Susan Colantuono: The career advice you probably didn’t get

Published on Sep 30, 2014

You’re doing everything right at
work, taking all the right advice, but you’re just not moving up. Why?
Susan Colantuono shares a simple, surprising piece of advice you might
not have heard before quite so plainly. This talk, while aimed at an
audience of women, has universal takeaways — for men and women, new
grads and midcareer workers.

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How to Get a Promotion Without Having to Ask for One

Are you interested in advancing within your company?  If you are, your first thought may be to ask for a promotion.  Of course, it is more than possible for you to ask for a promotion, but do you know that they are not always well received?  For that reason, you may want to consider holding off on asking for a promotion.  Instead, you may want to take steps to get yourself noticed at work, in a good way.  In fact, you may even find yourself being presented with a promotion, without you ever having to ask for one yourself.

As nice as it is to hear that you may be able to get a promotion without ever having to ask for one, you may be unsure as to how you can go about doing so.  A few of the many steps that you can take to help you get a promotion are outlined below.  With that in mind, it is important to remember that there are no guarantees.  With some companies and supervisors you can, literally, be the hardest worker in the world and still never see a promotion in your life.  Although there are no guarantees when trying to acquire a promotion yourself, it is important to remember that you have nothing to lose.

One of the many ways that you can help increase your chances of getting a promotion is by taking the time to help out your other coworkers, especially when they may be having any complications or problems with a particular task.  Extending a hand is a great way to get yourself noticed.  If you are interested in receiving a promotion, it is likely that you would like to be in management.  Managers are not only required to develop project task lists for their team members, but they are also supposed to offer guidance and assistance when needed.  Should you take the time to offer that same guidance and assistance to your coworkers, you are more likely to find yourself being noticed by your supervisors.

Another way that you can work to improve your chances of receiving a promotion, without having to ask for one, is by taking part in any optional meetings. These meetings may include in person meetings, video meetings online, or business conference calls on the telephone.  Even if your attendance is not required, but is allowed, you will want to participate in these events.  Even if you choose not to speak a word, your in person attendance will likely be noticed. The information that you learn about your company in these types of business meetings may also help to improve your chances of receiving a promotion, as you may retain knowledge that other employees are currently unaware of or unconcerned about.

You can also improve your chances of receiving a promotion, without having to inquire about one yourself, by offering to work as much as possible.  This extra step is one that you may want to take; however, you should consider your current social and family life as well. If you are able to work extended hours, work on weekends, be on call, or log in as many overtime hours as possible, you may want to consider doing so.  Your presence in the office after hours will likely be noticed and taken into consideration when it comes time to hand out promotions.

Another one of the many steps that you may want to take, to help improve your  chances of getting a promotion without having to ask for one is offering to volunteer for any activities that may be associated with work, but not necessarily for work.  This best example of this is by volunteering to play on your company’s softball or volleyball team.  This simple action not only allows you to have fun and possibly make new friends, but it also gives you ability to say that you “fully,” support your company.  Volunteering for something that is associated with your company, without any pay, typically creates a good impression.

The above mentioned steps are just a few of the many ways that you can go about trying to get a promotion without having to ask for one.  In the end, if all else fails, you may want to consider examining your other options, such as inquiring about a promotion or seeking employment elsewhere.

Ron Kish