The 2 Things that will Get You Promoted

There are just two things required to get a promotion, (1) being good at your job and (2) having the right leadership skills for your career level.

I’ll explain, but first let’s spend a minute on the different types of promotions and what it takes to get them.

In-Line Promotions: Leveling Up In Your Current Role

Think of an in-line promotion as an upgrade to your current position - like moving from analyst to senior analyst. An in-line promotion recognizes your seniority and expertise in your current role without necessarily giving you new responsibilities. The good news? You don't have to be a superstar to snag one of these.

The main requirement to get an in-line promotion is to be good at your job and to do be in that job for a certain amount of time. Consistently deliver quality work, meet your goals, and you're on the right track.

Career Promotions: Climbing to New Heights

The main difference between an in-line promotion and a career promotion is that you’re now going to be responsible for something new – whether that’s managing people or taking on an entirely new function or department. These types of promotions is where the magic happens, these are the big ones, whether it’s managing people for the first time or moving into the C-Suite.

To get a career promotion, it goes without saying that you have to be good at your job. HOWEVER, you DO NOT have to be the BEST at your current job. The best salesperson might be a terrible sales manager – in fact in my experience it only works out around half the time. The most talented engineer may not be the right person to manage the department.

When someone is making the decision to give you a career promotion, they’re taking a leap of faith – because there is at least some aspect of the new role you’ve never done before. The one thing you can do to instill the confidence to take a chance on you, and to give yourself the best chance of success in the new role, is to have the BEST LEADERSHIP SKILLS at your level.

Leadership is not just for the people at the top of the org chart. Leadership happens at every career level from your very first job all the way up to the boardroom. It’s also a skill that you can develop and nurture. In fact – if you want your career to keep advancing you have to continuously work on your leadership skills, because leadership is different at every level. For the CEO, vision and communication might mean painting the picture of how the company will transform the industry over the next 5 years. For the individual contributor, vision and communication might mean seeing a quicker way to complete a task and sharing that information with your peers to elevate the whole team. Whatever your level, decide to actively develop your leadership skills, find a role model and find a mentor, then look for other tools and opportunities to develop your leadership skills for your career level.

Remember – for both types of promotions, you don't have to go it alone. Leverage your network and surround yourself with people who will help you succeed. As we've learned from our journey at Career Like A BOSS, there's incredible power in tapping into the knowledge and experience of others. Your next promotion might be closer than you think!