Surprising Reasons Why You Haven’t Been Promoted Yet
As you progress through your career, you’ll probably reach certain milestones and achievements. These should eventually build-up to you getting promoted, but if that isn’t happening for you then there could be a few reasons why.
As you progress through your career, you’ll probably reach certain milestones and achievements. These should eventually build-up to you getting promoted, but if that isn’t happening for you then there could be a few reasons why.
You’re Sharing too Much Credit with your Team
Teamwork is essential if you want to climb the career ladder. Employers often want to hire people who work well with one another because it ensures a more productive environment. You do however need to make sure that you aren’t compromising your own career in order to help the people who you work with. For example, if you work on a team project then make sure that everyone gets the credit that they deserve, but don’t put yourself down to do this. Instead, showcase your strengths and tell your employer how you contributed to the end result. This will help you to stand out as a born leader and it will also help you to highlight the reason why you deserve a promotion.
You’re Not Utilising your Strengths
If you know that you’re incredibly talented at one part of your job, then seek out opportunities that will amplify this. For example, if you are great at creative design and a project comes up that would be a good fit, put yourself forward. Push your boundaries and also make sure that you are giving 110% at all times. If you’re not quite sure what your strengths are, then look at the feedback you’ve been given in the past.
You’re Not Getting enough Feedback
A lot of employers give annual feedback reviews. This is great, but sometimes it isn’t enough. It’ll probably take you years to make all the changes your employer is asking for and this is the last thing that you need when you want to climb the career ladder. If you want to get around this, ask your boss to give you some feedback regarding your recent work or even schedule a meet-up with them. When you do this, you essentially put yourself in the spotlight and this may open up even more opportunities in the future.
You’re Just Meeting Expectations
You won’t get promoted if you’re only putting out average work. You have to make sure that you are going beyond expectations and that you are also constantly surprising people. Think about it, when was the last time you got serious recognition? Are you becoming stagnant in your role? If so then it is time for you to make a change. You need to try and increase the quality of your work and also make the effort to stay later in the office too. This will really transform your career chances.
You Didn’t Ask
So many employees are scared to ask for a promotion. This can cause you to miss out on potential career-progressing opportunities and this can be frustrating to say the least. To get around this, sit down with your boss and discuss the goals that you have. Ask them what you need to do in order to accomplish your targets and get to that next level. If you want to become more proficient in a certain part of your career, then ask them to elaborate and also enquire about the best way for you to expand into a different career path. This will increase the chances of you getting that promotion and it will also help you to stand out amongst your co-workers.
You’re Spreading Yourself Thin
It’s nice to be the go-to whenever someone needs help with something, but if this is happening too often then your job performance might be suffering as a result. If you spread yourself too thin, then this won’t help you at all. If you want to help yourself here, then you need to make sure that you don’t take on too much at once. This will hurt your reputation as being an efficient worker and it will have an impact on your reputation too. Learn when to say no, and always make sure that you are prioritising your own job.
You’re Saying “That’s Not My Job”
As mentioned above, you need to know when to say no. The problem is that if you say no too often then this can also hurt your career. So if your supervisor asks you to do something, try and be as willing as possible. Sometimes it can be a test to see how far you’re willing to go for the company and if you pass then this can work wonders for your career. If you question whether the task is part of your job description, this shows a lack of community spirit and it may even leave you with a bad reputation in the workplace.
You’re not willing to Learn
When you were given the job, you probably had all of the right qualifications. If you haven’t taken any courses since then this could be holding you back. It’s so important that you continually try and develop yourself and that you sign up for training courses too. This will help you to become a much more efficient worker and it will also help you to improve your soft skills. There’s only so much you can rely on your experience when it comes to a job promotion and by beefing up your CV a little, you can be sure to improve your chances. Another point that you need to remember is that when a promotion does come up, you probably won’t be the only one going for the job. There could be a candidate who is far more qualified than you, and if this is the case then you at least need to be able to compete. If you don’t feel as though you are being given any training opportunities, it’s well worth trying to sign up with a university online. That way you can study in your own time without compromising your work performance. Online degrees are also seen in very high esteem, so you can easily boost your career chances without overwhelming yourself.
They Can’t afford the Promotion
If you are working for a very small company, there’s a high chance that they can’t afford to promote you as soon as you start to show promise. It helps to talk with your boss so you can find out about any opportunities that may be coming up, and if you will get an increase in your salary. There is absolutely nothing wrong with having a frank discussion and sometimes it can really help your career. Another thing that you can do is talk to the people who have been promoted in the past. Ask them how they were approached, and if they did anything definitive to try and get the boost. If you know that there is absolutely no room for progression any time soon then it may be time for you to start seeking out other opportunities. This can seem drastic, especially if you actually enjoy working for the company but sometimes you need to put your career first.
If you do decide to go for another position, then try and enter it at a higher level than you are now. The last thing that you need is to be stuck in the same position. During the interview process, it also helps to discuss any progression opportunities and to also find out what you need to do in order to advance the company ladder. Most employers would be more than happy to discuss this with you, and it always helps to prepare yourself.