I’ve been promoted 11 times in 20 years at 6 companies
Here’s how I did it:
1. Eliminate entitled expectations and patiently play the long game
2. Be truly exceptional in your current role - don’t underestimate how long it takes to achieve mastery
3. Clarify and communicate your long term career goals including your ideal next step - it is not up to your manager or anyone else to do this for you
4. Demonstrate you can do the next role by taking on key responsibilities of that position - you don’t need to ask permission to solve important business problems
5. Make your manager’s life easier, become indispensable to them and seize learning opportunities to take projects off their plate
6. Lead by example by exuding optimism, assuming positive intent and helping others, especially through challenging times
7. Don’t complain and only talk about problems, design and implement solutions that drive real results
8. Act like an owner and don’t let your current job description hold you back from doing what is required for the business to be successful
9. Respond to inevitable disappointment gracefully and don’t give up
10. Choose the company and evaluate the hiring manager wisely - a great company and an invested manager are two key ingredients to create the conditions for career advancement
My biggest lesson 20 years into my career:
The promotions are great but don't feel as good as you think they will - focus on the journey and the process, that's the good stuff
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Megan Bowen on LinkedIn: #personaldevelopment | 24 comments
