The Primary Strategy to Land Your Next Promotion

The reason I was ever promoted to manager is because of one thing.

I operated like a manager before I had the title.

You can do the same, even if manager isn't the next step for you.

All you have to do is stop operating at your current level, and instead...

Operate at the next level

The primary strategy for getting promoted is to operate at the next level before you have the title.

The career ladder is long, for example:

Jr. Analyst > Analyst > Sr. Analyst > Lead Analyst > Manager > Sr. Manager > Director

Or,

Jr. Analyst > Analyst > Sr. Analyst > Lead Analyst > Staff Analyst > Principal Analyst

Wherever you land on the spectrum, there's opportunity to operate at the next level.

The first step is to identify what that next level is.

Identify the next role you want

You can't operate at the next level if you don't know which role you're striving for.

Usually, there's a standard career ladder at your company that tells you what the next step is. For example, if you're an analyst, Senior Analyst is likely the next step. If you're a senior level person, Team Lead or Manager might be next. In the event the next role on the career ladder is unclear, talk to your manager.

Once you know what that next role is, you need to know what success looks like for someone in that role.

Identify the skills that make someone successful at the next level

There are three ways to learn what makes someone succeed at the next level:

• Observe how people operate in that role
• Ask your manager, "what does success looks like?"
• Talk to a person who's in that role

You can't operate at the next level if you don't know what happens at that level.

Observe others

Look for people who have the role, job, or position you want, either at your company or externally.

Observe how they operate. What projects do they own? Who are their stakeholders? What meetings are they in?

Answer these questions and imitate them.

Ask your manager

Nothing works better for a promotion than asking:

"What does success look like for that role?" Or, "what do I need to do to be considered for a promotion?"

Your manager is the first person that needs to sign off on your promotion. You must know their expectations and exceed them.

Talk to someone in the role

People have egos and love to talk about themselves.

Find a person who has the role you want and ask them how they got there. Don't ask for advice, ask them to recount their experience and outline the skills that helped them progress in their career.

You'll get first-hand knowledge of the lived experience of getting to the next level.

Apply those skills to your current role

Once you know the skills of next-level operators, apply them.

Don't wait for permission.

Operate as if you're already in that position.

For a management promotion, improve processes within your team, create stronger relationships with stakeholders, and tie the work of your team to the company's initiatives.

For a Senior+ promotion, own cross-functional projects, build standard operating procedures for your team, and work fully independently from your manager.

For a level-up promotion (Analyst I to Analyst II), get work done without guidance from your manager, produce work with the highest quality, and be reliable (do what you say you're going to do).

Don't ask your boss if it's okay to step up. Do it anyway.

If you ruffle feathers, deal with it later.

Growth favors the bold.

How I'm operating at the next level

Operating at the next level doesn't always mean getting a promotion.

I'm, personally, at a Point of Contentment. I'm not necessarily striving for a promotion at my current employer.

If it comes, great, but that's not my version of operating at the next level (right now).

For me, it's becoming an online creator and building a career coaching business.

Here's how I'm operating at the next level:

• Writing on LinkedIn
• Writing this newsletter
• Building a coaching business

The key is to understand yourself and know what the next level looks like for you.

How are you going to operate at the next level?

Send me an email and let me know:

• The next role you want
• The skills you need for that role

And I'll give you ideas on your next steps (and perhaps other ways I can help).

The main way to get un-stuck, is to operate at the next level.

What are you waiting for?