Key Considerations Before Requesting a Promotion

As a junior lawyer, I had to piece together information on how to get promoted. In case it helps somebody going through the process for the first time, here’s what I’ve learned going through 4 rounds of promotion cycles (most successful, some not): 1️⃣ Most people start the promotion process too late. The best time is 6-12 months before the application date. This gives you enough time to gather evidence of your achievements, work on any shortcomings in your promotion application and align with your manager / stakeholders before budgets and resourcing are locked in. 2️⃣ Promotion policies can contain 10+ criteria to meet, but trying to address them all in an application with a word limit will dilute your message. Instead, choose 3-5 criteria that you can craft a strong narrative around. 3️⃣ It's hard to remember and quantify your accomplishments if you aren't tracking them throughout the year. Setting up an ongoing tracker early is helpful (I use Microsoft Planner), especially around those 3-5 criteria you've chosen. 4️⃣ It’s okay to try for a promotion before you feel completely ready. Even if your first attempt is unsuccessful, you'll learn things from the experience that will make it harder for them to say no the second time (like I did). Better to apply a year early than a year late. 5️⃣ Understand that there are things outside of your control in determining whether your promotion will be successful or not (e.g. budget and resourcing constraints, stakeholders who aren’t fond of you for non-work reasons, economic conditions etc). The goal is to focus on the things that are within your control and maximise your chances as much as possible. Here’s what the timeline / process can look like using these principles: 🔹 1 year out- Learn about your organisation’s promotion process (deadlines, forms to submit, promotion criteria, stakeholders in the approval process) 🔹 6-12 months out - Have a discussion with your manager to let them know that you intend to apply for the promotion, identify any areas you may need to improve on, and agree on goals to achieve that would maximise your chance of success in the application. 🔹 6 - 12 months out - Choose a few promotion criteria to focus on and set up a system to track and quantify your contributions towards those criteria in your current work. 🔹 1 month out - Write up a draft promotion application (ask your colleagues if they can share theirs) 🔹 2-4 weeks out - Remind your manager and ask if they could review and provide feedback on your draft application. 🔹 Submission before the deadline. 🔹 If unsuccessful, follow up for feedback and agree on a plan for improving your application for next time. Anything else you’d add? ----- Next week, I’ll be sending out a step-by-step guide on how to apply for a promotion with practical examples to the 7,782 people on my mailing list. If you're interested, I hope you'll subscribe via my website or the link in my profile and give it a read.

Want a Promotion? Stop Hiding Behind “My Work Speaks for Itself.” It doesn’t. (If it did, you wouldn’t be reading this.) A few months ago, Sameer, a business head I coach, was stunned. He’d hit every target, led a turnaround, mentored two VPs, and still didn’t get promoted. His boss said: “We need to see more cross-company impact.” Sameer thought, “Wait, what? Isn’t that what I’ve been doing?” Meanwhile, Ananya got promoted. Why? She made her work visible, invited leaders to demos, led cross-functional projects, and owned her narrative. Sameer worked hard. Ananya worked smart and ensured it was seen. The Real Promotion Equation Performance × Visibility × Sponsorship = Growth. Miss any one of these, and you’re left wondering why your brilliant work went unnoticed. Here’s what data (and a few thousand real careers) teach us 1.    Promotion rates are cooling down. Managerial promotions hover around 7.3% (ADP, 2024). Translation: being good isn’t enough; being known for being good is. 2.    Great work needs an audience. Harvard research proves it: visibility and sponsorship matter as much as performance. 3.    Networking ≠ LinkedIn collecting. It’s about building strategic relationships and sponsors who can speak your name in the right rooms. 4.    Promotion = Visibility 2.0. Get promoted, and the market suddenly knows your name. It’s not just a raise, it’s a spotlight. What to Do Before Appraisal Season 1.    Turn wins into impact statements. Quantify what changed because of you. 2.    Build a visibility map. Who needs to see your work? Show them. 3.    Create a sponsorship shortlist. Find 2–3 senior advocates. 4.    Have the career presenting talk: “What will make me promotable in 6 months?” 5.    Upskill on purpose. Align learning with your next role. 6.    Document everything. Don’t let great work die in your inbox. Real Talk You can be brilliant and still invisible. Your work doesn’t speak unless you give it a microphone. So, before appraisal season, don’t just do great work Package it. Amplify it. Get it seen. That’s how results turn into promotions. #Leadership #CareerGrowth #PromotionStrategy #Visibility #PersonalBranding

Looking for a promotion? There are three things that need to be true... Most people (my younger self included) focus on just one. --- Early in my career, I believed if I worked hard, delivered results, and “earned it,” the promotion would come. When it didn’t, I was frustrated - maybe even resentful. I didn’t get it. But since then I’ve learned a hard truth: ✅ Being ready for a promotion isn’t enough. It’s just the first of three requirements. ✅ --- In order to grow within an organization three things must be true: 1️⃣ You’re Ready You’re performing at a high level and showing you can take on more. But "readiness" isn’t just about what you think - your supervisor has to see it too. Use your 1:1s and reviews to calibrate expectations and align on what “readiness” looks like. 2️⃣ The Business Has a Need Even if you're ready, there may not be a need for someone in a bigger role. You might hit a ceiling - not because of your talent, but due to org structure or stage. When that happens, external growth may be the right next move. 3️⃣ The Business Has the Ability Budget freezes, internal rules, or financial constraints may prevent the business from acting - even if the need is real and everyone agrees you deserve it. --- So what can you do? ➡️ Crush your current role. ➡️ Keep your manager in the loop as your readiness builds. ➡️ Start a deeper conversation about business need and ability. That last step is the one I missed for much of my career. Because the truth is: ➡️ You might be ready before the business is. ➡️ And even when it’s ready, it might not be able to act. Knowing that early lets you make the best decision for you. Stay and align your timeline - or seek out a place that’s ready for you now.

(I get tons of messages every week from aspiring workers on LinkedIn seeking career advice. In response, I’ll start posting, on a weekly basis, lessons from my career to help others navigate their careers)  Often, deserving employees struggle to make the case for their promotions. Promotions have always been hard, but more so in the age of efficiency, GenAI and controversies around remote work. Too many employees believe that if they do great work, promotion(s) will follow. This naive belief is right up there with “The check is in the mail” and “Santa Claus will bring you presents for Chriistmas” Candidly, the good times - the dotcom boom, the Covid-era hiring boom - created precedents that were unsustainable. The current belt-tightening requires you to be realistic but also proactive. In most companies, your manager cannot just unilaterally promote you. Your promotion will need approval from others who are already at the level you aspire to. Out of a combination of keeping the bar high and smug self-righteousness, these stakeholders will want to make sure you meet/exceed the bar they had to. Plus, there is a finite budget that has to account for existing employees, new hires and promotions. So, no matter what the company tells you, there is always, always, always a quota on how many employees can get promoted in any given cycle. Making the case for promotion is, in some ways, harder than applying for a new job. Unlike when you apply for a new job, for a promotion you need to not only make the case that you deserve the job, but also that the job itself is needed. You may have built, for example, a tool that took non-trivial amounts of effort and upskilling, but a case for promotion will require answers to some key questions: 1) Does this new tool add value to the business?  2) Will your company be able to serve more customers and/or make more money per customer because of this tool?  3) Was your contribution critical for this work to land?  4) Do you now have a special skill that will be hard to hire for if you were to quit?  5) Will there be a sustained need for your skill-set at the next level?   Rather than making the case for your promotion based on your effort, you need to make it based on demonstrable, measurable and sustainable impact. Otherwise, your case for promotion will feel like a Kevin Costner movie: takes a lot of effort to make, but the audience will lose interest.

He got put on a PIP… for asking for a promotion. Not because he wasn’t qualified. Not because he was underperforming. But because of how he asked. Let’s talk about the career cliff that too many high performers fall off, especially those from underrepresented backgrounds: - You do the work. - You exceed expectations. - You finally ask for the promotion you’ve more than earned… And suddenly, you’re labeled “difficult,” “entitled,” or “not aligned with leadership tone.” Here’s what most people aren’t told: Promotions in corporate aren’t given based on fairness. They’re given based on positioning. So if you're getting ready to ask, here’s what actually matters: 1. Build a business case, not just a feelings case. You can’t go in saying, “I’ve worked hard.” You need to show: → What you own now (Scope) → How far it reaches (Scale) → What outcomes you've driven (Impact) → How it supports org-wide goals 2. Show you're already operating at the next level. Promotions aren’t promises, they’re recognition of what’s already happening. If your manager has to imagine you in that role, you’ve already lost the case. 3. Know the season your org is in. Are they in growth? Layoffs? Reorg mode? Promotions aren’t just about merit, they’re about timing and optics. The stronger your internal awareness, the more surgical your ask. 4. Don’t confuse assertiveness with ultimatums. Confidence is necessary. But once your ask sounds like a threat (“I deserve this or I’m leaving”), you're no longer leading, you’re cornering. That’s rarely received well, especially in conservative or political environments. Is it exhausting to have to play the game this way? Absolutely. But learning the game is not the same as selling out. It’s how you protect your power and your paycheck. If you’re stuck between “I’ve earned it” and “They still don’t see me,” it’s time to rethink how you’re positioning your value, not your worth, but your visibility. Let’s stop losing good people to bad promotion conversations. _________________________ And if we haven't met...Hi, I’m Erica Rivera, CPCC, CPRW I help people take everything they’ve done, & say it in a way that lands offers. Let’s stop downplaying your value. Let’s start closing the gap between your impact and your paycheck. You deserve a role that reflects your experience, and pays you like it

Want to get promoted? Ask for THIS, not THIS ❌ Most people ask: "What do I need to do to get promoted?" Smart people ask: "What problems keep you up at night that I could solve?" The difference? One is about YOU. The other is about VALUE. Early in my career, I took a job as an office manager for one of Egypt's most powerful CEOs. I was overqualified. Underpaid. Insulted, honestly. My ego said: Walk away. My dad said: Put your head down and prove your worth. I chose the latter. Instead of complaining about my title, I asked myself: → What does he need that nobody else is providing? → Where are the gaps I can fill? → How can I make myself indispensable? Within 2 years, I wasn't managing his office. I was traveling with him on corporate acquisitions, writing speeches, and building strategy. Here's what changed: -I stopped waiting for someone to hand me a better role. -I started creating value that demanded recognition. The promotion playbook: 1. Study the business, not just your job description – Understand the bigger picture 2. Solve problems before they're assigned – Initiative beats permission 3. Make your boss look good – Your success is tied to theirs 4. Document your impact – Keep receipts of the value you create 5. Ask the right question – What matters most to the business right now? Promotions don't come from doing your job well. They come from doing what others won't. Don't ask for opportunities. CREATE them.

The Unwritten Rules of Career Advancement After working with a number of executives and scaling a few companies, I've observed a clear pattern: the most talented people aren't always the ones who get promoted. The harsh truth? Merit only accounts for about 30% of advancement decisions. The rest comes down to understanding the invisible game being played around you. Here are 12 promotion principles most managers won't explicitly tell you: 1. Visibility trumps effort. Hard work in silence gets you nowhere. Document accomplishments and strategically communicate them in one-on-ones without appearing boastful. 2. Problem-solving creates more value than task completion. Anyone can follow instructions. Look for systemic issues that need addressing and proactively present solutions. 3. Act the part before you have it. Take on responsibilities slightly beyond your current role. This creates a natural path for your manager to formalize what you're already doing. 4. Perception management is critical. How others see you often matters more than your actual performance. Regularly ask for informal feedback to understand and shape your workplace reputation. 5. Strategic networking opens doors. Career advancement happens through relationships. Find authentic ways to connect with leaders by showing genuine interest in their challenges. 6. Make your manager successful. When your boss looks good, opportunities flow downward. Identify what keeps them up at night and solve those problems first. 7. Working on the right things beats working hard. Ask directly which projects will move the needle for company objectives, then focus your energy there. 8. Voice creates visibility. Silence is often misinterpreted as disengagement. Prepare thoughtful contributions for meetings, even when you're nervous. 9. Emotional intelligence becomes more valuable as you rise. Technical skills get you hired; people skills get you promoted. Invest in developing self-awareness and relationship management capabilities. 10. Direct asking accelerates advancement. Clearly express your career aspirations. Most managers aren't mind readers and won't offer what you don't request. 11. External options create internal leverage. Maintain market awareness even when satisfied. Sometimes the fastest path to advancement is having alternatives. 12. Learning from others shortcuts growth. Find recently promoted colleagues and ask specific questions about their journey. Most will gladly share insights. The promotion game isn't always fair, but it is learnable. What invisible advancement rules have you observed in your workplace? ------------------------------------------------- Follow me Dan Murray🧠 for more on habits and leadership. ♻️ Repost this if you think it can help someone in your network! 🖐️ P.S Join my newsletter The Science Of Success where I break down stories and studies of success to teach you how to turn it from probability to predictability here: https://lnkd.in/ecuRJtrr

If your promotion is due, or you want to get promoted in the current appraisal cycle, do these 5 things: With the financial year ending on March 31, the next 70-80 days matter more than you think. 1. Document your wins: - Not tasks. Outcomes. - What improved because of your work? - Revenue, efficiency, risk reduction, delivery speed. If it’s not written, it doesn’t exist in appraisal conversations. 2. Speak to your manager early - Clearly convey: “This cycle, I’m expecting a promotion." - Get expectations on record. It’s absolutely okay to be this direct. Many people hesitate or assume their manager already knows their work. Even if they do, give a clear signal that you are actively expecting a promotion. 3. Understand this clearly: Promotions are not a reward for doing your current job well. They’re given based on your readiness to handle the next-level role. Few years back, when I was up for a team manager role, I was already operating in that capacity whenever my manager was absent. Start assuming that role. Show readiness. 4. Identify gaps and close them fast If your manager highlights gaps, treat them like a 90-day plan. No defensiveness. No excuses. Execution beats intent every single time. 5. Increase visibility where decisions are actually made Your manager is usually an influencer, not the final decision-maker. Look for opportunities to present your work to your boss’s boss - reviews, demos, updates. Let the decision-maker see your impact directly. Do this consistently for the next 90 days, and promotion conversations stop being emotional - they become logical. If you have questions about your appraisal, drop them in the comments - I’ll review and respond. #CareerGrowth #Appraisals

I’ve been promoted 11 times in 20 years at 6 companies Here’s how I did it: 1. Eliminate entitled expectations and patiently play the long game 2. Be truly exceptional in your current role - don’t underestimate how long it takes to achieve mastery 3. Clarify and communicate your long term career goals including your ideal next step  - it is not up to your manager or anyone else to do this for you 4. Demonstrate you can do the next role by taking on key responsibilities of that position - you don’t need to ask permission to solve important business problems 5. Make your manager’s life easier, become indispensable to them and seize learning opportunities to take projects off their plate 6. Lead by example by exuding optimism, assuming positive intent and helping others, especially through challenging times 7. Don’t complain and only talk about problems, design and implement solutions that drive real results 8. Act like an owner and don’t let your current job description hold you back from doing what is required for the business to be successful  9. Respond to inevitable disappointment gracefully and don’t give up  10. Choose the company and evaluate the hiring manager wisely - a great company and an invested manager are two key ingredients to create the conditions for career advancement My biggest lesson 20 years into my career: The promotions are great but don't feel as good as you think they will - focus on the journey and the process, that's the good stuff #personaldevelopment

Here's the promotion strategy most professionals completely miss: being amazing at your current job doesn't automatically get you promoted. I see this mistake constantly. People think exceptional performance equals advancement, but that's not how promotion decisions actually work. Companies don't promote you for mastering your current role - they promote you when you've already proven you can handle the next level. Here's the strategic shift you need to make: Stop waiting for recognition of past achievements. Start demonstrating future capabilities right now. How to operate at the next level before you get there: 1. Think beyond your immediate responsibilities - Understand broader business challenges and opportunities. Your perspective needs to expand beyond your current scope. 2. Contribute strategic insights, not just status updates - During meetings, present solutions and analysis, not just task completion reports. 3. Communicate with next-level authority - Present solutions, not just problems. Your communication style should reflect the level you want, not where you are. 4. Take initiative on stretch projects - Demonstrate leadership capability before receiving the formal title. Show them you can handle increased responsibility. The visibility factor is everything: Companies promote people who have already proven they can handle more responsibility, not those who might be capable with proper development. By consistently operating at your desired level, you make promotion the logical next step rather than a developmental risk. You eliminate the guesswork about your readiness and position yourself as the obvious choice when opportunities arise. What strategies have you found most effective for demonstrating readiness for advancement? Sign up to my newsletter for more corporate insights and truths here: https://vist.ly/3ycta #deepalivyas #eliterecruiter #recruiter #recruitment #jobsearch #corporate #careeradvancement #promotionstrategies #leadershipdevelopment #careerstrategist