As an employee, you’re ideally in a position that makes you feel valued and appreciated. You would also like to be compensated fairly for your hard work! Asking your boss for a promotion can be a difficult — but very necessary — part of navigating the working world. Here are five tips that will help you secure the promotion you deserve:
Tip #1: Demonstrate Your Value
Management has no reason to promote you if you’re not valuable to the organization. What have you done to streamline the company’s processes? How do you help the rest of the staff do their jobs better? Why should you get the promotion over someone else? Demonstrate your value in clear ways, and you’re much more likely to advance.
Tip #2: Show Your Commitment
If your boss thinks you’re ready to jump ship if you don’t receive the promotion you’re asking for, you’ve likely sunk your chances of getting the promotion at all. Why would your boss promote someone who isn’t committed to the long-term growth and success of the company? Show your commitment to the organization — help other staff members, take on leadership responsibilities, go the extra mile. Your boss will remember those efforts when it comes time to ask for a higher-level position.
Tip #3: Time It Right
Every situation is different, and there isn’t one right time to ask for a promotion. With that being said, do your best to time your approach effectively. Often, it’s best to ask for a promotion during your annual performance review, as it’s a time when managers and department heads are focused on who is doing well in their positions, and who isn’t. It all depends on your field, the turnaround in your department, and the organization’s resources — use your best judgment to time your inquiry.
Tip #4: Negotiate
Once you’ve gotten your boss’s attention and are actually in discussions about a promotion, don’t be afraid to negotiate. If you expect and demand a higher salary, better benefits, better hours and a front-row parking spot all at the same time, you might end up disappointed. Think about the things you’re not willing to budge on, as well as what you might be fine going without, and negotiate from there.
Tip #5: Be Patient
A final tip on asking for a promotion: be patient. It may take some time — years, even — to demonstrate your value to the company and have the footing to ask for a promotion. A promotion might not happen the first time you ask for it, so it’s important you don’t get discouraged. The key is to remain valuable to the company and don’t give up.
It’s never easy to ask for a promotion — do it right, though, and you have the best chance for advancement and continued success. To find out more about how our staffing service can help you, give us a call today at 972-991-7900 or contact us online.