Here are tips to get the career boost you want:
1. Under Promise And Over Deliver
With many companies leaner than they were several years ago, there are probably many internal voids. You want to identify and then fill them. I recommend looking at how you can informally be of service; for example, ask your supervisor or team members how you can step in and support them as well as identify where you see hiccups in efficiency. Approach the appropriate person with a case for how you can step in and help. At the same time, make sure you do not commit to work you know you cannot complete efficiently and to the best of your abilities.
2. Be An Intrapreneur
An intrapreneur is someone who uses an entrepreneur’s mindset, relationships, skills, and behaviors within an organization’s four walls to develop new, innovative ways of working, new products, or new services.
Whether you are developing a new corporate social responsibility initiative or developing a new procedure for on-boarding entry-level talent, elicit the support of all key stakeholders, do your homework to set yourself up to succeed, and set clear, mutually agreed-upon criteria for success. By launching a new venture within your company’s four walls, you may just create your new position. And when you succeed, you will have evidence of your leadership experience.
3. Get Your Internal Networking On
It’s important to develop mutually beneficial relationships within your department and team as well as throughout your company. I’m seeing a lot of employees not just moving up but also across. To put yourself in line for such an opportunity, set the time to get to know all of your colleagues. Be curious about their work and opportunities they foresee on the horizon.
4. Balance Short And Long-Term Thinking
This is another important muscle to flex when positioning one’s self for a promotion. While it’s important to have an eye towards your 90 or 120 goals so that you stay on top of your chief responsibilities and accountabilities, you also want to have an eye towards how your work plays into the bigger picture. Get clear on your department or organization’s one, two, and even five-year goals and work with your supervisor to make sure that how you are spending your time and energy is moving you—and the company—in the right direction.
5. Zap Negativity
People want to work with happy people. And let’s face it, right now too many workplaces are seas of persistent complaint. Senior leaders also want emerging talent who see opportunities rather than obstacles. Not only does a Negative Nelly or Negative Ned kill moral, she or he also comes across as someone incapable of solving problems and inspiring others towards solutions… keys to positioning one’s self as an effective leader.
6. Ask
This might sound obvious, but I can’t tell you how many people know a position is open in their companies and fail to self-advocate for themselves or hope that a supervisor will read their minds and make them that offer they can’t refuse. This is particularly important for women. Men initiate these kinds of conversations about four times as often as women!
You don’t want to under promise and over deliver forever. Once you know you have laid the foundation for your ask, set a specific day and time to talk to the appropriate person about your aspirations and make sure you facilitate the conversation in such a way you are creating a compelling story about what you have achieved in your previous position and what you believe you can achieve moving forward.
Remember, sometimes the greatest impediment to our upward mobility is ourselves. Take this advice and position yourself for a promotion today.
