You’re a terrific employee. You routinely give your boss a favourable impression, show up early for work, leave late, and take on extra tasks. Nevertheless, you’re not moving up the corporate ladder. This may seem unbelievable to you, but it happens more frequently than you might imagine.
A recent Pew Research survey found that just 33% of participants were extremely happy with their chances for job advancement. 66% of people are still not happy or are just moderately satisfied. You don’t necessarily perform poorly if you’re not getting promoted. Because they place too much emphasis on working hard and not enough on working smart, many high performers actually fall short of reaching the next level.
Getting a promotion involves more than just experience and performance; there are other factors as well. If you’re fed up and ready to move on, but don’t feel like you could be making progress, here are a few reasons as to why you might not be getting promoted at work.
- You’re not venturing far beyond your comfort zone
A “job clinger” is a person who works at one place for an extended length of time, usually three years or longer. Being overly proficient in your work carries the danger of demotivating employers from giving you a promotion. This is because it becomes more difficult to replace someone who spends a lot of time in a single role. Years spent in a position conveys a lack of desire and a potential lack of interest in advancement within the company. Lastly, you run the risk of your talents becoming stagnant, in which case someone with more qualifications will probably get promoted instead of you.
- You’re not requesting a raise in status
Just working hard and keeping your head down won’t cut it. You must take the initiative. Hence, the ability to manage is essential for getting promoted. You gain trust when you facilitate your boss’s work. With practice, you’ll be able to foresee their requirements, which will benefit them and present you as a capable leader. When managed well, managing enables you to take charge of your professional development and create a strong rapport with your manager. By then, you’ll be able to collaborate with them to craft a compelling case for a promotion.
- You’re lacking certain essential abilities
The fact that you lack essential abilities for the position is another reason you’re not getting promoted. Keep an open mind to feedback so that you can make sure you’re ready for the following step. Plan a professional growth strategy and have an honest conversation with your supervisor. Make requests for chances to expand your skill set. Then, you’ll be prepared for the day when a role that fits your expertise becomes available.
- You’re not standing out to your leaders
Promotions are typically decided by several votes. Getting promoted won’t be simple if leaders in the organisation don’t know who you are and what you’ve accomplished. Some businesses, such as Dell, even deny promotions to employees who work completely remotely.
Speak up at meetings and take on prominent projects rather than blending in. Keep a running list of your accomplishments that you can send to your boss regularly. That way, if a promotion opportunity comes up, you’ll be the clear pick.
- You’re not open to criticism
You advance both professionally and emotionally when you seek out frank criticism. Because it’s a possibility for progress, it also raises your chances of getting promoted. Ask inquiries to obtain clarification rather than becoming defensive. Make notes and think back on the discussion to demonstrate that you are open to receiving constructive feedback. Being a leader means having an open mind and taking initiative. You can demonstrate your commitment and desire to your work by taking the initiative to improve.
It takes more than just a strong work ethic and excellent reviews to move up the corporate ladder. Together with your manager, come up with an action plan to advance if you’re not getting promoted. To expand your skill set, you might also think about taking a temporary job on a different team or making a horizontal shift. It could be time to move on to another company if you still feel like your career is stagnant. Even though it’s never easy to alter, you owe it to yourself to locate a setting where you can flourish.
(Tashia Bernardus)