Moving up the corporate ladder can be challenging, and at times, it’s easy to feel stuck in your position. Promoting is a crucial step in furthering your career but securing that promotion can be difficult. Whether you have a lot of competition, don’t feel entirely qualified, or are reluctant to ask, it is always possible to level up your career and advance to higher positions. Here we offer some helpful advice to achieving the career altering promotion you need to further yourself down the path that leads to corporate success. 

 

Apply for the promotion, even if you don’t meet all the qualifications 

A fair number of companies like to promote within; but even then, there are certain qualifications they require you to have. If you don’t meet all those qualifications, it can be intimidating to apply. The benefit to applying for a promotion within the company is that your bosses already know you. They see you on a daily basis and know the quality of work you provide and your work ethic. This can set you apart from other candidates who may meet all the qualifications but aren’t as strong of a worker as you are. If the qualifications are strict and you end up not being eligible for the promotion, that’s okay too. By applying you have an idea of what they are looking for and have a leg up when you become eligible for the next round of promotions. 

 

Don’t be afraid to ask 

Longevity within a company is a good thing, but believe it or not, sometimes it can also slow your growth. In some companies, if you have been there for a long period of time, you can be overlooked for advancement opportunities. Sometimes companies are afraid to change a good thing, so if they genuinely like having you in your current position they are likely to not want to promote you for fear of losing the productivity you offer in your current position. By going to your higher ups and asking to be considered as a candidate for a promotion you can help them to realize that they can use you to better other areas of the business they wouldn’t otherwise think of. 

 

Seek higher opportunities outside of your company

No matter how much loyalty you have to your company, it’s okay to look around. If you have been itching to advance in your field and time after time they deny that desire, consider looking outside of your company. The experience you have with your current or past positions will only be a benefit to you when applying to other companies. An added perk to switching companies is that often times, it is easy to negotiate a higher starting salary with a new company than it would be to negotiate a raise at your current company.

 

Promotional opportunities can be very competitive and stressful. The best thing you can do when promotion time comes around it’s to apply. It can never hurt you to try, but if you don’t try it will never happen.