How to Advocate for Promotions

When I first started at my company, I was eager to take on more responsibilities but hesitant to speak up. I worried that my request might be seen as overreaching. Then, a mentor gave me invaluable advice: "Opportunities are rarely given; they’re taken." This changed everything for me. Here’s a step-by-step guide based on my journey to help you leap: ➙ Self-Assessment 📝: Before asking for more, evaluate your current workload. Are you consistently meeting your deadlines and excelling in your tasks? This will show that you're ready for additional responsibilities. ➙ Identify Areas for Growth 🔍: Look for gaps in your team or company where you can add value. It could be a project that's been neglected or a new initiative that aligns with your skills. ➙ Prepare Your Case 📊: Approach your manager with a clear plan. Highlight your achievements, explain how you can contribute more, and detail the benefits to the team and company. ➙ Show Enthusiasm and Commitment 💪: Demonstrate your passion for growth. Enthusiasm is contagious and shows that you're genuinely invested in your role and the company's success. ➙Be Ready for Challenges 🚀: Taking on more means stepping out of your comfort zone. Be prepared to tackle new challenges and show resilience. After implementing these steps, I not only got the additional responsibilities I wanted but also gained the trust and respect of my colleagues and superiors. My career growth skyrocketed, and I felt more fulfilled in my role. Big Lesson: Don't wait for opportunities to come to you. Take charge of your career by proactively seeking out more responsibilities. You'll grow, learn, and stand out as a proactive, driven professional. How Do You Go About It? 📞Regularly communicate with your manager about your career aspirations. 📞Seek feedback and use it to improve continuously. 📞Network within your company to identify potential growth opportunities. Have you successfully asked for more responsibilities? Share your experiences and tips below! Let’s inspire each other to take control of our career paths. 🚀 ————————————————————————— Meeting me for the first time? I’m Rudy Malle, a clinical researcher dedicated to improving public health outcomes, and a career advisor helping ordinary professionals take their careers to the next level to enhance visibility for individuals and companies. #CareerAdvancement #ProfessionalGrowth #TakeTheLead #WorkplaceTips #CareerAdvice #LinkedInCommunity #personaldevelopment #20daylinkedinchallengewithhaoma #rudyhacks

How to get promoted 10x faster than your peers. 𝗦𝗶𝘁𝘂𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: It was my first startup (Zenefits), and I was the last customer support rep hired on a team of 6. After 7 months my VP offered me an opportunity to lead support for a brand new product launch (Zenefits Payroll). I was given this opportunity over everyone else on the team. Including people who'd been there for multiple years. 𝗛𝗼𝘄'𝗱 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗛𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗻? Here's my honest go-to strategy for making things like this happen in your career. My advice has nothing to do with how I feel, believe or think things should be or work at companies. It all comes from being in the trenches, making a lot of mistakes, seeing people make a lot of mistakes and genuinely wanting to help others by sharing my experience. So please apply these things and watch magical things happen for your career. 𝟭. 𝗡𝗼 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 I don't complain. Not to peers. Definitely not to my boss. No one. This will always be one of the easiest way to differentiate yourself. People are emotional. Start ups are hard. People complain a lot. 𝟮. 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗨𝗽 Instead of sharing frustrations with my boss every 1:1 and giving them problems to figure out. I align on how I can help them with their goals. Try this in your next 1:1 Hey Boss, a lot's happening right now. Would you mind sharing what your top priorities are this quarter? I want to do everything I can to help and make an impact. And then whatever they say, focus on getting results for yourself (and your team!) on those things. 𝟯. 𝗦𝗲𝗲𝗸 𝗢𝘂𝘁 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺𝘀 Obsess over finding things that are hard and do everything you can to make a positive impact. For example, we had certain types of cases that were always the most difficult. People hated it when they got them. I told the team if you don't want that type of case then to transfer it to me and I'll take it off your plate. Guess what I did from there? Built a process for handling those types of cases and shared the results with my boss. 𝟰. 𝗗𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗔𝗰𝘁 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 People poo poo on this for some reason and I don't understand why. Yes, in a perfect world you should be able to do whatever you want and be celebrated for who you are but that's not the reality of companies or how things actually go down unfortunately. So act two roles above where you're at and make it so your boss and your boss's boss can easily envision you in a much bigger role. Remove all risk and concern by looking and acting the part well ahead of getting it. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝘁𝗵: These 4 things seem simple. Some may even roll their eyes. But < 10% of people actually do this consistently. Especially when things are hard. My longest post ever, Mike G

Who cares the most if you're promoted? You do! Don't wait until your manager offers to help get you promoted. Lead the discussion. Own your own growth. Last year I asked my manager how I could level up into being the technical lead on my team. She walked me through several key areas I needed to grow in my processes, communication and thinking. Some of them were: – Through tech spec reviews 
– Crushing my projects this quarter – Be the go to person for PMs and CX for issues – Help onboard other engineers and get them up to speed – Develop documentation for complex systems / areas of code – Give through, timely and helpful code reviews across our team – Be the go to person for technical questions in my code/product areas It took my 7 months of hard work to level up in all those areas, but it was worth it. I landed a 12% raise, and so many skills and lessons along the way. Being the technical lead for my engineering product team has been challenging, but also super fulfilling! If you have dreams of leveling up, or getting a promotion. Be proactive! Don’t wait until your manager brings it up during review cycle. Reach out to your manager, and mentors and talk through what it takes to get to the next level. 🚀 Own your own growth. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Are you actively working towards a promotion? What tips or questions do you have? See you in the comments 🙋♀️🙋♂️ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - If you liked this post, you’ll love my weekly newsletter: https://lnkd.in/e8d5ymr3 👉 Follow along as I share everything I’ve learned about becoming a #fullstackengineer and leveling up into a #senior+ engineer and #techlead at a hyper-growth #startup.

I have been promoted at every company I have been a part of prior to the year mark... At multiple companies, I have received 2 promos prior to the year mark. Top three things that have accelerated promotion timelines for me? 1. Establish the responsibilities of the next step in career growth at your current company... and start doing them at the highest level you can. Nothing shows you deserve a promotion more than stepping into that role without being prompted to. 2. Make sure there is a business need, that is clearly valuable in the medium to long term, that is met by you being promoted. No matter how hard you work, promos only occur when the company is aligned with your goals. 3. Advocate for yourself. If you are lucky, you have a good leader advocating on your behalf as well, but thats not the norm. You have to be your biggest cheerleader always in the most humble way possible. If you don't advocate for yourself why should anyone else?

The best promotions don't go to the most talented people. I’ve worked with thousands of professionals in my career. If there’s anything I’ve noticed after a decade in tech, it’s the fact that the promotions and high-visibility projects go to those with advocates. Here are the key reasons why advocates are essential for career growth (and some practical tips to gain and nurture them) 🔵 Advocates amplify your visibility. ↳ They talk about your achievements to others. This spreads your name and work beyond your immediate circle. 𝗧𝗶𝗽: If you’re a heads down person like me, it’s time to lift your head up to build relationships with colleagues and mentors who can vouch for your skills and contributions. 🔵 Advocates provide opportunities. ↳ They recommend you for projects and roles. This opens doors that you might not even know exist. 𝗧𝗶𝗽: Show your value consistently so that advocates feel confident in recommending you. 🔵 Advocates build your credibility. ↳ They lend their reputation to yours. This enhances your professional standing and trustworthiness. 𝗧𝗶𝗽: Maintain integrity and professionalism to ensure advocates are proud to support you. 🔵 Advocates ensure your efforts are recognized. ↳ They make sure your hard work is seen by decision-makers.This leads to promotions and career advancement. 𝗧𝗶𝗽: Document your achievements and share them with your advocates regularly. Bonus: 🔵 Advocates help you build a network. ↳ They introduce you to influential people. This expands your professional connections and opportunities. 𝗧𝗶𝗽: Your network is one of the most valuable things you’ll take with you in your career. Don’t let these opportunities go to waste! Seize the opportunity to build strong advocates and supercharge your career in the final months of 2025. If you’re not sure where to find your first advocate, try building a good relationship with your manager. Here’s my FREE LinkedIn Learning Course that can help you turn your managers into your #1 advocates: https://lnkd.in/gPXXNckd 💬 What are your obstacles when it comes to finding advocates at work?

I had no idea how promotions actually happened until I was a sales manager for the first time at Snapchat participating in my first talent review. I assumed as a sales manager, if you wanted to promote someone on your team, you just did it. Easy peasy. 😎 Wrong... 🙄 Managers have to plead their case, or "put someone up" for promotion. And even when they do, it's faaaaaaarrrrrr from guaranteed. Here are two questions that get asked of sales manager when they put someone up for promotion: 1️⃣ Who else in this room has worked with this person?  It's super important for you to grow your network with your manager's peer set. You want as many people in that room to speak up on your behalf. You want +1s all around. You want everyone to feel your impact, and sing your praises. 2️⃣ What did this person do to make the whole team better?  We all know this person is good at their job, that's why they are up for promotion. But what was their impact beyond their actual role? How did they grow and develop others, and level-up the entire team? Now that you know what they are going to ask, just reverse engineer your game plan to get promoted. ⭐ Network up and down and across your org ⭐ Make everyone around you better Both take time, and we're one quarter away from EOY reviews. Don't cross your fingers and hope you're on the promo list. Take control of your own career. --------- 🍕 Hi, I'm Meredith. I help ad tech sellers build unstoppable personal brands through my 1:1 and group coaching programs based on my 18 years of experience working at companies like Amazon, Snapchat, and Google. Book a free 30 min career strategy session with me to get ready for EOY review cycle 💪 Link in comments ⤵

I didn’t get a full-time offer during the 2008 recession. 💔 My career seemed to be falling off the rails. I discovered 3 career accelerators that changed my life. Quick story: I was an investment intern at Lehman Brothers but was let go due to budget cuts. I realized I needed to make myself irreplaceable when I got a new job. I hustled for another job and got a full-time offer at Credit Suisse as an analyst. I wanted to crush it and I did. I ranked as the top analyst in our office and was selected for critical projects. Here are the 3 career accelerators that helped me pivot from feeling lost to winning career-transforming projects: ✅ Mindset Our mindset impacts how we show up daily. If you’re nervous or skeptical about asking for a promotion or a raise, you’re more likely to minimize yourself. When you’re confident, stakeholders see your value. ✅ Self-advocacy No one cares about your career as much as you do. Instead of relying on your company or manager to give you opportunities, advocate for yourself and create those growth opportunities. ✅ Influence To win confidence and be seen as a leader who moves the dial you need to have influence. Get buy-in before meetings, be well prepared so you can capture your team’s attention, take ownership and lead with stories. You have to make yourself stand out to be resilient in challenging times. Approach your career like you’re leading a business. Strategic planning and long-term thinking are critical in times like these. How are you approaching your career? Tell me in the comments. #womenintech #leadershipdevelopment #management #career #workshop #womenleaders #careeradvice #diversityandinclusion

I’ve advised over 200 high achievers in the last 3 years. From F500 companies to billion dollar startups. 5 challenges that kept them stuck + how to overcome: (1) Demonstrating impact It's a harsh truth, but no amount of work will get you promoted. To level up you need to show impact on the bottom line. Recommendation: Focus on outcomes vs. outputs, and track your success. (2) Owning your time If someone else owns your calendar you can't be effective or make a big impact. But most people just accept what ever is put on their calendar. Recommendation: Be proactive, not reactive. Create you ideal schedule (I call it CEO schedule) and own your time. (3) Leveraging advocacy Your career will grow faster if you have key stakeholders ready to speak on your behalf. But most people don't have a strategic plan to build and nurture advocacy. When the time comes they need to beg for support. Recommendation: Identify your advocates and manage the relationship long term, to get undeniable recognition. (4) Having hard conversations The things you want most are on the other side of a hard conversation. Asking for a raise, getting a unique opportunity, sharing feedback, letting an employee go. Avoiding these conversations keeps you stuck. Recommendation: Don't avoid hard conversations. Plan and practice for them to reduce the anxiety and fear. (5) No vision or strategy You assume working hard enough for long enough will get you ahead. That's usually not the answer. Doing more of the same won't get you far in the corporate world. Recommendation: Gain clarity about your vision and what it would take to get there, so you can be intentional about how you spend your time at work. Ignore these challenges and you'll stay stuck for years. Master them and you'll join the 1%. *** Enjoyed this post? ♻️ Share to help someone get unstuck and grow their career

I learned early in my career: relying solely on my boss to promote me was a big mistake. I used to think it was their responsibility, but boy, was I wrong! Here's the deal: getting promoted is on us. We need to own it and take the wheel. Our boss can help, sure, but they can't decide for us. It's our journey to navigate. Waiting around for someone else to see our potential and hand us a promotion won't get us anywhere. We have to be proactive and take charge. That means identifying the skills and experiences we need to level up and actively working on them. It's all about seeking out learning opportunities, taking on challenging projects, and proving our worth to the organization. Building relationships with mentors and advocates who can guide us is key too. I can't stress enough how invaluable networking is in propelling our careers forward even faster. Networking opens doors to new opportunities and insights. Cultivating relationships throughout my career has been a game-changer, helping me accelerate my professional growth. So, never underestimate the value of networking. It can be a game-changer for you too. So, let's ditch the idea that promotions are solely our boss's responsibility. It's time to take control, set our goals, and go after them with everything we've got. By owning our career progression and harnessing the power of networking, we're setting ourselves up for incredible success and fulfillment. Take a moment to reflect on your own journey. Have you been waiting for someone else to give you a promotion? It's time to change that mindset. Let's own our destinies, make bold moves, and show the world what we're made of. #CareerManagement #OwnYourSuccess #TakeCharge #CareerGrowth #ProfessionalDevelopment