What are some ways to gain experience and skills outside of work to help you get promoted?

I totally agree, that’s why mentorship programs inside companies are trendy nowadays due to its importance and add value to employees.

I recently became a Governor at a local school, not with the goal of career advancement, but the experience has proven invaluable. As a Governor, I've utilised and refined skills crucial in business—collaboration, resource prioritisation, accountability, and empathetic stakeholder engagement, for example. This role has offered tangible outcomes, like implementing ideas and initiatives that support development of the students, and fostering a supportive community. It's been an incredibly rewarding journey, showcasing how these skills extend beyond education, shaping not just the students' development but also fostering my own growth in both professional and personal spheres. I highly recommend.

It is important to have perspective and understand being promoted doesn’t just mean you are fantastic in your current role and you check the box on a list of activities. Someone is not more promotable just by having a mentor, completing a certificate or volunteering. The value is in the experiences those activities create and the person’s ability to integrate the learning from the experiences in to their current role. The better integrators will eventually earn opportunities to demonstrate a higher level of contribution and eventually be seen as someone who is ready for the next level.

Time to reflect on what makes an employee a good fit for a promotion... it starts with the workplace. To have employees ready for promotion, the workplace should start with a succession of small steps and as the article has shared, these steps will improve any employees' chances to get promoted and to be ready to provide value in the new role.

I ask myself, "What is the dream employee that I would want in a leadership position?" For lower leadership positions they should be trainable and dependable. For higher positions they should demonstrate the following: Innovation: Solve a problem for the company. if you aren't permitted to then solve a similar problem in the world in your spare time, evaluate the success and present it to upper management. Transformation: Use external resources to ensure that everyone around you is successful. Integration: Integrate the skills, trends, and ideas gained externally with your work, innovations and company values/mission/vision. Promotion requires capacity for more. Staying mentally healthy while excelling in these areas will demonstrate this.

In my personal experience, I found that most of my development was learned outside of work. Employers may funnel development & things are “done as they always have been done”. You can start by participating in community projects that relate to your career interests, demonstrating leadership & project management skills. Start a blog or a podcast about your field, showcasing your knowledge & commitment. Engage in mentorship, either as a mentor or mentee, for personal & professional development. Participate in online forums & contribute to discussions in your area of expertise. Pursue certifications or advanced degrees that add to your credentials. The road to a promotion isn’t linear, & the higher your title, the harder it becomes.