You work hard every day. Like anyone, you would like to see your efforts get rewarded. In an ideal world, your manager must recognize your efforts and talent and offer you a raise or promotion. Quite evidently, we live in the real world.
So, if you want to advance in your career, the ideal step is asking for a promotion. But asking it is often seen as a scary situation. It’s like you are out there declaring that you have ambitions and have goals to achieve. Even in your thoughts, the entire scenario often ends up with you feeling judged or even rejected.
Just remember:
“In life, you always get what you ASK for, and it rarely comes in the package you think it’s supposed to come in.- Kurek Ashley”
Like anything else, if you know a roadmap of how you begin or how you should do it, it will help you better position yourself and prove your value. This article will discuss how to successfully ask to be promoted with confidence. Follow this 5R principle the next time you are about to ask for a promotion.
Research
You are doing your current role perfectly and now want to take the next level. That’s great! But what is the history of promotions for your industry? What is the standard promotion for your enterprise? Do you need to prepare something? If you don’t do your homework before asking for a promotion, it will backfire.
How should you conduct research before asking for a promotion?
- Google is the best resource to see the job descriptions and the titles associated with those job descriptions.
- Review job descriptions for the titles you want to have and compare the skills and work in those descriptions.
- Reach out to your network or industry peers to learn what title you must be aiming for.
- Consult a career leader and find your next steps like learning leadership skills.
Also, Read: Should you change jobs or stay put for professional growth?
Reflect
Congrats! You get through one step. You know about the title you want to aim for. But are you the best person to fill the role? It would be wrong on your part to create a plan for yourself that steps outside your company’s policies. You must make an ask that is within the limitations of your company.
Once that’s clear. You need to reflect on your past experiences to ensure that you aren’t asking for unreasonable demands. Ask yourself these questions:
- Are you ready to grow?
- Have you taken any increased responsibility?
- Have you progressed on any identified development areas?
- Has your work visibility impacted your business?
If it’s “yes”, your employer or superior will have a measurable factor like sales revenue, influence on marketing results, or others to have a fruitful discussion.
Reset
Once you have clarified what you want and reflected on your experiences, you need to pause a bit. Gather all the data to make yours a compelling case for why you deserve that position. This is very important if you ask for a career advancement ahead of your company’s promotion guidelines.
Make sure you are ready for the mindset, “what have you done for me/ company?” While talking face-to-face is good, creating a memo to outline your proven track record would be better. You can create magic only if you provide concrete metrics regarding your stay in the company.
For instance, you could provide descriptions like:
- Solutions you have delivered
- The financial success of your actions
- Roles you have been a part of that align with the aspired title/ role
The more you are like a “show and not tell” person, your chances of getting the role increase multiple folds.
Ready
You can’t be like, “I have gathered all the information. I should get into a meeting.” You need to give importance to “when” you ask as much as you give to “how” you ask for a promotion. For example, you can’t ask for it after a week of layoffs or on the day your company lost a high ticket client.
It would be better if you ask when your company signed a significant new deal or announced solid earning quarters. But it usually depends on the situation as well. If your promotion can help your company achieve its objectives, you must jump in and ask for the promotion. You can also try asking for the promotion when you are all set to discuss your annual performance.
Also, Read: Be thankful and unlock the secret of happiness
Request
Wouldn’t it be amazing if your superior could read your mind and know about your desire for the promotion? Unfortunately, that’s not how it works! You must get on with the work before you make the big ask.
You can also practice with a mentor/ sponsor who could help you with promotion discussion. Preparing and practicing your pitch will help you with crucial talk and the actual words that will help you overcome hard challenges.
Here is a quick sneak peek of do’s or don’ts of asking for a promotion
Do’s
- Look for the position you want and do it to align with the objectives of your organization.
- Prepare a memo that outlines your proven track record and provides metrics to prove your worth.
- Ask your boss for regular feedback and advice about getting to the next level.
Don’t
- Never assume that asking for a promotion is one discussion. It will require more than one conversation.
- Don’t play the “I have another offer” card recklessly.
- Don’t get discouraged because they said “no.” Be patient and look for ways to make them trust in your ability.
Final Thoughts
Asking for a promotion requires a lot of preparation and can be excruciating. It should never circle what you want but what you deserve or what you have earned. Remember, it’s business at the end of the day. If you contribute in a way that’s bringing results, all they will need is a reminder that you deserve to go to the next level.
Hopefully, following this principle will help you confidently ask for a promotion. Please share your hacks in case we miss them. And if these tips helped you earn recognition for yourself, share your story in the comment section below.
