As the new year dawns, promotions season kicks in. Companies who are evaluating and revamping their yearly goals are likely to move personnel around to fulfill new needs, thus opening up spots for promotions. If you’re just sitting in your cubicle watching everyone around you pack their things for the corner office, it’s clear that something’s wrong. Here are a few possible reasons that you haven’t gotten that promotion yet, and what you need to do to break the rut.
The number one thing to ask yourself is whether or not your boss knows you want a promotion. Although you may think it’s obvious that you don’t want to be sitting around in your tiny cubicle for the rest of your life, your boss will assume you’re happy where you are unless you tell him or her about your ambitions. Now is a good time to bring this up with your boss if you haven’t yet – with all the goal-setting going on, getting you on a management track is just one more thing to add to the mix.
If you have managerial ambitions, be sure to make them clear to your boss before you start telling your co-workers about them. If everyone but your boss knows that you’re applying for the new position that just opened up, it can make you seem overconfident. Your boss is the best resource you have when it comes to getting a promotion – make sure you take advantage or his or her suggestions and advice.
Finally, don’t try to start doing a managerial job before you’ve actually got it. You may think that you’re proving your leadership skills to the boss, but you’re really just disrupting the office dynamic and making life harder for yourself with all the extra work. Focus on doing great in the job you’ve got, and you won’t be overlooked the next time promotions season rolls around.
Photo © hohojirozame – Fotolia.com