Smart Promotion Strategies

By Carrie Smoot

Most people want to advance in their careers as much as possible. But many of us are unsure of how to achieve a higher-level opportunity. Would earning an advanced degree help? Which professional direction interests me the most? What else will I need to learn? Would I even feel comfortable in a new role? How is this going to affect my life? These are just a few of the questions that women ask themselves as they decide on their career paths.

Go Above And Beyond

“When positioning yourself for a promotion, make sure that your current job performance is strong. Make sure you’re performing at a high level, and that you have the training required for the next position,” says Kathryn Griffin, partner in the Washington, D.C., office of executive search firm Battalia Winston International (www.battaliawinston.com). “Focus on proactively managing your own career. Look for and seek out learning opportunities, inside and/or outside the company. Many companies don’t have formal training programs. Self-study on your own or as part of an ad hoc professional development company program. Stay current on industry and general business professional reading, trends, metrics and advancements. Most of all, don't just do what you're asked. Go beyond the required, take ownership and add additional value to your area of responsibility. Always be willing to take on new projects and be involved in new initiatives,” she says.

“A deep dive into a completely new area can bring valuable professional development to strengthen your resume. Often participation in special projects or company initiatives can add functional, technical, leadership and project management experience to one’s credentials. Additionally, the experience stretches one’s abilities in working outside their comfort zone, which provides added confidence or ‘psychological income’ even if a bonus or salary enhancement isn’t involved,” Griffin says. These projects will likely introduce you to people inside or outside the organization you may not know or come in contact with on a routine basis. This network creates another avenue to position your name, abilities and credentials for possible future interests.

Speak Up

Griffin recalls that at times in her career, she had a tendency to work hard and let her work speak for her. “But you have to let your boss and the organizational stakeholders know your commitment and the value of your work product-how you’ve helped increase earnings, saved money, increased the customer base or added value to the process and methodology of the organization. These metrics will be valuable when you reach for that higher-level position,” she says.
Before you apply, Griffin advises to seek out the support of a mentor or champion and capture feedback from your direct supervisor. “Your annual evaluation and the quality of your performance should not be a secret. It should be an open dialogue that occurs naturally with your boss,” she says. “If not, start developing the type of exchange with your boss that can lead to a more open dialogue and partnering.

“Obviously always be the utmost professional. When you reach for a new position, but ultimately aren't the individual selected, be completely professional in handling the disappointment. Likely more people will notice how you handle the disappointment—and your professionalism in doing so—than [they] would have had you gotten the promotion. A negative attitude, even slight, will hurt your career. A career and life [are] not about what happens to you, but [what] you do, how you handle the challenges and success,” Griffin says.

Ask For Guidance

Cyndie Shadow’s career has taken many twists and turns. She has been an English teacher overseas, worked full-time and as a telecommuter, and managed her own business, combining all of that with family life and earning an MBA. She has seen all her skills build on the ones before, and she is always eager to take on new challenges. Currently the director of the D.C. campus of the University of Phoenix (www.phoenix.edu), which has 350 students, she would eventually like to manage a larger campus. She is also enrolled in an online doctoral program in education at Walden University.

“At every stage of my career, even when I was building models in IT databases and other research work, I learned a lot by asking questions,” she says. “In many processes, there are certain sets of steps that have to be followed, and I learned a lot from those experiences. It’s always worth it to ask how something operates, and to ask for guidance,” she says. “And at every stage, there will be obstacles.”

In 2002, she and her daughter drove past the Maryland campus of the University of Phoenix. Intrigued, she applied for a teaching position there and got it. As she taught the adult students all about corporate finance, she was struck by the enthusiasm and career plans of all her students, and how everyone helped each other. “The online environment was really great. To get the most out of the experience, class participation is crucial. I loved the whole campus environment as well as the online one, and the University of Phoenix has a lot of great programs for working adults, including computer science, business and a new AA degree program,” she says.

Tap Into Your Support Network

“When I realized that I wanted to make the University of Phoenix my career, I talked with people about the path I chose—college chair and then director. If you want to move up, you really need a mentor. Confidence is sometimes difficult for women to develop. But as you volunteer to do more things, saying ‘I can do this,’ your confidence will grow, and so will the expertise on your resume.

“I also know how hard it is to manage schoolwork, a job and a family,” Shadow says. “When it came time for my doctorate, I realized that the only way I could manage it was online, and I would recommend that to others. I would also encourage taking time for yourself every day—otherwise you will burn out. An organizational system that works for you, and also enlisting your family’s support, [are] key to success,” Shadow says.

Make Sure All The Pieces Fit

“When you are considering a promotion, you first have to determine if you want the job. Are you going after what you really want, and how does it fit into your life now?” says Maryann Karinch (www.karinch.com), an Estes Park, CO, business consultant, speaker, trainer and author of How to Be an Expert on Anything in Two Hours (AMACOM, July 2008). Karinch is a former Washington, D.C., area resident. “Too many times, I’ve seen how people haven’t thought the opportunity through and have been overwhelmed,” she says. “A job is not just a title.”

Karinch looks at workplace interactions much like an actor playing a role would. “Know who the decision makers are in your company, and know what their vision is for the organization. Know where they are coming from. You have to fit the part in dress, knowledge and manner in order for people to take you seriously for higher-level positions,” she says. “In Washington, for example, propriety is important. Your basic personality does not change with new opportunities, but your role does. You have to be sure that you can do the job, and you may not be able to be as open as you once were with co-workers you now manage. In a new position, it’s good to outline new roles and responsibilities, but don’t ask for feedback right away from those you manage. Instead, talk with a mentor or someone at your new level to find out what you do well and what could be improved.”

And then, there’s the all-important interview. Karinch advises to prepare for it like you would any interview—knowing the requirements of the job, being confident in what you can do, preparing your answers to questions beforehand and being able to recall them quickly. Connect to the interviewer in some way, and send a follow-up note or email. Finally, remember to relax!

Assess Your Options

Sally Haver is a career counselor with the Ayers Group/Career Partners International (www.ayers.com/home.html) in New York, which provides corporately sponsored career transition, i.e., outplacement and executive coaching services. “There’s no one career path that is the ‘correct’ one,” she says. “Sometimes a move directly up the ladder is appropriate. At other times a lateral move is best. And sometimes, in challenging economic times, it may be best to stay put. Be aware of changes in your company. Evaluate your company. Do you like working there? Can you see yourself staying? Do they promote from within? If so, have a conversation with your manager, but be aware of all the subtexts. Any number of variables could be at work in whether a promotional opportunity is possible. Be ready to push back, if necessary,” she says. “Gather all the things you have done well for the company.”

Sometimes executive-level workers are unsure of the next move. “In that case, gather your personal ‘Board of Directors’—trusted colleagues and friends—and ask them for honest opinions about strengths and weaknesses,” she says.

And for people content to remain in support roles, Haver says it’s critical to keep up with the latest technologies to be valuable to your employer. Also look at the company’s strategic plan, the marketing plan and other supports, and learn as much as you can. “Be ready to move with the times,” Haver says.

Once you get the position, certainly there is much work to do at the beginning and beyond. “Conduct a listening tour to learn the lay of the land. Know your reporting relationships, and build constructive relationships with everyone. As always, do what you can to help the bottom line,” Haver says.

Carrie Smoot is a Northern Virginia freelance writer.