4 Facts About Getting Promoted that No One Wants to Talk About
I believe that there is a major lack of transparency when it comes to obtaining promotions, so I’m going to spill the beans. With this guide, you will learn how to become the motivated, prepared, and consistent employee that your manager simply cannot ignore.
Despite the fact that external hiring typically costs employers more time and money than promoting internally, managers often overlook their current employees and hire people with impressive resumes – and then pay them more money. There are plenty of reasons why internal promotions are more effective than outside hiring, but they are only true when a company has a staff that is motivated, prepared, and knows their worth.
#1 You have to take control of your development.
Marc Cenedella, founder and CEO of Ladders job search says that the biggest thing holding you back from a promotion is placing blame on others. If you want a leadership position, you have to act like a leader. Fake it ‘til you make it, right?
The truth is, your leader is likely busy being pulled in a million directions at once so they’re relying on you to do your job and do it well. When you feel you’re ready for a promotion, they’ll be waiting on you to show initiative. Although we can all agree that one of the main responsibilities of a leader is to develop the talent of those below them, the reality is that it doesn’t happen as often as it should.
It’s time to take matters into your own hands! Like everything in life…
How do you become a leader in a position that you feel you’re already outgrowing? I have an activity that you can complete in just a few minutes to get your leadership journey on the right path.
Print out the job description of the position you are interested in and grab a red, yellow and green marker. Review the job description and highlight the following:
Red – areas you are unfamiliar with and need exposure to
Yellow – areas you have limited experience or inconsistency in practicing
Green – areas you would consider yourself very proficient; an expert
The goal of this exercise is to determine where you really stand in your readiness for the position and what you need to work on to be well-qualified for a promotion. It’s not meant to make you feel discouraged, but rather inspired! Now you have a roadmap that will lead you to a promotional opportunity – what’s more exciting than that?
The key to this exercise is to be honest with yourself and realistic about the role you are pursuing. I have no doubt you can be the CEO one day, but chances are, you’ll have to repeat the above activity in a few more roles before you’re up for that position.
If you have a leader that is supportive, meet with them and ask if they will complete the activity with you and then compare notes – paying close attention to any misalignments. Once you agree on the red items, start to focus on those right away and use them as a development guide. Continue nailing your core job responsibilities and layer in extra projects to acquire new skills as time permits until you can highlight most of the job description green.
If your leader does not seem to have a vested interest in your success, take advantage of working with a mentor in your field. Many women credit their success to mentorship and advise that others should seek work at companies that have a mentorship program.
Things you should consider when looking for a mentor:
They have a seat at the table – at least one level higher than you.
They are influential within their peer group.
They have some familiarity with you and your work.
Know what you have to offer to them – insight, end-user feedback as you are closer to the work, a different perspective, etc.
You are compatible in some ways and differing in others – they should be able to help you discover things that are brand new to you.
There is so much more to unpack with mentorships, but this is a good place to start! I’ll expand on this topic in a future post and discuss topics like how to find a mentor and what a difference they can make in your career.
#2 If your first time hearing about a position is when it is posted, you’re probably too late.
I know I said that managers have the tendency of going external but if you focus on your own development, you can get in front of this. When you take control of your own development, you take intentional steps to be viewed as someone with the ability to do the job. Most managers want someone that has experience doing the job they are looking to fill so they’re more apt to hire someone with the skills or title already on their resume.
You might not have the title yet, but you have an advantage over external candidates.
When companies hire external talent, they are taking a pretty big gamble – their only interaction with them is within the interview process and, as reported by the Wall Street Journal, they are 61% more likely to be fired than those who are promoted from within. Lynn Taylor, a national workplace expert, says that an important factor in nailing an internal promotion is making it a win-win for you and the company. “There's got to be something in it for your boss,” Taylor said in a Forbes article. “Your new responsibilities should be proposed in a way that allows your boss to see the personal benefits for him or her…”
The key to getting promoted internally is to be phenomenal in your current position, actively gaining next-level skills on the job and to be seen as a leader among your peers. This will position you to be one of the first to know about an upcoming position. You will be sought out and encouraged to apply.
#3 Prepping for an upcoming interview should become your part-time job.
Do not underestimate this process. Although you already work for the company, interviewing for an internal promotion is a big deal and you need to be prepared. It is better to be over prepared than to come up short because you may not get a second chance.
Lack of preparation is where I see most internal candidates fall flat. It is not in your best interest to assume the interviewers remember all the awesome things you do and the details of how you deliver results. Your inability to remind them could cost you the promotion. Remember that the external hire(s) are competing with you in that interview room are coming ready to detail how they created the sun, the moon, and the stars.
As soon as you are notified of your candidacy, it’s time to get to work prepping for the internal promotion interview process. I recommend dedicating at least two hours a day, depending on your interview timeline. Most companies will give you at least a two to three-day notice. Use this time wisely!
Start by grabbing my FREE Common Interview Mistakes to You Must Avoid checklist.
#4 Negotiate the offer
You nailed your interview and received an offer that is 10% more than you are currently making – don’t celebrate yet! The fact is internal talent is typically offered a salary of 20% less than external hires that snag the same position. That means that you can – and should – ask for more. We tend to get so excited about our promotion and raise that we accept with no questions asked. It’s great to love what you do but sis, you can still SECURE THE BAG!
I find this particularly common in people of color. We are just “so grateful for the opportunity” and meanwhile, there’s a huge disparity in our pay compared to our colleagues. I encourage you to do some research to know where you are on the pay scale and come prepared with your ideal and lowest acceptable number in mind. If their number is lower than expected, say something. The worst they can say is “no” and you end up with the amount they put on the table. In my experience, I’ve never seen an offer rescinded because the candidate asked for more.
For more advice on how to negotiate salary, check out my blog post 5 Things Women Must Consider When Negotiating Salary.
I know that you’ve got what it takes to nail an internal promotion so it’s time to show that to your leader! Many people are discouraged every time a new external hire comes into the office because they weren’t offered the position when they thought they deserved it. The truth is, you cannot wait for life to happen to you – you have to decide what you want and go get it! Hopefully this guide will help you do exactly that.
Share this with a fellow girl boss and - if you have any other tried and true tips for getting an internal promotion – please share them in the comments below!
I see nothing but success in your future.