5 Things You Must Be Doing If You Actually Want To Get Promoted

Far too often I see employees frustrated because they feel like they are getting passed over for promotion. They see the name of the person who got the job and think, “That should have been me.” In many of these situations they are doing everything that is asked of them in their current position and assume that means they are ready to make the leap. It does not. Being good at your current level is important. It is not the same thing as being ready for the next level. Promotion is not a reward for doing the basics. It is a recognition that you are already living at the next level.

Item 1: Outperform Your Current Job, Don’t Just Meet It

The first thing you need to do if you actually want to be promoted is outperform your current job, not just meet it. Doing everything in your job description is the floor, not the ceiling. It makes you a solid employee but it does not prove you are ready for more. I like the example of great backhoe operator. Someone who is incredible on the machine. They are the best at that specific task. They assume that being great at running the backhoe means they are ready to run the construction crew. Those are two different jobs. Managing projects, organizing people, ordering supplies and watching timelines requires a different skill set. One of the most valuable exercises I have suggested to people is to print the job description of the role they want. That description becomes a better checklist than their feelings. If your performance only matches your current job description, you are not ready yet. If you are serious about promotion, you should be outperforming your current role and already showing signs of the next one.

Item 2: Build Real Connections With People, Especially Decision Makers

The second thing you need to do is build real connections with people, especially the decision makers. I am not a social butterfly and it took me years to understand that networking and connecting with people is not a dirty thing. It is how we are as humans. If you want to be promoted, people need to know you, not just your output. Get to know people across the organization. Talk to them. Ask questions. Learn what they value. Ask for career advice, ask for feedback, ask for more responsibility. Not only is this proactive, it is also a great way to learn about your organization and what is actually valued. There is a great Simpsons episode where Homer is upset because Mr. Burns does not remember his name, so he sends him chocolates with a picture of his family. It is a funny episode and a valid point. Your boss needs to know who you really are. If leadership genuinely sees you, and you are genuine in your questions and your desire to add value, they will know it and they will remember it.

Item 3: Add Visible Value By Steering Into Your Strengths

The third thing is to add visible value by steering into your strengths and solving real problems. You do not have to be good at everything, but you do have to be good at something your organization needs. In my own career, I was the least mechanical person on my crew and I knew it. I was not going to impress anyone with my ability to fix things or operate equipment. But my organization and computer skills were strong. When I leaned into those strengths, when I helped with spreadsheets, data, planning and systems, my supervisors started to see me differently. I became more valuable than I had been before, and my job became more interesting to me as well. One of the best things about being newer in an organization is that you are not nose blind to what stinks yet. You see the broken processes, the inefficiencies, the things that do not make sense. Use your strengths to do things better, come with respectful suggestions and a willingness to help. You do not want to offend people or bulldoze your way through, but if you can understand where your skills meet the organization’s needs and you actually help fix problems, leaders stop seeing you as just another employee and start seeing you as a difference maker.

Item 4: Be Brutally Honest About Your Gaps And Actually Work On Them

The fourth thing is to be brutally honest about your gaps and actually work on them. We are really good at describing what we are good at and very bad at understanding our weaknesses. Sometimes the most honest feedback is simply, “You are not ready yet.” That does not mean you can never be ready. It means you have work to do. I once had an employee tell me that he wanted my job when I decided to move on. I was very blunt with him. I told him I would not hire him for this position right now and gave him two very direct reasons. First, he had zero computer skills. Much of my job was on the computer, detailed spreadsheets and multiple programs, and he was unable to do much more than write an email. Second, he had struggled greatly with leading our one seasonal employee. He was in charge of this teenage employee and was frustrated because the kid could not do what he asked him to do. I told him multiple times, “You need to teach him and show him what you want. You cannot expect a kid to come in and know exactly what you want.” He finally asked to have someone else be in charge of that seasonal employee. So I told him I would never suggest him for my position because he lacked in those two areas. I think he was shocked at my bluntness, but he was not combative, and I hoped he would take it to heart and improve. I left two years later. He had not improved in either area. I was not involved in the hiring process for my old position, but he did not receive the job. He was beyond upset and left the organization later. The hard truth is that if he had addressed his weaknesses, which I completely spelled out for him, he could have been a great candidate. He chose not to. If you want to be ready for promotion, invite blunt feedback about what is missing and then do something with it.

Item 5: Communicate Your Ambition Clearly And Respectfully

The final thing you must do is communicate your ambition clearly and respectfully. I have seen multiple times in my career where an employee has felt like they have been overlooked or not given opportunities that others were given, and they have never actually communicated their desire to grow or to make a bigger impact. That is why I think it is so valuable to tell people what you are aiming for. My own career was pretty stalled out until I became more proactive in asking for opportunities to try new things. I started setting goals in my annual review that were unique and tailored toward experiences I wanted. I asked for projects that would stretch me. When I was given those opportunities, I did not disappoint. I always tell my team, “You are interviewing for your next job every day.” When internal promotions are available, we are basing our decisions on what we have been watching you do for years. Your job interview started the day you did.

Years ago I had an employee say to me, “Why would I apply for that job? You already know who you are going to hire.” My answer surprised him. I said, “Yeah, usually.” He responded, “See, that is bullshit.” I told him, “No, it is not. We have been interviewing since the day you started. If you think I would throw away what I have seen for fifteen years and base my decision off a fifteen minute interview, that would be bullshit.” If you want to be promoted, tell your leaders you are interested in growing and ask them what they would need to see from you to consider you for that role someday. Then live that answer every day. Your leaders cannot support a future they do not know you want, and they cannot ignore years of behavior they have already watched.

In Conclusion

If you want to be promoted, you cannot rely on doing the basics and hoping someone notices. Outperform your current job. Build genuine connections with people, especially the ones making decisions. Add real value by leaning into your strengths and helping solve problems that matter. Be honest about your gaps and work on them, even when the feedback stings. Communicate your ambition, not just your frustration. You are not owed a promotion because you are doing your job. You earn it by already acting like the person who belongs in that role, day after day, long before the posting goes up.

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