If you’ve found that your climb up the corporate ladder has stalled it is probably time to be more proactive.
Hiring managers are more selective than ever when it comes to handing out promotions. However, with careful planning there is a lot you can do to control the outcome. You may very well have all the skills and experience you need for that next role. Just to be sure, run through the readiness assessment below.
If you fall short, you’ll want to create a proactive strategy to close any gaps.
Prepare in advance: Start preparing for your next move one year in advance. If you intend to follow the steps below, you’ll need a year to make sure your behavior and skills are robust enough to outshine the competition.
Transparency: Begin, and continue, career discussions with your manager to ensure you have their support.
Job Description: I always have my clients pull the job description of the position they want. Together we go through it and identify their skills that are lacking. Then we put together an action plan to close those gaps.
Executive Presence Skills: The higher you climb up the corporate ladder, the more critical it becomes to hone your EP skills. These may or may not be listed in the job description but, either way, strengthen your weaknesses.
Build Relationships: A strong internal network will help you extend your reach as a leader. Think about what relationships you’ll need in the new position and start building them in advance.
Identify Your Brand: Know and be able to articulate your strengths, values, accomplishments, and personal mission. They tell the story of who you are, and you must be able to package yourself in a unique way to stand out.
Act On Feedback: Collect feedback from as many people as possible during the year and create action plans to grow from it.
Stretch Projects: Take on whatever extra projects you can that pertain to the new role. In this way you’ll already be getting your feet wet and gaining visibility.
So, how did you do with this assessment? Many people fall short and have quite a bit of work to do. That’s why I recommend taking one year to prepare and implement a solid promotion strategy. You have 100% control over your promotion readiness.