In a perfect world, scoring a promotion or a raise at work should come automatically. However, it can be difficult for employees to showcase and managers to know when folks are ready to move up to the next rung on the career ladder. Beyond consistent and strong performances at work, there are a few general signs that might signal you’re ready for a promotion.
Here are three tips to consider before asking about that raise.
1. The right attitude is key
In every job, there is an official procedure for getting promoted. It includes meeting the required technical and behavioral competencies as well as meeting your manager’s performance expectations. Assuming those are met, it’s simply a matter of timing and luck, right? Well, not exactly. Yes, timing is a factor—but it is your attitude that ultimately has the greatest influence over whether you actually get promoted or not.
As mentioned earlier, promotions don’t automatically come to you—you have to make them happen. Very often, it’s the attitude behind the actions that separates those who advance from those who stagnate. An ‘attitude of gratitude’ is indeed the key to a successful promotion pitch, but what does that mean, exactly? It starts with being easy to work with—a team player in tune with your colleagues’ responsibilities and needs. It also means being proactive: looking for ways to reduce unnecessary workloads and increase efficiency. A good attitude provides a strong foundation for that day-to-day process, allowing you to develop the kind of track record that attracts attention for a promotion or a raise. Perhaps even both.
Power tip: Create a notebook stack dedicated to your various wins at work. Whenever you reach a milestone, solve a problem, complete a project, or receive positive feedback, add the relevant documentation to this notebook stack. When you’re ready to request a raise, you’ll have all the data you need to back you up.
2. Track your professional growth
To show you’re ready to move up the ladder, you need to be able to back it up with concrete results. A list of objective facts—hard figures, cited accomplishments, and pertinent skills applied—speaks to your abilities in terms that managers and hard-headed business people can readily digest. That can go a long way towards securing a promotion or raise.
Develop daily habits to track it all. Work on recording things like projects completed on time, recommendations that improved the bottom line, and similar details. That way, you’ll have a ready record of data in your corner when the time comes to request a promotion.
Power tip: Use Tasks in Evernote to track all your work-related to-dos and make sure you stay on top of it all. With an overview of everything on your plate, you can prioritize more effectively and deliver top-notch work on deadline. Then when it comes time to request a promotion, you’ll be able to present a compelling case that the step up is well deserved due to your spotless record.
3. Timing and tactics are everything
Proper timing might be the most tricky part of securing a promotion or raise. That starts with being in tune with the company’s overall situation, as well as things outside of your sphere that may have an influence on the decision. Asking for a raise at the wrong time can easily become an exercise in futility. Doing so when conditions are favorable, however, makes it far more likely that your efforts will succeed.
No matter what position your company is in, there’s more to scoring a promotion than simply presenting yourself as a viable candidate. It means presenting concrete solutions and viable proposals to organizational pain points. Think creatively, and present ways to optimize workflows or otherwise save money, as well as specific projects to improve the company’s fortunes overall. That provides solid additions to the objective data presented as you state your case.
Power tip: Organization is paramount when it comes to timing your request. Things can change very quickly, and the timeframe for effectively pushing for a raise may be limited depending on your circumstances. Evernote’s Project Overview and Strategic Planning templates allow you to quickly access the data you need when developing a presentation and get it across quickly and clearly. Being organized and prepared means taking full advantage of opportunities when they arise.
Want that promotion? Go and get it!
So, you’ve been a loyal cog in your organization’s wheel for quite some time. You may have even reached a tenure milestone at the same employer, and now you want to be recognized and rewarded for your hard work. You want more—a promotion, a raise, perhaps a corner office?
The key to it all is preparation. And the best way to get prepared? Getting organized. Organizational tools are always a good idea for work, increasing productivity and performance while helping you stay on top of any changes or adjustments. Those same tools can provide everything you need to make a strong push for a raise or promotion, as well as a sense of the assets you can present when the time is right.
By leveraging these organizational tools, you can smartly integrate that process into your day-to-day work schedule, as well as quickly organize notes, schedules, and other components for future reference. That leaves you prepared not only for proving your worth when the time comes to ask for a raise, but showing up every day like someone who’s already earned one.
