Do you feel like your career has reached a dead end? Have you been working for the same company for several years now but not experienced any progression? If this sounds familiar, you may be wondering what on earth you have to do to secure a promotion. You are good at your job, so why haven’t you received any opportunities for internal progression? Before you simply throw the towel in and look for a different job, there are a number of different things that you can do to put yourself at the front of the queue for a promotion. This includes the following…

Tell Your Boss That You Want a Promotion

There is only one place to begin, and this is by having a chat with your boss and letting him or her know that you want to be promoted. Do not assume that your boss knows that this is the case. A lot of people think that all employers know that their employees want to achieve more, earn more, and have more responsibility, but this is not the case. A lot of people are happy in their existing role. They aren’t fussed about progressing. They like being comfortable and they like the job they have. Your boss may assume that this applies to you. It is up to you to let your employer know that you have your sight set on bigger goals and that you want to achieve more from your career. Tell your boss that you would really like to work your way up into a more senior role at the company. Once they are aware of this, they will keep an eye on the work you do more closely, and whenever a vacancy comes up, you will be considered. It could quite simply be that you have been overlooked all of this time because your employer never knew you wanted to be in the running.

Yes Work Hard, but Work Smart

Working harder is great, but working smarter is even better. You do not need to put in more hours at work to achieve more. You need to assess the way in which you currently use the time that is available to you. How you use your time is what will define you in your career. Which activities are going to help the company achieve their goals? Which activities are going to help the business to make the most money? You need to think about what is going to bring the most value to the business and focus on that.

Get All of the Basics Right

Turning up to work on time and acting professionally will not get you promoted. However, failure to do so will stop you from getting promoted, which is why it is so critical to get all of the basics right if you want to give yourself the best chance of getting a promotion. You certainly won’t impress your boss if you arrive at your desk late in the morning, especially if you have just stated your desire to be given greater responsibility at the business.

Invest in Yourself and Bring More to the Table

Another effective way of putting yourself at the front of the queue for a promotion is by investing in yourself. If your company does not provide any training opportunities, why not go out and seek them yourself? This is a lot easier to do nowadays thanks to the Internet. You can easily study without it having a negative impact on your job. Look to attain a further qualification in your spare time. There are so many different avenues you can go down in this regard. Of course, you can opt to enhance your skill set in your current role by specialising in something. Or, you could look to learn something new that is related to the company? You may also want to look into the option of attaining CPR certification. After all, health and safety is something that all business owners need to be concerned with, and if you can offer an extra level of safety to the workplace you are going to make yourself more indispensable.

Go Above and Beyond

Doing your job well is great, but this is what is expected of you. If you are going to secure a promotion, you need to go above and beyond what is expected of you. Do tasks that would not typically fall into your job role. Make an effort to add extra value to the business. It is all about making yourself indispensable. You should also offer up ideas. If you sit quiet, you won’t be looked at as a candidate for promotion. Business owners are looking for individuals who have the capacity to take their investment to the next level. They need someone with the drive, passion, determination and creativity to really drive the business forward. The only way you are going to be able to do this is if you actually offer up your ideas. You may feel shy or nervous about doing so, but what is the worst that can happen? The company does not take up your suggestion? The best entrepreneurs in the world have had their ideas overlooked, so this really is not something to be ashamed of. Moreover, just because your suggestions have not been taken on board does not mean that they are bad, maybe they just are not feasible at the moment.

Find a Coach

Have you ever considered looking for a coach? A lot of the most successful business people today actually credit a lot of their achievements to the inspiration and input they have received from coaches, both outside and inside of the working environment. There are many different benefits that a good coach can bring you. This includes encouraging you to feel special, providing fully truthful feedback about your performance, making you work harder than you would on your own, and inspiring you to think beyond your own frame of reference.

Project Сonfidence

Another key ingredient you need to have in your armoury if you are to secure a promotion is confidence. Confidence levels are one of the first things that business owners notice when someone steps into their office. You don’t have to feel confident; you simply need to portray that you are. The best professionals learn how to push their fear into the background. After all, fear can hold you back and stop you from achieving your best. Once you learn how to deal with this and speak up, you will find that you achieve much more in your career.

Automate Your Reminders

In addition to the suggestions that have also been presented, it would be a great shame to miss out on a promotion because you have forgotten about something. This can easily happen when you are trying to impress and take on more tasks in the workplace. This is why it is a good idea to assign yourself calendar reminders. This will ensure that you do not forget anything.

Set Reasonable Expectations

Last but not least, the final thing you need to do is set reasonable expectations. You need to ensure that both you and your employer are on the same page regarding what is expected of you and what your top priorities should be. When you are talking with your boss, make sure all of the details regarding your assignments are communicated clearly. By ensuring your employer is aware of everything that is required, it will ensure that mutually agreeable expectations are created. This is vital in terms of ensuring you are both on the same page. If you don’t do this, you may be doing everything in your power to exceed expectations, but because you and your boss have a different understanding of what is expected, this may be overlooked or not given the credit it should be.

As you can see, there are many different ways that you can increase your chances of getting a promotion. If you follow the suggestions that have been presented above, you can make sure that you are at the forefront of your boss’ mind when the next opportunity for internal promotion comes up. It is all about making sure that your boss is aware of the fact that you want to be promoted first and foremost. Once you have done this, you need to show your value to the company so that you stand out from the other employees that may be in line.