Asking for a promotion you know you deserve can feel daunting but it doesn’t have to be that way.
Like any part of your career, it’s important to do the groundwork and prepare if you want to take your career to the next level with an exciting promotion. Yet women often feel uncomfortable asking for a promotion, even when they’ve proven to be more than capable of deserving one!
As a leadership expert, I guide women I work with to make sure they are set up to get the promotion they deserve to take their career to the next level. With my 3 Ps, here’s how you can do the same too.
Plan
It’s important to know the direction you want your career to move in. When you know this, you can say yes or no to opportunities knowing if it’s aligned with what you want.
Some questions to ask yourself could be:
What do you enjoy about the current role, where do you see yourself in 5 years and are there any new skills you would like to develop?
When you do these things, you are setting yourself up to be prepared for a promotion quicker than if you didn’t have a plan in mind.
Praise
Sadly, according to recent studies, women have to do much more than men in terms of effort to get the same recognition in the same role. One study found women are judged to have less leadership potential, making them 14% less likely to be promoted. Yet, this couldn’t be further from the reality!
We need to ensure we are signposting and getting acknowledged in our role and also beyond it to get a promotion.
Don’t feel as if these stats mean a promotion isn’t on the cards though. There is a rising number of women that are taking negotiations into their own hands, and with 37% of women negotiate for promotions it is now more than their male counterparts.
Prepare
Set the scene and get comfortable talking about promotions and aspirations with your manager. This will boost your confidence and put you in mind for these opportunities. It shouldn’t come as a surprise when you do go for these opportunities. These steps will make these conversations about promotions so much less awkward.
Recent studies show women positively affect employee engagement and retention. As a matter of fact, Fortune 500 companies with a high number of women in executive positions report they have better financial performance than their competitors that have fewer women on their boards. So recognise that we have so much to offer in the workplace and reach for that promotion!
About the Author
Rebecca Ann is a Leadership Mentor helping women unlock their true potential and Founder of the Successful Leaders’ Collective – a community of exceptional women ready to make their mark on the world. You can find out more here – https://successfulleaderscollective.com/
