Ace Three Behaviors to Get Promoted

Annual review season is here. Are you going to ask for a promotion? Master these three behaviors to make sure you’re ready for the next step on the ladder:

1. Prepare to ace your annual review

Even if the performance review is a perfunctory activity at your company, it matters. It helps determine your raise and whether or not you make it to the promotion-worthy list. That promotion may or may not come this year, but managers are on the lookout for those rising stars who can be added to the future leaders list. When you stand out from your peers in terms of how you prepare for and perform in your annual review meeting, you get the attention of your boss. In your annual review, articulate three new goals you plan on hitting or three new skills you plan on mastering in the upcoming period. (If you need some help expressing how you plan to go above and beyond, we include a formula in the CareerBlast?Ace Your Annual Review playbook). Your annual performance review is probably the most important meeting you’ll have with your boss this year. 

2. Show your commitment to the team and company

Are you overtly demonstrating your long-term commitment to your boss, the team and the company? It’s costly and disruptive to have leaders leaving all the time. Your boss needs people she can count on – those who genuinely believe in the purpose and values of the organization. If you’re an authentic fan (and why would you want to move up in a company you don’t believe in?) take on the role of brand evangelist for your team. Be the thoughtful, grateful team member who touts the accomplishments of your colleagues, your boss and the team as a whole.

And do the same for the company. When you take on the role of head cheerleader for your company, you move yourself outside the normal hierarchy and become visible to decision makers. To do that, you need to get clear on the corporate strategy, vision, purpose, and values. And you must act to promote the company:

• Volunteer to be a part of multi-departmental groups.
• Offer to mentor junior staff and volunteer to speak to new hires during on-boarding.
• Share company-created content with your connections through your social media channels (like LinkedIn)

3. Deliver above and beyond what’s required

Obviously, if you don’t meet the minimum eligibility requirements, you won’t even be considered for a promotion. But just meeting them is not enough. The professionals who stand out from the pack deliver value that goes above and beyond. To determine if you exceed the minimum, get clear about the role you seek and evaluate your performance on the top five most important skills required to do the job. Then find ways to demonstrate those skills in the role you have. If you aren’t sure about those skills, get more information from your mentor or people who hold the job you seek.

In today’s lean organizations, managers don’t take risks when it comes to hiring and promoting talent. When your boss thinks about promotions, she’s looking for someone who has already honed the skills necessary to be successful at this new role.

Here are some resources to help you get promoted faster:

• What You’re Losing If You Don’t Get Promoted This Year (Forbes Article)
• The Nine Predictors Of Promotion (free eBook)
• Ace Your Annual Review (Complete video and Playbook from CareerBlast).

William Arruda is the cofounder of CareerBlast with Ora Shtull and creator of Ace Your Annual Review, a proven system to help you ace your performance review and get promoted faster.