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Getting promoted is not easy, even for those who have all the right credentials, skills and prospects, and are looking for career advancement solutions. There are so many competing factors involved that can go against even the most well-suited candidate.
Did you know that one third of middle managers looking to be promoted never realize their dreams?
The timing could be wrong or their boss might not be ready for them to leave mid-project, for example. Also, many people aren’t ready. That’s the simple truth. They just don’t have what it takes to be senior management material. They lack the skills and experience to be a true leader.
However, there is another reason – their boss doesn’t think they are promotion material.
If you feel this might be you there are things you can do to discover your career advancement solutions.
Let’s take a look.
Tomorrow morning get up early and take a good, hard look at your wardrobe. Is that shirt, trousers or shoes looking tired? Are your skirts and dresses a little worn?
Nothing says, “I’m not promotion material” like scuffed shoes or a crinkled shirt.
Think seriously about how you are presenting yourself in meetings and at office events, not just how you look each day. Are your clothes sending the right message? Are they saying, “I am promotion material”, “I am confident and ready for the challenge!”?
If not you are not sure how to improve your look grab a few business magazines and look at what the people in them are wearing. As well, is there someone at work you look up to? What do they wear each day? Dress like the job is already yours and you’ll feel more confident. This is bound to impress your boss.
Start a running tally of your achievements. This doesn’t have to be only those big projects you were a part of, but small things as well. Consider your sales numbers, project results, and begin to gather client feedback.
Make a sheet which you can use each day to mark down your accomplishments. As well, send an email to your boss highlighting them at the end of each project. This will serve to remind them of your skills, and help you keep track of them too.
Start taking note of who gets promoted in your company. This doesn’t just mean in your team, but in the entire company. Make notes about the type of person who gets promoted, and see if you can find a pattern.
Do they stay back later than anyone else? Do they go beyond the sales records every time? What do they wear? Are they always on time for meetings, and are they super organized?
This might take time, but eventually you’ll get a clear picture of what you need to do be better at your job, and make sure you are promotion material.
If you can’t see a pattern, that doesn’t matter. At least you are beginning to build a better picture of the sort of person your company promotes, and then it’s just a matter of making sure next time that’s you.
Look for opportunities to offer extra help in your company. This doesn’t mean staying back late and doing extra work, you should be doing that already.
What you might find are areas where you have experiences that go beyond your normal job role. Does your company have a charity that they need help fundraising for? Is there a social committee looking for new and interesting ideas for functions? What about the company newsletter or social media presence? Are there ways you could contribute to these?
As well as being seen to be more helpful, you’ll gain skills and meet more people in your company. This is going to raise your profile and get your name mentioned more, and your boss is going to hear a lot more about you.
Without being too pushy, make sure that your boss knows that you are ready to be promoted. Perhaps the reason they don’t think you are promotion material is because they simply don’t know how much you want it.
During reviews mention that your goal is to grow within the company, and ask for your boss’ advice on what you can be doing now to eventually be ready for the next level.
Find others who have been at the company for some time, and ask what their career journey was like. You may gain valuable insight and advice that’ll help you along the way.
Are the skills you have now a little out of date? Study what is required to be a senior manager and if you don’t have the skills do some courses, and get them. Ask to go to industry conferences, as well.
Find out how to write great press releases or how to manage multiple teams at one. As well, doing management training courses or social media courses is a great way to show just how much you are prepared to do to be a valuable member of your company.
Any type of course you do will come in handy when you’re ready to move up to that next level.
Whether your boss thinks you are ready to be promoted or not is out of your hands. However, there are many things you can do to ensure that you are ready and make sure they know it too!
Good luck!
And always remember:
Whether you have been in your current job for a short time or you are an old hand it’s important to keep your corporate development career path always at the fore.
One way to ensure you are ready for that next promotion is to look at your Annual Review in a new light. In fact, it’s important to closely exam performance reviews.
Treat your performance review as you would any other professional project. Rather than not looking forward to it like so many other middle managers, you should see it for what it is: A great opportunity for you to find out what you need to do to get a promotion, and advance your corporate career.
Don’t be shy during your next performance review. Instead, come straight out and tell your boss you want to be promoted.
This might be difficult for some people, but it is well worth doing. How else will your boss know what you want? They might not have any idea you want to be promoted, and if you don’t tell them how will they?
Muster up the courage and put your ideas on the line. You will be relieved afterwards and your boss will be clear about what is ahead for you both.
As well, ask your boss what you need to do to get promoted. Don’t be disappointed if they point out your faults openly. Be reasonable and proactive, and take notes. If you are not clear about what your boss is telling you, repeat their words back to them and ask for clarification.
Mention that you have a clear corporate development career path, and that your plans are to be promoted and to give more to the company.
Give your boss a few seconds to take in what you have said and then follow up with a phrase which means they have to give you a solid answer. Try, “What do you think about this” to pressure your boss into giving you an answer.
After all, this is your future career you are dealing with and you want to know how to get where you want to be as smoothly as possible.
Also, make sure that your boss knows that you want to be promoted within a certain timeframe, say one or two years. Don’t make this sound like a threat. If your boss asks what will you do if you are not promoted within this timeframe don’t say you’ll quit. It would be best not to answer this directly, but respond with a list of question prepared beforehand about what areas you need to improve.
You don’t want to set your career path on the wrong track and be sent packing. Try to think of your boss as your mentor – someone who can help you reach your goals. They might not see themselves in this role, but if you do your attitude towards them and your job will be more positive.
Look at your performance review as you would any other professional project where the deliverables are tangible and expected. In the case of a review the deliverables is information that you can use to ensure you are promotion ready.
It is a great way to remind your boss of all the successes you have racked up for the company. Send them a file before the meeting with a list of everything you have achieved. This will help remind your boss just how good you are at your job.
As well, expect to receive information from your boss. This may take on forms you hadn’t expected, but that’s okay. You could ask what else do you need to do to increase your promotion chances. What skills could you improve on? What other tangible deliverables could you start to implement right now?
Don’t be surprised if your boss is a little unprepared for these questions. Give them space and time, but also prepare yourself for an unexpected response. Your boss might say that you don’t dress well enough or that you seem to be first out of the door at 5 pm. You may feel annoyed at these ideas, but your boss wouldn’t bring them up if they weren’t important. So take note, and make the necessary changes.
With the right kind of goals and thorough preparation, a performance review can bring you a few steps closer towards the promotion you desire and deserve.
Good luck!
And always remember:
It’s flattering when you get a call from another company, one you don’t work for, and they ask you to sit for an interview. Not only is this position in a new and exciting company, but it will mean an important promotion too. This certainly has all the hallmarks of what all managers dream of.
However, many who are offered this tempting career advancement are under prepared and often blow it. They don’t take into consideration factors affecting career development, which can result in them not being offered the position.
This is disheartening and downright depressing, right? Thinking that the job was in the bag, many managers don’t fully prepared for the interview. They make some fundamental mistakes when submitting their resume too.
Sure, you have sat and been successful at interviews before – that’s how you got your job in the first place. You are good at your job, and you have a trackable history of your successes to prove it. Your resume reflects all of these things and more. But, for whatever reason you didn’t cut the grade when it came to the interview. In truth, you failed and you may not be aware of why.
Don’t make the same mistakes. Instead, learn what the factors affecting career development are use them to your advantage next time you get that call.
Your career record is shiny and full of all the wonderful accomplishments you have made so far. You are on the ball updating it all the time. However, this move to a new company will reveal some gaps that you may wish to ignore or just gloss over - Don’t.
Whatever you do read through the job application thoroughly. Also, read up about the position you have been asked to interview for. What skills do you lack? What experiences don’t you have? Make a list of them and research ways you can address them. Then, make sure you acknowledge them during the interview process.
Openly admitting that there are areas where you are lacking, and then showing that you are prepared to do something about them is a great way to show just how determined you are.
You may have to do an extra course at night or read up about similar situations, and discuss how you would be prepared to learn on the job. Show that you are not above asking for help or advice where needed.
Talking about your accomplishments in an interview situation is always a good idea. But delivering the same old speech is no way to win the minds of those on the interview panel. Why? Because they would have heard these types of speeches over and over again.
What you need to do is make your interview stand out and get noticed. Find out what issues the company is facing and address those. Talk about what you would do and what skills you have which will ensure that the company will grow. If you are not confident you have these skills or experiences necessary say so, but talk about how you are going to improve on them.
Make Them Believe You are the Best Person for the Job
Put yourself into the shoes of those doing the interview. If you were on that interview panel what would you be looking for? Make a list of the types of qualities and experiences the perfect candidate would have. Now, make a few notes about what you might have to do to make sure you are that person.
Owning your shortcomings and admitting that you don’t have everything the company needs is an open and honest start. However, with many career goals, you are willing to improve and be that person they desire.
And always remember:
When you see advertised that tempting career advancement keep in mind that you may not be ready to take the leap into a senior position. While many middle managers dream of being a boss one day and excelling in their chosen industry, sometimes the gap between where they are now and where they need to be is too wide.
Are you ready for that next promotion or is there a bottomless gulf separating you from the advancement you’ve always wanted?
What sorts of things are causing the gap? Let’s have a closer look.
When pursuing your next tempting career advancement opportunity, the only person who truly knows what the gaps are is you. The most important thing to remember to get ahead in your career is that you should take charge of properly preparing yourself.
You will need to do a lot of research, and this means working extra hours and even on your lunch break. You will have to research that next opportunity whether it is available now or not. Why wait and then rush around trying to shorten the gap? You need to act now.
It is imperative that you “position” yourself strategically for that next opportunity. This means ensuring that you and the work you do is perceived well by others.
For example, it’s all very well being the joker of the team, but being fun-loving might be a quality that is needed or seen favorably in senior positions.
It isn’t difficult for others to see your strengths and know that these will help you get a promotion. However, it is crucial that they know your weaknesses, but don’t see them as something that can’t be changed. Do you demonstrate that you learn from your mistakes? Do you take responsibility for them, and don’t blame others?
Are you qualified formally and informally to manage this senior position? Are there skills which you are lacking, but that are needed? While you will get some on-the-job training and extra skills demonstrated to you, can you be more ready for this position by upskilling now?
Being better qualified can really lessen the gap between where you are now and where you want to me. Knowing how to complete the tasks of a senior position are really going to help you fill that role.
If you need too, you may have to go back to study and reskill yourself. This may take more of your free time, but it will be worth it in the long run.
Know what is expected of the right person for this job. Can you bring those qualities to the table now or do you have some work to do?
Each position in any company has a set of formal expectations and a set of informal ones. Make sure you know the difference between these two, and that you are qualified to meet both.
There will be people in your company who can help you find out this information so now is the time to work in collaboration with your manager. Speak to them about your career goals and, not only listen to their advice, but act on it.
No one knows who to do the job well than the person who just had it. Don’t listen to rumors about their inadequacies if they are abound. Instead, consider that they fulfilled all the requirements of points 1, 2 and 3 above and then got the job.
To lessen the gap between you and them what do you have to improve? What then should you emphasize with regard to the advantages that you can bring to the job?
There will always be gaps between where you are and where you want to go. However, there is no reason why you can’t work hard to minimize them as much as possible.
While you might not completely fit one of the qualifications, perhaps you have something similar to offer that could fit the bill just the same. Make sure you present this in your application, acknowledging your shortcomings, but then emphasizing on what you offer instead.
Another approach is to capitalize the gaps. Discuss your shortcomings, but show how they can be an advantage to the position. Perhaps you are more open minded and eager to learn, or that you have managerial qualities learned from volunteer work at a club or social group.
The more research and knowledge you acquire when minimizing that gap, the better positioned you’ll be for your interview. You will feel more confident and more ready to take on a much deserved promotion.
And always remember:
You’ve been working for your company for some time now, and although you are good at what you do you are being constantly overlooked for a promotion.
In fact, other co-workers are competing with you and winning. It just doesn’t seem fair, does it? You work hard, you are well liked and you know your stuff. You may even have a lot more experience and skills than your co-workers. You have an idea about your corporate development career path, but you are not sure where it is going.
So, what are you doing wrong?
Going for a promotion takes a lot of energy. From the moment that the new promotion is announced you begin positioning yourself as the most suitable candidate. Trying to beat a co-worker to a promotion has its own difficulties too. Once you have lodged your application or even hinted at your desire for a promotion all eyes are on you. And, there are many things at stake like your standing, your authority within your own team, and your reputation.
While your corporate development career path may seem that it is not going anywhere there are things you can do. Next time you are up against a co-worker for a promotion consider these important steps.
Don’t spend time worrying about who is going for the job and what skills or experiences they have. Instead, create an image of what the perfect candidate would look like. How would this person act? What would they say? What skills or experiences would they have?
Now that you have this mental image in your mind, fit yourself into this role. If you don’t have the skills or experiences find out ways that you can get them, and mention them in your application.
Create a list of advantages that your co-worker has in regards to fulfilling this position. Now, when you look at this wonderful list it may make you feel that you don’t stand a chance, but this is not the case. When you know what you are really up against you can be better prepared.
As well, make a list of the disadvantages this person has. Keep things professional and look at their career development only. Don’t get personal because this will only distract you and won’t put you in a position for success.
Job descriptions can tend to be a dream list more than a reality. They will list the experiences and qualities that an ideal candidate must have, but at the end of the day, there might be two or three core competencies that are really important. As well, descriptions might include formal requirements but exclude certain skills that are actually very important for the job.
You already work for the company and are at an advantage of finding out what is really required through informal channels.
Once you know you can ensure that your application speaks directly to the things that are most wanted and needed. Don’t ignore the other aspects though because they are important too. Focus on what the company is really looking for and how well you can deliver.
Now is the time to focus on your application. Make a note of where you have a clear advantage over your competition and ensure that you can express this clearly.
Never put another person down during an interview. This is bad form and just plain rude. Without mentioning names, you can still impress the interview panel with how well-suited you are for the position by focusing on what skills and experiences you have.
Keep in mind what the perfect candidate looks like and how well you are prepared to be that person. Don’t just talk about your skills but show how well suited they would be to this particular position. Then “wow” the interview panel with all you have.
Competing with an internal candidate is difficult and very challenging. Notwithstanding, these four steps will show that you, and not your co-worker deserve the promotion more.
Good luck!
And always remember:
Many mistakes are made by middle managers when they are applying for an internal position. In fact, most don’t realize that they are at a distinct disadvantage. And thus, they are less likely to get the job.
Instead, most senior managers prefer to hire someone from outside of the company. They see hiring someone new as an advantage, and this sways their final decision a lot of the times.
If you are looking to develop your corporate development career path you need to change the way you are applying for internal positions. You can no longer sit back and expect the job. You will need to address your behavior, your past achievements and make sure your resume for internal promotion is top notch.
You are going to have to address two key issues which are continuing to hold you back time and time again.
One advantage a new person has over you is that their weaknesses are not known. They present a great looking resume full of high standards, cleverly worded responses, and glowing references. It is unlikely that they mention their weaknesses with complete honesty. And, who can blame them? The competition is tough and there is probably a lot of other suitable candidates vying for the position, right?
You’ve worked for the company for a long time and your bosses know you well. They know how great you are in some areas, and what skills you bring to the table. They understand all this, and know you are keen to be promoted.
However, they also know your weaknesses. So, what can you do about them?
You can do the following during the interview process, but I would suggest that you start now in meetings and around the office water cooler.
Start being open about the mistakes you have made. Tell your colleagues and your boss that you won’t make the mistakes again, and then show them. Prove that you can learn from your mistakes and make amends. Show them that you have the best interest of the company at heart, and that you are a focused team player.
Also acknowledge that there are areas which you need to improve on. Talk about your desire to go back to study. Ask questions about areas of the company that you don’t know about. Again, showing that you have a vested interest in how the company is run will put you at an advantage come promotion time.
And, of course don’t just talk about it – do it. If you are not sure what to do, for example, ask your boss for advice. They might have ideas you haven’t thought of, and which will help put you at a real advantage.
I can’t emphasize this enough. You must always work hard at getting the promotion you desire regardless of what you have been told. Here, let me explain.
Let’s say your boss has assured you that you are a shoe-in for the promotion. You have it in the bag, and the job is yours. Due to protocol or some other reason, you are told that other candidates have to be interviewed, and these include people from outside the company.
You hear this and you stop working because you think the job is yours. If you do this you may be very disappointed when someone who doesn’t know anything about the company and is from outside is promoted over you.
So here is what you have to do. Make sure that you never lose sight of the prize. That is, the promotion you want and deserve. Always work hard towards addressing the ideas raised in Point 1 – your weaknesses.
Make sure your skills are up to date and your resume is prepared thoroughly. In fact, you should prepare your resume as if you were applying for a position at a new company. This will give it an edge that will appeal to your seniors.
One of the biggest failures managers make when they are competing with an external candidate for an internal promotion is that they become complacent. They think the job should be theirs or they are told it is, and then they stop working hard towards getting it.
If you want that promotion you are going to have to work as hard as an external candidate, and probably harder. Your bosses know the great work you do already, all you have to do now is show them that you have the skills and determination to go beyond where you are now and perform at a senior position.
Good luck!
And always remember:
Many middle managers don’t realize that they are actually sabotaging their chances at that must-have promotion. Sure they think they have the career goals of a manager all sorted out, but this is not the case. Let’s take a look at how this might occur.
You are good at your job, very good in fact. You have been looking after your area for several years and you have surpassed key requirements each quarter. You may even have had a promotion already, and in your mind you are thinking how great it will be when you finally get promoted to that senior position.
The truth is you are doing your job far too well. You are excelling at it to the point that you have reached the pinnacle where you are now. You’ve gone as far as you can go, and your boss has no desire to promote you out of your department. And, do you know why? You’re too good at your job.
Now, don’t get me wrong. You are a star because you have all the skills needed to do your job very well. In fact, you might be doing it too well. If your career goals of a manager include stepping up to a more senior, and better paid position then you need to be doing these four basic things.
You have great skills for the position you are in now, but the big question is, are these the same or the right skills needed for that position you want? I doubt that they are. In fact, I’d be surprised if you didn’t need to learn a whole new set of skills.
Do some research and work out what skills you need to fulfil the position you want. Do you need to do some extra courses at night? Are there some key competencies that can be learned?
This might take a bit of extra time, but the results will speak for themselves.
Learn what your company’s bottom line is. Don’t assume that you know, but actively find out and become knowledgeable in all areas, not just your own.
Share this knowledge at meetings and around the water cooler. This will show your seniors that you have the best interest of the company at heart. It will demonstrate that you are actively engaging in the company’s future too.
You may have worked for your company for some time, but that doesn’t mean you understand every aspect of how the company runs. Do you know where stock is sourced? How the company was founded, and by whom? Do you understand the time and motion studies needed to keep your company competitive?
By knowing and understanding all aspects of the way your company is run you will have a much clearer picture. This will demonstrate to your boss that you are ready and prepared for that senior position.
No company can operate without a cohesive and committed team. Each person in that team has a special role to play. They need to feel valuable and appreciated, and they also need to know how to do their job well.
If you can demonstrate to your seniors that you are willing to pass on your skills to others you are adding value to the company.
Also, if you show that you can manage others really well, and get the very best out of them, your leadership capabilities will shine.
Now, that you are committed to these four essential skills how are you going to make sure others know it too? Well, you don’t have to say anything, you just have to do it. We’ve all heard of the saying “actions speak louder than words” right? Well, if you follow these four points your actions will shout out loud how committed and ready you are for that senior position.
And always remember:
You work hard and you are dedicated to your company. You may even put in extra hours when needed. And, you are also a team player. However, that promotion you have always wanted has alluded you for years.
Your friends and colleagues are getting promoted, and you are not. When considering your corporate development career path you might feel at a loss as to why you are still stuck in the same position.
You may begin to feel anxious or angry at your boss. Perhaps you feel undervalued or neglected. It is often the first recall to blame others when your corporate development career path is being blocked. However, this is not the best tactic.
Blaming someone else is too easy, and it gets you off the hook. If you really want that promotion you are going to have to ask yourself some important questions. And, like many important questions the answers might not be want you want to hear.
The first thing we need to look at is why are you being held back? Why is your career stalled, and perhaps stopped?
Let’s take a look at the 5 reasons why mid-level managers don’t get the promotion they want.
This might sound strange coming from an industry that’s first goal is to sell goods or services, but that is different from selling yourself. Many people are reluctant to talk up their goals and achievements because it may make them seem big headed or boastful.
The next time you are in a meeting watch and listen to the way others sell their ideas and recommendations. What they are saying is important, but in truth it is the way they are saying it that is getting them the attention they want.
If people knew how to sell themselves more effectively, new jobs would be created, more effective client relationships would be formed and innovation would be plentiful.
Are you managing your time effectively and productively, or are you wasting and not valuing your time? When things are going well time flies by and we are buoyed on to work harder. However, when things aren’t going well our day seems to drag on, and we are likely to become sluggish ourselves.
If you value your time, it will show in your work. If you feel you are looking to get out of the rut you’ve found yourself in, you are going to have to make every hour count.
Remember, time is our most valuable asset yet people still don’t value it enough. If they did, ideas would come to life, dreams would become realities and careers would take reach the goals we all dream about.
While you are searching for answer it is important to get out of your comfort zone and open your eyes to what successful people are doing. Paying close attention to those that advance in their careers will help you to develop your own career path.
Take note of how these people take chances, embrace risks and are happy to put their ideas into action.
Are you resisting growth and maturity? Do you know someone that has had the same type of job for over 10 years? Are they really happy and fulfilled or are they just at that particular point in their lives because they aren’t willing to take the risks needed to change?
People get stuck when they lack the capabilities, skill-sets and confidence to advance. Look in the mirror and ask yourself, “Have I worked smart enough to improve myself significantly over the past month?” And, “Am I getting trained in skills and competencies that will advance me?”
If you answered “no” you have a lot of work ahead of you. It begins with your attitude to welcome challenges and expand your horizons.
There is nothing wrong with being content, but in today’s busy life no one can afford to sit back and rest on their laurels, least of all managers like you who want that all important promotion.
Since you started working many aspects of your day to day role has changed. So too has what defines you as “professional”. To move up the ladder you’ll need to add sophisticated managerial skills to your portfolio.
It’s important to note that what had helped you in the past has become less relevant. You will need to improve your skill set, embrace new changes, especially in the area of technology, and demonstrate that you’re a well-rounded manager is the most important thing you can do now.
If any of the above has resonated with you then it’s now up to you to act. You need to focus on how to improve yourself first before your boss will consider promoting you to a senior position. Importantly, don’t wait for someone to shake you out of your comfort zone. Instead, find ways to actively take charge. It’s all up to you.
And always remember:
Regardless of where you are in your company it is normal to dream of a tempting career advancement and dream of the day it must might happen.
However, dreams can come true and it may not be as difficult as you first think. Sure, you have to have the right skill sets, but your habits can actually be stopping you from increasing your chances of a tempting career advancement.
As we have looked at before, the promises we make to ourselves are difficult to keep.
Here is recap:
A few statistics about promises we make to ourselves:
- Only 28% of our promises will actually be kept.12% of our promises will be changed (to make things easier).
- A whopping 60% of promises won’t make it until this time next year.
So, how does not keeping your promise to yourself adversely affect your promotion chances? Well, this means that less than a third of our career promises will reach fruition! That’s not very encouraging, is it?
Why? Your habits, the things we do day to day, are stopping you from keeping true to your promises to yourself.
Isn’t it Easy to Keep a Promise if We Really Mean it?
The answer to this question may surprise you because it’s “no”. This is because we make promises which we are underprepared to keep and don’t have the skills to fulfill. And, when the going gets tough, our habits protect us from realizing what flaws we need to resolve.
In fact, you might be surprised that on average, our habits control about 40% of what we do during the day. Yes, nearly half of what we do all day long is more or less done on autopilot.
What Do You Need to Ensure You Keep Those Promises?
Everyone goes through sluggish times where their career doesn’t seem to be advancing. Sadly, most people just live through it and hope for the best. Others, those who really know how to succeed, grab the bull by horns and make the necessary changes.
How?
Good ol’ fashioned determination. Yep, that one quality that helps us persevere and get what we want.
No one has an easy path when it comes to career advancement. It may seem that some managers breeze along and that everything comes their way. This is not the case. What these people have going for them you can’t see because it is an in-built drive to overcome difficulties and to really succeed.
Developing and nurturing your determination, and sticking to your decisions is the one thing that will help you keep your promises.
Accept That Things Aren’t Going to be Easy
If you are going to ensure that you keep your promises to yourself you are going to have to make some sacrifices. Nothing is going to be easy, and the quicker you accept that your life is going to get a little bit more difficult, the easier it will be for you to succeed in the long run.
This may mean giving up half of your lunch break or working back late. It may mean studying in the evenings or on the weekends. It may mean curtailing your hobbies so you have time to dedicated yourself to what really has to be done.
Develop a Vision of the Successful You in the Future
Another important way to ensure that you keep your promises to yourself is to create a vision of what you will look like when you have achieved your goals.
It might seem strange, but visualization is integral to determination. In fact, the more you visualize, the stronger the imprint of success you’ll make on your brain. This is an important factor in developing and nurturing your determination.
So, are you going to keep your promise and reach your goals? Or are you going to take the easy, comfortable road and never realize what you might have been capable of?
And always remember:
If you want to be promoted make sure that you utilize your performance review to your advantage. Only you are responsible for your next promotion and it is extremely important that when you are faced with a tempting career advancement you should be ready to jump on it and get it.
Your performance review is more than what it states. Yes, it is a review of your performance. The great things you’ve done, the mistakes you made, and where you need to improve, but many of us don’t look at our performance review in the right light, and this prevents us from utilizing the information given to our advantage.
In fact, most people liken a performance review to a visit to the dentist or are reminded of their school days when they were forced to sit through parent / teacher interviews. All your faults were laid bare, and you then may be punished for not doing very well.
Your boss isn’t going to put you in detention for not performing well, but still 11% of us feel so uncomfortable during our performance reviews we don’t think the information given applies to us. Encouragingly 89% of us agree we need to make changes, but in truth only 30% actually do. This is because of the negative feelings we have going into the interview in the first place.
Let’s change this right now. Let’s look at your next performance review as an opportunity that will lead to a tempting career advancement, the one you’ve always wanted.
1. Prepare a List of Questions Based on Research
Don’t go into your performance review empty-handed. Instead, prepare a list of questions to ask your boss. These questions should be pertinent to your next promotion, but without saying so directly. They should be based on research and the answers should give you a much clearer focus on what you need to do to get your next promotion.
2. Add Meaning to the Review Process
If you find your boss is glossing over issues and areas that you need more information on, don’t let them get away with it.
Use the list of questions you prepared in step one to keep the review focused on you, and how you can be better prepared for your next promotion. If you run out of time, book another time with your boss there and then. Whatever you do, don’t allow the opportunity to pass.
3. Use the Review Process Time Wisely
our boss is a busy person and they may just want to quickly get through your performance review and move onto the next person. Don’t allow this to happen.
If you are unclear about something, ask them to repeat or re-explain it. If you are still not clear, repeat what they said back to them and ask them to confirm if this is what they meant.
If you deal with things which are unclear immediately you will find that your ability to plan and move forward towards your next promotion much easier and quicker.
4. Create Practical Steps Towards Your Long Term Goal
After your review go back to your desk and make some notes. This will allow you to put together a plan. This plan will mean that you are better prepared next time a promotion comes up. But remember, all good things take time, and even though you really want a promotion it isn’t going to happen straight away.
Instead, make realistic small goals and ensure that you reach them. In time, these small goals will help you achieve the much greater one over time.
Let’s recap.
The next time you are informed that your performance review is coming up don’t’ cringe or be filled with dread. Instead, become proactive and see it as the best opportunity to sit down with your boss, one on one, and find out what it is you need to do to get promoted. Remember, to be prepared and don’t worry if you run out of time. Keep focused on your main goal, and you will achieve it in the long run.
Good luck!
And always remember:
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