Why do you want this promotion?
Can you confidently explain how you've grown in your role
since you started?
As employees, we have to be our own cheerleaders.
However, advocating for yourself in the professional world
is essential to career progression because if not you,
then who?
Hello, and welcome back to Indeed's YouTube channel.
This is the career tip series.
I'm Sinéad, and today we are going to prepare you
to confidently ask for a promotion.
I'm about to share six steps to prepare you
for this conversation so that when it comes time to sit down
with the decision maker, you can approach them
with confidence and poise.
All right, let's get started with our first step
in preparing to ask for a promotion.
Step number one, reflect on what you want.
Ask yourself, what am I expecting
to gain from this promotion?
One of the main reasons that employees
work so hard to awards and promotion
is, of course, the promise of a salary increase.
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And while a promotion may come with some extra cash,
what if it doesn't?
Now if you're not exactly sure what
you can expect from a promotion, talk to more senior members
of your company to collect their perspectives on what could
be included in a new position.
But what if what you really are looking for
is just that salary increase.
If you love your current role and what you're doing.
But you feel that you have exceeded expectations
be clear in what type of support you are looking
for from your management.
Is it recognition that you seek, financial compensation,
or is it just career growth?
Be honest here.
Remember, this is not only an investment
for you, but for the company as well.
If a promotion comes with the responsibility of managing
people and you know this is not something you're interested in,
talk to your manager about growth opportunities
as an individual contributor.
Again, honesty is truly the best policy here.
Let's continue to grow together professionally.
Be sure to give this video a like and, of course,
subscribe to our channel down below so you never miss out
on our weekly career tips.
Step number two, research and gather
components for your case.
You can prepare, and then prepare some more.
But if you don't thoroughly conduct your research,
you could find it very difficult to build
your case for a promotion.
Here are three areas to review.
Salary, you definitely want to be
in the know when it comes to estimated
salaries for this new position.
So begin by reviewing the average salary for your role,
per region and industry.
You can find all of this information
on websites such as Indeed Salaries, Glassdoor,
Pay Scale, or salary.com.
Current role performance, does your department
have a rubric or a role matrix that
determines where you stand.
If so, leverage this resource to see
where you fall in terms of responsibilities, titles,
and so forth.
It could be that your current performance is only meeting
the expectations of your role.
Now, on the contrary, you may discover
that you have been totally crushing it
in your position and then some.
And therefore, you should definitely
feel confident in moving forward with your case.
Seriously, you've got this.
Step number three, establish your reasoning.
By now you have reflected on what
you're looking for in a promotion
and conducted your research.
So now it's time to build your case.
Remember, keep it simple and stick to the facts.
Share metrics of your success and any data
that relates to how you have exceeded
the responsibilities of your current role, all of which
show that you're ready for more.
To further prove your impact, analyze your job description
and the responsibilities of your role.
And then ask yourself, have you taken
on more than what is expected for your role?
And if so, how have you handled it?
Overall, if you feel that you have really
taken initiative outside of your assigned scope of work,
this can give you great justification
for more pay or promotion.
Then prepare examples of how you are ready to take
on these responsibilities.
And think of this process similar to the way in which we
highlight areas of our resume using bullet
points and certain phrases.
You can also develop a portfolio of your solutions and services
to demonstrate your ability to provide results to ensure
that someone will be able to complete your tasks when you
move on to your new position.
Step number four, consider your timing.
Although there really is no time like the present,
consider how your timing may impact the company.
You might benefit from asking for your promotion
after a successful event or after a notable professional
achievement.
For example, companies that have recently
signed new deals or a accomplished notable sales
goals may now have a bigger budget
that can in part be put towards promoting
their employees, which, obviously,
is very helpful for you who is currently seeking a promotion.
Now on the flip side, asking for a promotion
in the middle of a quarter or perhaps during a budget cut
only increases the chances you'll be rejected.
So really consider how your company is performing
revenue wise.
Overall, has the company had a good year
or has it been challenging?
These factors can determine if there
is a budget available for an increase in pay.
So after contemplating your why, start to think of when to ask.
And then move on to step number five, prepare your supervisor.
Taking initiative and asking for a promotion requires
you to be prepared to answer any questions your manager
may have.
Put yourself in the shoes of the person who ultimately
has the decision-making power.
Are you prepared to address all possible questions or concerns?
And know that ideally you will want
to set up a meeting with your supervisor
to discuss a promotion.
So here's a pro tip.
Make the meeting invitation title unique to the situation.
Asking for a promotion should be done outside of a regular one
on one.
So your manager should receive some notice
to prepare ahead of time.
However, if you do have an upcoming performance review,
you can definitely ask about a promotion then.
And if there isn't a review planned, request one.
This may sound something like, "Hi, Sarah.
Now that I've been in this role for a year,
I'd like to set some time to discuss
my growth with the company.
Can I schedule a meeting on your calendar for early next week?"
Since an in-person meeting is ideal,
see if this is an option.
However, if you're strictly a remote employee,
you can expect to have this conversation
through a video conference.
Once they have agreed to meet, send them
a calendar invite with the subject
name "Growth discussion."
And remember, your manager may not
have the final say on the promotion.
If that is the case, ask if there are additional team
members you should meet with.
Now if your manager does have the final say
and you get a no to a promotion, just
know that this isn't a permanent no.
Take initiative and request that they
share with you any actionable steps that you
can take or SMART goals.
If they don't know or they need some more time
to consider what you're seeking, ask for a timeline.
So you'll know when to follow up with them,
while also allowing them some time to think it all over.
And then get ready for step number
six, be ready to negotiate.
So let's say a promotion looks promising,
but the terms aren't fully set in stone,
or you've got the promotion, but the offer isn't exactly what
you were looking for.
In cases like these, it's crucial to strategize
on how you want to negotiate.
Some may ask for a 10% to 20% increase than what
they are currently making.
But before you assume how much to ask for do your research.
For example, if you currently make $40,000,
but you see that others in your city with a similar job title
are making $57,000, you may want to consider addressing this
with your manager.
And if the offer still doesn't align with other similar roles
or if you had a specific amount in mind that is just not being
met, be prepared to negotiate.
Now we do have an entire video on this topic, which you
can check out right up here.
As it relates to your career, you
may have an ideal salary range in mind.
And your employer may have another value
in their mind for the position.
So be sure to know your worth and never undervalue yourself.
Conduct your salary research, and find a place
where you feel like you're being appropriately compensated.
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If you found this video helpful, please
be sure to give us a like, subscribe to our channel,
and, of course, hit that notification bell
so that you never miss out on our weekly career tips.
For even more on salary negotiation,
check out our playlist and dive deep with this video.
I'm Sinéad.
Thank you all so much for watching.
We'll see you next time.
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