Marketing Director
Wanting to be promoted as a way to keep moving forward in your career is perfectly reasonable. For those of you for whom this is top of mind right now as you prepare for your appraisals, here are 10 common mistakes employees are known to make when asking for a promotion.
For more advice like this, read our guide to getting a promotion.
Common mistakes when trying for a promotion
Asking for too much at once
Often an employee will demand a promotion, salary increase, new benefits and more -all at once. Have a concise list prepared and be realistic – it’s highly unlikely you’ll get everything all at once.
Believing that promotions are based on merit alone
If you’re career-minded and want to climb the corporate ladder it’s important that you understand your company’s culture to determine what you need to focus on to gain positive attention and recognition that is promotion-worthy.
Neglecting your long-term goals
Employees get so wrapped up in the promotion that they stop thinking about their overall career path and goals. Always ask yourself:- Does this support what I ultimately want to do in 5 or 10 years?
Trying too hard
If you work hard, focus on doing your job well and being aligned with the office culture, you’ll go much further than being transparent, trying to impress your boss at every opportunity and ultimately not gaining respect from co-workers.
Overshooting your target
Trying to impress your manager by handling their responsibilities, rather than just doing yours, can be interpreted as offensive. Focus on completing your assignments ahead of schedule and complete them to a standard which keeps you ahead of the competition.
Not having your facts about job responsibilities and how they match up with your credentials prepared
Have a logical flow of reasons (experience level, more responsibility, achievements and your personal file) in writing to back up your motivations
Not having a recent significant achievement or milestone that supports your request
Ensure you have a valid reason for being promoted for example, excellent results over a long period of time, or significant wins for the organisation due to your input.
Make sure the venue is suitable for the discussion and that you’ve scheduled it advance, with enough time to hold a reasonable discussion and plan of action. Avoid pre-lunch and end of day and if your boss has had a major setback or horrendously busy day, better to wait.
If you’re looking for a new role, search our latest jobs or contact us at Intelligent People today. We’d love to hear from you and help you find your next position.
