Career-Job Promotion - 11 Tips For Easier & Faster Moves

By Jeynu West

Job Vacancy, Employment Jobs, Employment

Getting promoted to a higher position or moving into a higher level job does not happen automatically or frequently. Don't wait to be noticed and recommended for promotion. Instead, be a SMART-U. Be proactive and take specific steps towards preparing for that higher position so that you can move on more easily and speedily from your current position.

1. Identify the next position or job you want to move to. This is your targeted position/post.
2. Get the job description and person specification for that post.
3. Identify the key skills, qualifications and experience required for that post.
4. Make a list of your current key skills, qualifications and experiences and compare these to the ones required for the targeted post. Identify the gaps. Make a list of the new and additional skills, qualifications and experiences you will need to acquire to move to the new post/position.
5. Within your current position begin to look for opportunities to acquire these additional skills, qualifications and experiences. Volunteer for tasks and duties, even if they are outside your current job description, but which will help you get experience of the duties and responsibilities of the targeted position.
6. Keep diary notes of where and how you are gaining your new learning, new skills and new experiences and keep cross referencing these to the skills gap list you made earlier. Tick of each skill you acquire.
7. Wherever possible bring these new initiatives on your part to the attention of your supervisor or line-manager. This serves to flag up your enthusiasm and competencies and will further provide valuable reference information for your line manager when s/he comes to write a reference or recommendation for your promotion or move to a higher position.
8. If your current position or job does not offer you scope for acquiring these new skills and experiences then seek outside opportunities such as community and charitable organisations.
9. Once you have ticked off about 70% of your skills gap list start applying for your targeted higher positions whether these are formal applications or informal approaches such as a meeting with your line supervisor to discuss your promotion. Highlight the new skills and experiences you have acquired [your diary notes will help here].
10. During interviews do flag up how you sought opportunities to develop your skills in preparation for the post you have applied for. This shows great initiative and drive, attributes that are considered highly valuable in today's very competitive work environment.
11. Final tip: whilst still in your current position, begin to visualise and imagine yourself in the targeted job. This will focus your mind and mentally prepare you to step into that higher position/job.