One question I get asked many times by junior analysts at my company is, "How did you get promoted so fast? What can I do to make sure I am promoted too?"
While it is often easier to ramble off the common anecdotes that I've heard along the way, I've really tried to go above and beyond and give them the real deal. Because I was promoted to associate within 3 years of working with the firm and am currently on the fast track to become a VP within the next two years, I feel that I have put together a great formula for promotion that really works! Check out my tips below.
Play to your strengths:
What is it that you do extremely well? Make sure that you are exercising this skill daily. Become known as the expert in this area. For example, if your skill is written communication, be sure that you take extra care when sending emails and are drafting memos to your team very frequently. Make sure you have dotted every ‘I’ and crossed every ‘T’. The goal is to come across as an effective and accurate writer. Be sure to cc your boss on these emails and memos so they can see what you are doing. Not only will your peers begin to look at you as a person who is knowledgeable about the goings on at your company, your boss will begin to build confidence in you as a communicator and may even begin to come to you to lead certain projects s/he may have.
Dress the part:
Have you ever heard the saying, "dress for the job you want, not the job you have"? This is very true! How many CEOs do you know who go to work in jeans and a T-shirt? With the exception of companies like Google who are known for their laid back atmosphere, not very many. Like it or not, your style of dress goes a very long way in connoting authority. It will be much easier for your boss to promote you to a leadership role if they can visualize you as a leader. Why not make it easier for them to do so, by dressing like one? How do the heavy hitters at your job dress? Make sure you are dressing in the same fashion or one step above.
Fake it 'til you make it:
Ok, ok- so you're not really feeling one of your supervisors. It's hard for you to pitch new ideas to him/her and you don't really feel like going the extra mile to strike up conversation. Guess what? You have to get over it. One of the top factors that determine who a boss will promote, that are even higher on the list than quality of work, is quality of relationship. In order to get ahead you will have to be personable. No self-respecting manager wants to promote someone with a bad attitude. Maybe at first you will be faking the funk, but eventually it will feel real. No one is saying to become best friends with a difficult person; however, you owe it to yourself and your career to learn to tolerate the situation.
If you follow these tips along with producing top quality work at your job, I'm sure you'll find that as opportunities arise, you will be first on the list to be promoted. Good luck!
-Alecia D.
Want one on one career coaching? Contact aleciadee@youngblackrich.net for more info!
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