How do people get promoted?

Ever feel like promotions are a bit of a mystery? You're working hard, hitting your goals, but that next step still feels out of reach?

The reality is (as I always say!), that working hard and doing your job well is not enough to get promoted.

So what else do you need to be recognised and step up the ladder within the same company?

In short, it's about being seen, making smart career moves, and seizing the right moment.

So, let's break down exactly how people get promoted and how internal promotions work. This will help you position yourself for more responsibility and advancement within the company you're working for.

1. Let Your Work Shine

One of the biggest factors in getting promoted is visibility.

You need to be constantly on the radar of people in decision-making and influential roles in your company - but not in an annoying, over-the-top way...

Think of it as a subtle but consistent presence, where you work your way to the top of the minds of people who are making decisions about the future of the business.

You want to be that person who's always there, delivering great work, and solving problems, without waving a flag that says, "Look at me! I'm amazing!" 😵‍

It's about walking that sharp razor's edge, where you're showcasing your accomplishments without going too far. Make sure people know you're doing great work, but avoid overtly demanding attention. Find that balance between visibility and humility to ensure the higher-ups know who you are and what you bring to the table without coming off as boastful.

You position yourself as a valuable asset, so when the time comes, you’re the obvious choice.

Best way to do this? Deliver more than you're paid for. Yep, it’s about doing more than what’s technically required. Volunteer for projects, spot problems before they arise, take initiative, see what needs to be done before the request comes through and find solutions to things that people haven't necessarily identified as a problem yet.

Be really proactive, and most importantly, make life easier for those in charge by solving problems in advance.

The other thing that's important is to be consistent with that over a pretty reasonable time. This isn’t a one-time effort; it’s a long game 🌱 You need to show up and deliver over months, even years. This way you'll be top of mind when the right opportunities arise. Timing is everything, and being visible puts you in a prime position.

2. Express Your Ambitions Clearly

This one’s simple but so important: speak up.

You can’t expect your boss to magically know you want a promotion.

As the saying goes, "If you don't ask, you don't get." Of course, asking doesn't guarantee you'll get it, but not asking all but guarantees you won't.

Make sure you clearly communicate your career goals and aspirations to your manager or whoever oversees your career development.

Be specific about the opportunities you're interested in, whether it's leading a team, managing projects, or taking on new responsibilities.

You want to create the most powerful combination: you've told them you want a promotion, and you've shown them through your actions that you're ready for it. Actions speak louder than words, but a combination of both? That's the recipe for your success 😊

3. Opportunities and Timing 🕰️

This might not be easy to swallow, but just because you’re ready for advancement, doesn’t mean the business is ready for you. You could be delivering above and beyond, and ticking all the right boxes, but if there’s no opening or if the business isn’t growing and creating more of these roles, a promotion might not be on the table.

Promotions don't necessarily exist to suit your timeline as an individual. They are often tied to the company’s growth or a specific role becoming vacant. Sometimes, opportunities only arise when someone resigns, there’s a restructuring, or an acquisition or merger happens. These events are usually outside of your control.

It’s also rare for a company to create a brand-new role just for you. You could be the ideal candidate, but most companies won't create roles without a business case. It's uncommon for directors to simply say, "I love your work, I don't want to lose you, so I'll create a new role for you." Even if they really want to keep you, creating a new position often means a whole process of decision-making, approvals, business cases, and justification to get it off the ground.

I’ve been there - it took me months to create a new role for someone I knew was perfect for it! It took months to justify it to my boss, even though I knew the candidate was perfect.

The point is, just because you’re ready doesn’t mean the company is, and that can be frustrating. This is why it's important to understand the realities of company processes.

But hang in there - if the role is aligned with your values and purpose, you'll be there at the right time 😉

4. Be Prepared for When the Opportunity Strikes ⚡

You might not have control over when an opportunity arises, but what you can control is how ready you are when it does.

When a “trigger event” happens (someone resigns, there’s a restructuring, etc.), you want to be the obvious choice.

That was my experience. I was ready for the promotion, and the opportunity came with a global restructure. They were changing things up, and for me, that was one of the greatest opportunities in my career. But for others, it meant losing their jobs and really struggling from there. It's a complex situation - a great opportunity for those who are prepared, a difficult time for those who are not...

Your goal is to be in a position where, when something changes within the company, the decision-makers already see you as the perfect fit. You’ve been visible, you’ve been delivering, and you’ve made sure they know you’re keen to step up. Your name should come up in those conversations without hesitation - because you’ve been positioning yourself all along. You've made the decision easy for them.

This is where the preparation work of creating visibility, communicating your goals, and making sure people know you're over-delivering without being arrogant really pays off.

5. Be Ready for the Next Level

So, let’s say you’ve done everything right, and you finally get that promotion. First off, congratulations 🎉 Celebrate your achievement!

Yet it's easy to think that once you get that promotion, you can relax... Here’s the reality check: that's just the start.

Getting promoted doesn’t mean you can relax - it’s actually just the beginning of a new, more challenging chapter.

You’ve spent all this time preparing for the promotion, but now you need to deliver at a whole new level.

This is where the rubber meets the road and the real work begins. You might be ready, but there's still a ton to learn. You'll be figuring things out on the fly, likely feeling overwhelmed at times. You’re going to be snowed under with new responsibilities, and there will be a steep learning curve. It's exciting, interesting, and fun, but it's also stressful, and you need to be prepared for that.

It’s like training for a race - getting promoted is just the starting gun going off. Now, you’re in the race, and the hard work begins again. But the satisfaction - especially if the position is aligned with your passions and values? Totally worth it.

And then the cycle starts all over again because you'll likely want to keep progressing in your career. You'll need to continue proving yourself, learning, and growing to be ready for the next opportunity.

So, enjoy the moment of getting promoted, but also be prepared for the challenges and hard work that come with it.

Final Thoughts

A promotion might seem like this big, complex thing, but at its heart, it's fundamentally about growth. It's about your personal and professional development, about pushing yourself to reach your next level of fulfilment.

If you have the inner drive and desire to learn and evolve, you're already headed in the right direction.

Shine brightly, show up consistently, and be strategic in how you present yourself. Patience is crucial! Sometimes the timing isn't perfect, and that's okay. Focus on being prepared to seize the opportunity when it arises.

And guess what? The journey doesn't end with one promotion. It's the nature of life itself – you reach a new stage, and then it's time to set your sights on the next challenge.

Keep shining, exceeding expectations, and focusing on aligning your career with your values, and the right opportunities will keep coming.

What resonated most with you from this post? 🤔 I'm curious to hear your thoughts – let's chat in the comments!