Getting promoted is probably one of the most mind boggling thoughts in a corporate career because people get promoted around so many factors — age, peers, market, organization, superiors, environment, timing, etc. Some of the questions to ponder are:
How many times have you seen people get promoted for so little reason?
Have you been promoted even if you felt someone deserved it better than you?
How many times you should have been promoted but never came?
How come new hires moved up the ladder without having proven anything?
How come no matter how good the process is, questionable promotions occur?
Below is a list of things that could help you to get promoted in your organization:
Opportunity – The first question you have to ask yourself is about an opportunity in your organization for career progression. My first job was at Coca-Cola Bottlers of the Philippines and from there I saw how limited career progression was in the Information Technology department, after all, they sell soft drinks not software and solutions. The only way a person could get a chance for promotion is when your superior retires or resigns.
Become Visible – It is very hard to recommend you when no one knows you exist in an organization. Visibility is very important and the more people who know you, the more people will recognize your ability. I talked about the importance of visibility in an organization (article found here).
Become the Expert – Don’t be a jack of all trades and a master of none. Make sure you become the expert of something and become recognized. People should be able to identify a valuable skill set to your name which makes you the guy everyone would look for.
Manage Yourself Well – Organizations have transformed into a “work smarter” from a “work harder” environment. If your organization doesn’t support this mindset; I suggest you start sending your resume out. Show management that you are capable of working 8 hours a day and producing the most output among your peers. Only in certain unavoidable scenarios should you work overtime; and if this happens, show your dedication, commitment by doing your job well without complain.
Avoid Cutting Corners – Cutting corners to get the job done does not set a good example to your boss, peers and the organization as a whole. Accomplish your tasks on budget and on time without omitting processes that may affect the performance and quality of work in the long-term.
Get People at Your Corner – One valuable lesson my senior manager taught me a week ago is get as much as many managers at my corner. Managers in our organization are the ones who meet as a whole to evaluate people for promotion. Make sure you get people at your corner and perform well, because the last thing you want is to be branded as being promoted because of politicking.
The list I presented is not to be taken as a prescription rather a guide which may help you move up the ladder. Any tips from your experience?
[tags]Management, Career[/tags]
