What do you do if your efforts to build a strong track record for a promotion are going unnoticed?

2 Seek feedback

One of the most important steps to getting a promotion is to seek feedback from your manager, peers, and other stakeholders. Feedback can help you identify your strengths, areas for improvement, and expectations for your role and performance. It can also help you understand how others perceive your work and value. You should seek feedback regularly, not just during formal reviews or when you want a promotion. You should also be open to constructive criticism and use it to improve your skills and performance.

3 Build relationships

Another key factor to getting a promotion is to build strong and positive relationships with your manager, colleagues, and other influential people in your organization. Relationships can help you gain visibility, recognition, and support for your work and goals. You should network with people across different levels, functions, and departments, and show interest and curiosity in their work and challenges. You should also look for opportunities to collaborate, share ideas, and offer help when needed. Building relationships can help you demonstrate your value and potential to the organization.

4 Showcase your achievements

You may think that your work speaks for itself, but sometimes you need to be more proactive and strategic in showcasing your achievements and impact. You should not wait for others to notice or praise your work, but rather find ways to highlight and celebrate your successes. You can use various channels and platforms, such as reports, presentations, newsletters, social media, or internal events, to share your stories and results. You should also use data and evidence to back up your claims and show how you helped the organization achieve its goals and solve its problems.

5 Ask for a promotion

Sometimes, the simplest and most direct way to get a promotion is to ask for it. However, you should not just ask for a promotion without doing your homework and preparing your case. You should research the market and industry trends, and benchmark your skills and salary against your peers and competitors. You should also prepare a clear and compelling proposal that outlines your goals, achievements, impact, and value proposition. You should then schedule a meeting with your manager or HR, and present your proposal with confidence and enthusiasm.

6 Be flexible and resilient

Getting a promotion is not always easy or straightforward. You may face challenges, obstacles, or setbacks along the way. You may encounter competition, resistance, or rejection from your manager, HR, or other decision-makers. You may also have to deal with changes, uncertainties, or delays in the organization's plans and priorities. You should not let these factors discourage or derail you from pursuing your goals. You should be flexible and adaptable to changing circumstances, and resilient and persistent in overcoming challenges. You should also keep learning, growing, and improving your skills and performance.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?