"I want a promotion if you hear of any opportunities...."

As you can imagine the life of a recruiter is predominantly spent interacting with candidates. Since starting my agency back in September I have more than doubled my network and interacted personally with well over 1000 individuals.

I actually LOVE this part of the job, as I get to hear about peoples stories and what has gotten them to the position they are today. It really interests me and I like to share my success story with others in the hope that they can see what can happen with the right level of application.

There has been one stand out theme with all my interactions - people are looking to be promoted. They want the next job, the pay rise and the next big opportunity. This is great as it shows that we have a generation of ambitious people who want to go places!

BUT wait for moment - the main thing that I ask myself and the individuals is...."Why do you feel you deserve this promotion?", "Are you currently being overlooked?"

The answer more often than not - is "Yes" they are being overlooked currently, other colleagues have been promoted ahead or external people have been brought into the roles. Now this is hugely disappointing for these individuals, BUT it also has to get the grey matter working and asking WHY?

What have you actually done to deserve the promotion? I have written in previous posts about this part of the job and it always follows a similar theme.

1. They are the top sales person or advisor or BM so they feel like it is their right to have the access to the next promotion
2. They have been there the longest so they have the most experience and its their turn!

I myself have worked with these very same people and have witnessed first hand them not being afforded the opportunities....it was easy for me to see why they weren't....let me explain.....

IF A HIGH FLYER WANTS TO BE PROMOTED INTERNALLY

It's not just about being the very best top performer unfortunately! Often this type of individual will be a very money focused person working in their own silo on daily basis. Not requiring much help, dealing with their own customers, not causing much trouble and delivering 15 - 20 cars per month. They have little or no regard for what anyone else is doing other than dealing with their own tasks and delivering a stellar performance month in month out and earning the ￡￡

Now internally from their side they feel like this is the pinnacle of what a Sales Executive should be - they are achieving and delivering month in month out. They feel like the best right?

WRONG! If they are looking to advance their career..... Whilst they are bobbing along this path they are missing all the other parts that make up this machine, the million other tasks that need to be completed by managers, the struggles that their colleagues are facing - all these parts are missed. To be seen as someone who adds value to the team is to be seen as someone who is ready for the next opportunity. Missing that customer to help "Sarah" with her close, arranging finance paperwork and completing the sign up for "Jonny". Handing over "Louise's" car on Friday afternoon after volunteering to do so in the morning meeting.

Breaking free from the silo and starting to add value to the wider team. You are looking at your daily tasks and looking at the tasks of others too. You don't need the title to all of a sudden become helpful and useful? In fact you won't get the title unless you are.

So start to think about what is your next role, what promotion are you going for? Have you earned the right to apply for that role with your behaviour and your contribution? Have you already learned the elements of that role? This will set you aside from external applicants, since you know the people, you know the brand, and you know the role.

This same train of thought applies to any role within the dealership, from driver up to General manager and everything in between. You have the ability to influence what happens next by your own actions.

On a final note - being able to gain a promotion at a completely new company where you have not paid forward any influence whatsoever is going to be a really difficult task. There will be the experienced candidates already serving in that type of role applying, then there will be the internal applicants applying from within that company, then there will be you! I'm not saying its impossible, but I am saying its unlikely.

SO WHAT DO I DO NOW?

You start to implement that steps above immediately. If you feel like you have been overlooked too many times and the trust has gone, then you need to look for a new role immediately. It will be a sidestep initially - BUT you can right away in the new company be that valuable team player, you can drop the labels from your old employer and start again. Be the best sales person, advisor or whatever but really add that value to the wider team.

It took me 7 months to be promoted from Sales Executive to Sales Controller in a brand new company then a further 6 months to become Business manager. So all in all just 13 months at a brand new company (and I had never sold cars before) to gain my first management role.

Take your next steps now and start to make some BIG decisions on your career. Don't dealy.

I hope you find this helpful, my inbox is always open and my mobile number is on my profile for any FREE chats and advice on boosting your career in the motor trade.

Thanks,

Ryan