How to Score a Promotion at Work

Promotions are not a given. No matter how brilliant you are at your job, you are not guaranteed a promotion. If your face doesn’t fit or it’s a family business and everyone else belongs to the family, you may never be promoted, ever. However, unless you spend your days grafting in a dysfunctional workplace, or you are seriously incompetent, there is no reason why your hard work shouldn’t be rewarded at some point soon. But to give you a head start, here are several ways to improve your chances of scoring a promotion at work.

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Practice the Art of Self Promotion

Ever wondered why sociopaths are so successful in the corporate world? There are several reasons for this, all of which have to do with the characteristics that make a sociopath the snake they truly are.

Sociopaths are charismatic and charming. They’re also blessed with a high degree of narcissism and grandiosity, so if you meet one, you can expect to hear all about how amazing they are, straight from the horse’s mouth. Sociopaths are great at self-promotion; in fact, they rarely miss a trick for shouting out about their amazing ideas or strategies.

You can learn from this. Instead of keeping quiet if you have a good idea, tell the world, or more importantly, your boss.

Improve Your Skill set

Never miss an opportunity to improve on your skillset. Acquiring new qualifications is an excellent way to boost your chances of promotion. You might even be able to persuade your boss to pay for you to attend college.

People who are degree qualified typically earn more and enjoy better employment prospects. Workers with an online executive MBA are even better off. Just signing up for an executive masters in business administration program can sometimes be enough to persuade HR to put you forward for a promotion and a pay rise. So try it and see if it works. Either way, you will be doing your career a huge favor.

Ask for Greater Responsibility

Don’t be afraid to ask for greater responsibility if you think you are ready for a promotion. By showing you are up for the job, management might sit up and take notice. If not, you still gain valuable experience, which will stand you in good stead for the next promotion that comes your way.

Make Friends with the Boss

It is always a good idea to build a rapport with your boss. This doesn’t mean you need to make plans to play golf with him every weekend or invite him round for dinner, but by having a more personal relationship with him, you will be at the forefront of his mind when a promotion is discussed. You can also have a heart-to-heart chat with him if you are passed over for promotion.

People with poor relationships with their boss are usually blocked from progressing within the organization, so you are warned.

If you are repeatedly passed over for promotion, consider whether it is time to leave the organization for pastures new.