promotion. You’d also be surprised how few people actually take this step.
These are 3 things, that tied with performance, will almost guarantee your chances of being the next person on your team to be promoted. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to me @aghanomics.