It’s that time of year when we’re beginning to feel like maybe we deserve a little bit more from our job – promo season, shall we say. If you’re familiar with the sense of feeling underappreciated, ready for something more, or that you could probably make a lot more money elsewhere, read this blog post. I’m going to provide ways to help make you the ‘go-to’ person when management comes to decide who to take to the next level.
Show that you can handle the pressure
If you fluster about stuff that doesn’t matter, do you really think your boss would trust that you could handle additional work/pressure? No. If you’re doing well, make it obvious that you’re completely capable of managing your workload and/or others’ at times. You need to be able to handle everything that’s thrown at you, regardless of the stress it may temporarily cause. Don’t get flustered by by the small things in life if you want to have big things in the future – you can use that philosophy for pretty much everything (you’re welcome).
Do your job ridiculously well
So this is tip is to prevent you from doing the opposite of flustering. If you want to climb your way to the top, you need to give a crap about the work you produce. Don’t just get by with the expected day-to-day doings, make a bloody effort and prove you’re ready for the next stage. Even if you can’t do everything, the “I don’t have that answer for you yet, but I’m working on it,” response will go a long way in proving your dedication.
Volunteer whenever the opportunity strikes
That charity event the company’s holding? Offer to help out for a few hours. The project you know about, that’s falling way below expectations? Give a helping hand. Helping out when you’re not expected to, makes it clear that you’re here to genuinely help the company grow, and not just because you have to show up every day.
Make a case for yourself
Chances are, you’ve had to fight your corner once or twice in order to win a pitch or project. Well, now is your time to treat your future as that project.You need to be able to present your manager/boss/CEO with a strong case for giving you this promotion. If you’ve gone over and above with hitting sales targets, booked great clients and outperformed in the past, make a note of it. The better your track record, the more likely it is that you’ll continue to smash expectations in the future, so make a record of your achievements for when it comes down to pitching your case.
Network, network, network
I can’t stress enough the importance of networking. Growing up, about 80% of the jobs I’ve had have come from connections. If you’re known in the company you work at by the right kind of people, your name will spring to mind when the promo season decisions come around. Get your foot in any door wherever you possibly can and keep a good reputation amongst your peers if you want to progress.
Is it worth sticking around?
The last resort may actually be to start a role somewhere else. Although you’ve probably built up a reputation where you are, if the likeliness of promotional opportunities and development in the future isn’t looking hopeful, why bother staying there?
You should always aim to be better than you are. Ambition is key in the business world, and will be both noticed and respected by those above you. If you want more helpful tips on how to bag a promotion and develop your career, feel free to get in touch with one of our consultants for some insight in media planning, sales and digital roles.