Five skills that will get you that promotion at work

Five skills that will get you that promotion at work

You know in your own mind that you deserve a raise or promotion, but you can’t seem to get the attention of your boss to prove it.

Maybe you’ve even been overlooked in the past because of your family commitments, and now you’re ready to prove to everyone that you can more than do your jobs at a senior level.

Here are five skills that can help you get a promotion in your workplace:

1. Whatever you do, do it well
No matter how insignificant you think your job is, you can do it with class and pride. Whether you feel stuck in a rut, spending your days making everyone else tea and coffee and filing, just ‘do your job’ means that’s all people will expect of your abilities. Serve the coffee with style and become the fastest filer in the office, and people will see that these skills are below your IQ and that you are capable of so much more.

2. Think like an MD
A good managing director will always be thinking about the big picture, the long-term effects of projects, the financial aspects of the business, and how changes will affect the rest of the business. They are expected to be creative, understand all the areas within their span of control, recall important data off the top of their heads, and much more. They are looking at their team for the people who stand out and show an interest in expanding their duties. While you may not aspire to be Superwoman (at least not at work!), proposing new ideas to your boss and explaining how they will benefit the company and spending time asking questions about other functions of the company will show that you’re thinking outside the box and will start to get you noticed.

If you never step outside of your current role, people won’t see you as capable of growth. You can’t be promoted if you don’t know how to handle the responsibilities of your position.

3. Don’t be irreplaceable
Especially when you are in an organization where you have a very specialised duty, don’t do your job SO well that your boss would rather keep you where you are at than to promote you. Share your knowledge with others by teaching other people in the business about the systems you use and what to do in case you’re not available – and make sure your boss notices this.

4. Understand how you contribute to your organisation
No matter where you are on the seniority list or pay scale, it’s important to understand where you fit in your company’s future and why you are a valuable asset. Make sure you could defend your job if you had to. If you can’t explain to your employer why they need you, they might see your job as expendable. If you don’t know what specific value you bring to the bottom line in your workplace you are missing out on the opportunity to negotiate for something better.

5. Dress for the job you want, not the job you have
This statement goes way beyond clothes. You have an opportunity to “be” your promoted self in everything you do. When you give presentations, don’t just be Sarah the secretary be Sarah the team leader. Don’t handle complaints as Kate the barrista, be Kate the manager. Don’t come to work with a vague idea of what you need to do during the week, be Fion the head of finance and master that weekly planner.

Step out of your title and consider how you can act the part of your ideal position. Of course, be aware that your acting doesn’t include overstepping boundaries that could compromise your job. Ask yourself: “If I were planning this campaign as the executive director, what would I do differently?” Add those last few details so your work really shines.

You may be thinking, “This is a lot of extra work that I’m not getting paid to do. What’s in it for me?” By developing these job skills, you are showing a heightened emotional intelligence that employers agree is just as or more important than the hard skills. It will take a little time and extra effort to get the attention you need, but it is well worth the satisfaction of knowing that you’re finally in the position you deserve.

Comments

No comments yet. Why don’t you start the discussion?

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.