Jobseekers

Getting a Promotion

It starts with being very good at the job you do now……… but not too good! Making yourself indispensable might have the opposite effect.

Getting yourself noticed by the right people will really help. Find out who the decision makers are in your organisation and make sure they know who you are. You can be the most conscientious employee around, but if no one knows you’re interested in progressing it’s less likely opportunities will come your way.

Some great ways of getting noticed are volunteering for ad hoc projects above and beyond the scope of your current role. They will give you the opportunity to showcase the other strengths, skills and abilities you have. Be prepared to take on additional responsibility.

Always look out for development opportunities, either formally through training courses and management development programmes and informally, through cross-functional working groups. If there aren’t any, offer to set some up; most organisation benefit from improved cross-functional understanding and you’ll find out more about your organisation and any new opportunities that arise. Not all promotion opportunities are advertised.

And lastly don’t forget the social side of work; organising successful social events can get you noticed. My most effective was organising the company cricket team – I had loads of fun but more seriously most of the senior people in company played and they wouldn’t have known who I was but for the cricket! Sadly, the old adage “it’s not what you know but who you know” can still hold true.