This is the second article of our 2 part series of How Companies Identify Their Candidates for Promotion.
As mentioned in Part 1 (you can read Part 1 here), Managers don’t just pass out promotions, they are held accountable to justify why a candidate is ready to move up. It is to your benefit to assure that your manager recognizes these characteristics, behaviors and skills in your performance throughout the year. Four of those traits were covered in Part 1, they were:
- Being Feedback Seekers and Feedback Implementers
- Having Intentions for Growth
- Developing Skills to Build On
- Being a Lifelong Learner
Hopefully you have had an opportunity to begin incorporating these into your daily work. Now we will cover four more traits you must embody to get on the fast track to promotion.
Go-Getters and First-Responders
One of the first ways a manager identifies a promising employee is by looking at how little or how much direction they require from their supervisors. Volunteering, stepping up, and being on the scene with ideas are just a few ways High Potential Candidates take initiative without being prompted. They are the first to see a need, identify a solution or path to solution, and take action. Keep in mind that the action may need to be ‘get approval,’ but they take the lead nonetheless. Where can you step up and take the lead?
Ways to Measure Up
Percent of increase in sales, or call volume, or amount saved over 6 months – these numbers and statistics are more concrete than soft skills – metrics, metrics, metrics. When a Manager has to defend their intent to move you up the ladder, numbers make their case stronger. How can you quantify your work? Managers look for performance and impact that is quantifiable by some means. That can be by looking at sales figures, year over year performance, customer service scores, or dozens of other metrics. Not only should you be looking at metrics for your current position, to quantify your results, but it’s important that you identify what metrics are valuable to the future job, as those are what you’ll need to show you can be measured on.
Stepping Up and Reaching Up
Another sure sign that an employee is ready to be moved up, is that they are taking on increased amounts of responsibility. This can come in many forms, from successfully taking on more work to having a larger role in a team project. Managers will take a look at how each employee handles responsibility as well. They look to make sure the employee’s performance stays strong in the wake of increased responsibility. What can you volunteer for that can show your desire for more responsibility?
Solution-finders not Excuse-makers
When something does not go as planned, people tend to provide excuses, instead of solutions for future success. Managers look for employees who follow up a problem or failure with an actionable solution. Standout employees are able to offer solutions and take the steps necessary to resolve conflicts. It’s not a matter of never failing, as that is impossible, just be mindful that your positive intentions for future steps are implemented. Step up and own your failures, show responsibility, and define how you will learn from the experience.
The key take-away here is to stand out. You must be seen to be above and beyond the average employee. Sure, you can wait around to be in the right place at the right time, and hope that someone thinks of you, when the right position opens up, or you can position yourself so that you are the obvious choice in the minds of everyone concerned. Make it easy on your manager to sing your praises in those “Calibration,” “Succession planning,” or “Promotion” meetings. When the manager can list off a collection of these eight traits when recommending you, it will be difficult for there to be any argument.
If you missed it, you can read Part 1 here.
Want more ideas on getting on that path to Promotion? Or maybe what NOT to do… Check out this free e-book “5 Mistakes Professional Women Make That Kill Their Chances for Promotion”
