How to Land a Promotion Quicker
Posted November 16th, 2010
If you want to move up the corporate ladder, and not take a lot of time doing it, you need to be prepared. To get ahead, you need to be proactive – recognizing problems before they develop, and opportunities before others do. Getting results is still the best way to get ahead. Creating a new product or solving a problem will certainly put you in the driver’s seat when it comes to promotion. But in today’s business environment, it is important to realize that not one size fits all – promotions can happen in a variety of ways.
Past performance, although important, is not always the key ingredient to getting a promotion. There are many variables that can enter into a move up the ladder. Sometimes people are promoted because they are available. They might be there when, for example, a job ends earlier than expected, or a project is concluded, and a new job is created unexpectedly. Yet others, who may be more qualified for the job, cannot make the move from their current position right away.
What can be learned from this example is that opportunity sometimes plays a crucial role in getting promoted. So, if you are looking for a promotion, you need to create opportunities by getting involved in areas or projects outside your particular area.
Many people also believe that the person who best fits the requirements for a particular job will get the promotion. But this isn’t always true. Often, job duties are designed to conform to the particular talents and skills of the person, not the other way around. Promotions occur in a fluid environment. The duties of jobs are in constant flux, with new jobs being formed, and jobs already in existence changing and morphing into something else. Sometimes a newly created job doesn’t even have a set of specific responsibilities developed, yet management still wants to have someone in the position.
So, if you’re looking for a promotion, first review the goals and strategies of your company. Then, if you have exceptional talent or ability in a certain area that conforms with the company’s goals, make the case for creating a job that makes use of your particular skills.
It is also a mistake to give too much weight to past performance reviews as indicators of who might get a promotion. Studies have shown that performance reviews are generally not even used. Executives looking to fill a position more often rely on their intuition and relationships when making their decision. This is because of the nature of many higher level jobs, which deal more with knowledge and analysis, making complex business decisions, and working in teams. In conditions like this, with a host of intangibles, many executives are skeptical that performance reviews can accurately gauge someone’s real efforts and accomplishments.
So, knowing this, you need to reevaluate the way you look at performance reviews. They should be seen as chances to talk with your superiors about possible obstacles and how to overcome them. Doing this helps you build your network within the company, and shows your flexibility in responding to change.
If you’re looking for the next great opportunity, come to Bayside Solutions. We can help you find your next promotion at many of San Francisco’s best technology, green, construction and manufacturing firms. Contact us today.
