Nine Tips to Secure a Promotion In the Next Three Years

Whether you already have a career goal, or you believe that you are stuck in a dead-end job, it might be time to create a long term plan for your work life. Many of us feel trapped in a position due to the lack of opportunities, or the attitude of the management at the workplace.

You might feel like your skills and qualifications are not competitive enough, and you need to do something about your CV. In the end of the day, you are responsible for your own future, therefore, it is your job to set clear goals and do everything to achieve them. Below you will find a few tips on how to get a well-deserved promotion in the next three years.

1. Set Clear Goals 

Without knowing where you are going, you cannot plan the route. Whether you are thinking about a complete career change, or have your eyes on a management position, you will have to set goals, targets, and milestones. Look at your career progression plan as a project, and manage it as one. If you need to study more, or get more experience in different fields, you can make changes that will lead you to the ultimate goal. No matter how big the career change you are planning is; there is always a way, you just have to do your research.

2. Improve Your Skills

To land in a higher level position, you will need to improve your skills and prove your worth to your supervisors. There are several online free courses to help you improve your communication and computer skills. You might want to get into marketing, but know nothing about AdWords and search engine optimization. Self-study can help, but an accredited qualification will take you further in a shorter period of time. Talk to your managers about your options and the requirements for different positions you have set your eyes on.

3. Volunteer

To further your experience, without having to jump from one job to another, you can sign up to volunteer at local organizations, to gain the right skills and learn different roles on the job. While you will have to spend a few hours a week on the project, you will be able to get a recommendation and written appraisal from the company that will help you secure a promotion in the future. Volunteering is a good way of learning new skills and getting to know different aspects of a job before you would decide on applying for a new role. You can build valuable connections and improve your CV, too.

4. Help Out Your Boss

If you want to be the first in line for promotion, you need to constantly prove your skills and abilities to the management. They need to be constantly reminded that you are available to help them out in their management tasks. This way, you can put yourself out there, and allow them to test you in different work situations. When it comes to promotion, managers don’t like taking risks, so if they already know that you can do the job, you will have a better chance than other people.

5. Invest In Your Education

It is also important that you enhance your formal knowledge. This can mean that you go back to college and enroll to a msn mba program to get promoted as a nursing team leader. You can find the right courses and qualifications if you talk to online and local colleges.

6. Improve Your Work-Life Balance

If you look and act stressed while you are at work, you will not be considered for promotion. Your managers will believe that you are “stressed out already”, therefore, they will consider other applicants instead. To improve your work-life balance, make sure that you take enough time off in the weekend to relax, and get help with childcare. If you look overwhelmed and tired, you will not be the perfect candidate for a promotion.

7. Stay Flexible

While you might have a dream position already, you should not act blindfolded. Open your eyes to opportunities, and don’t automatically reject anything that doesn’t fit your original plans. You might have more chance of getting a promotion in another department. While it will mean that you have to say goodbye to your current colleagues and friends, you will benefit from a long term career progression plan and a higher level of job security.

8. Think Outside the Box

If you feel like you cannot get a promotion at your current workplace, you shouldn’t give up. Chances are that there are limited career development opportunities in your company, therefore, you must look elsewhere. Compare the different offers from other companies, and keep your options open. You might be able to change your industry, and do a job at a higher level for a better salary. Just because your employer is unable to make the most out of your skills and talent, other firms might be looking for your qualities.

9. Act and Look Confident

The most important factor in being considered for a promotion is your personal conduct. If you feel like you are not good enough for your current job, or act insecure, you cannot get a promotion, despite your qualifications and experience. You need to fake it until you can make it, and act confident among your supervisors. Don’t be afraid of speaking up and making suggestions that can help the company. Take part in innovative projects, and do your research, present it to your managers, and act confident. If you give out positive energy and behave like a manager, you will certainly have a better chance for a promotion than if you are withdrawn and shy.

If you ask people how they managed to secure a promotion, they will all tell you that they had a detailed plan and believed in themselves. Build your skills, gain new qualifications, increase your confidence, and you will be able to impress your current or future employers that you deserve a promotion and can do the job well.