Moving on up: How to ask for a promotion

2011-11-24
From: The Globe and Mail

Asking for a promotion ranks high on the list of lifes most anxiety-inducing activities. Putting yourself out there to higher-ups can be intimidating, and competition can be fierce, especially in the current economicclimate. And, of course, what if they say no?
But its also one of the most important things you can do for your career. If you want to move forward in your company or field, promotions are part of the game, and they wont just be handed to you, you have to work (and ask!) for them.
Ready to take that next step? Heres what to know before the big conversation.
1. Do Your Homework
The most important part of asking for a promotion is preparing ahead of time. When you make the ask, youll need to prove (with specifics) that youre ready for the next step.
First, youll want to emphasize to your manager what youve brought to the table so far its a good measure of both your contributions and your future potential. Make a list of all of your accomplishments to use as your talking points. Have you taken on a side project that grew into a newrevenuestream? Doubled your sales goals in less than six months? Doing a great job in your position isnt enough to make your case youll need to show that youve gone above and beyond.
Next, identify the specific position you want, and why youre ready to take it on. If youre asking to become assistant manager, know what that entails and then demonstrate that youll be able to fulfill the position. Want to be a team leader? Give examples of how youve successfully managed smaller projects or groups of people, like co-ordinating your departments internship program. Find concrete examples that prove that youre the right person for the job.
2. Plan the Timing
Theres no perfect time to ask for a promotion, but some times are definitely better than others. The most straightforward time to ask is your annual (or semi-annual) review its a built-in opportunity for both you and your manager to discuss how youve been doing and where your career is headed. (Just be sure that youre not asking for a promotion solely because youre up for review you still need to demonstrate that you deserve the bump.)
Also consider your position in the company and whats going on within your department or team. Are people around you leaving or moving up the ranks? Is your department merging with another, or repositioning itself within the company? When theres a lot of overall change going on, it presents a great opportunity to step up and ask your boss where she sees you fitting in as the organization moves forward.
Finally, dont be scared off by the dismal economy. Even in these tough times, smart employers understand that their employees are one of their most valuable assets, and theyll want to retain (and reward) the best of them. You might get a smaller salary bump than people did in years past, but a promotion isnt just about the money: Its also about increased responsibilities, and hopefully youll be fiscally rewarded when the economy starts to turn around, even if you arent now.
3. Ask for the Meeting
If you decide to ask for a promotion when its not annual review time, plan ahead before you approach your manager. Send an e-mail requesting a meeting, and make it clear that youd like to discuss your performance and potential. You dont want to show up to a meeting and catch your manager off guard by giving her advance notice, shell have time to reflect on your performance and what the company will be able to offer you, in terms of a position or raise.
4. Know Your Numbers
One of the biggest career mistakes women make is not negotiating their salary. According to a 2008 Carnegie Mellon study, men are four times more likely to negotiate a first salary than women, and 2.5 times more women than men said they feel a great deal of apprehension about negotiation. Thats not a good thing!
You shouldnt discuss numbers until youve actually been offered a promotion, but you should be prepared to have the conversation if it arises. So, do your research and know what youre worth, both within the company and outside of it. Check out PayScale and Salary.com to see if you can find out the norms for your industry and company, too.
Then, when negotiation talks begin, dont sell yourself short it doesnt hurt to ask for too much. Thats the nature of the negotiating game: They can always offer you less than what you ask for, but theyll never offer you more.
5. Follow Up
If you get the promotion, great! Go out and celebrate you deserve it! But if not, know that its not the end of the world, and more importantly, dont close the conversation just yet.
Make sure you leave the meeting with an idea of what will happen down the road. If now is not a good time for the department to be offering promotions, ask your boss when you can revisit the conversation. If he or she said no based on your current qualifications, get feedback on steps you can take to gain experience and be considered for a promotion in the future.
Above all, know that if youre in the right position, your manager will be glad that youre looking to advance. Nobody ever gets fired for asking for a promotion (trust me!). But if you dont ask, youre only hurting yourself.

Copyright The Globe and Mail