How to Position Yourself for the Promotion You Want

Getting promoted isn’t just about doing a great job in your current role. You also need to position yourself for the role you want next.

That means understanding where you’re going, preparing for it before the opportunity is available, and making sure the right people understand the value you’re already bringing.

Here are 10 steps to help you position yourself for your next career move.

1. Know What You Want Next

You don’t need a five-year career plan.

But you do need to know what comes next.

Start by identifying the next step in your career journey. What role are you interested in? What kind of responsibility do you want? What would feel like a meaningful progression from where you are today?

You don’t have to have everything figured out.

You just need enough direction to start positioning yourself for what’s next.

2. Prepare Yourself for the Position You Want

Once you have an idea of where you’re going, start preparing for it.

Look at a few job postings for the type of role you want next. Pay attention to the skills, experience, and responsibilities they’re asking for.

What do you already have?

And what don’t you have yet?

Those gaps give you a roadmap for what to work on now.

If the next role requires experience leading a cross-functional project, find an opportunity to do that. If it requires managing people, look for opportunities to mentor or lead others.

Don’t wait until you’re applying for the promotion to start building the experience you’ll need.

3. Take Initiative

I cannot stress this enough.

Do not limit yourself by your job title or job description.

At each step of my career, I looked at what I wanted to do next and started asking for those opportunities.

Sometimes that meant taking on a project that wasn’t technically part of my role. Sometimes it meant volunteering for something new or raising my hand when an opportunity came up.

The value is in the experience.

You don’t have to wait until someone gives you the title to start developing the skills and experience that come with it.

4. Find a Mentor or Coach

It makes such a difference when you have someone to help guide and support you in your career.

A mentor or coach can help you see opportunities you might not see on your own, challenge you to think differently, and help you navigate the decisions that come with advancing your career.

Invest in yourself.

Learning how to navigate your career intentionally can help you go farther faster.

5. Use Your 1:1 Meetings Strategically

Your 1:1 with your manager is more than a status update.

Use the time strategically.

Come prepared with topics you want to discuss, highlights and successes to share, progress updates, challenges, and goals.

Use the conversation to get feedback and identify opportunities for further growth and development.

And don’t be afraid to talk about where you want to go.

Your manager can’t help you position yourself for your next step if they don’t know what you’re working toward.

6. Stay Visible and Top of Mind

Doing great work is important.

But make sure your achievements are noticed by the right people.

That doesn’t mean constantly talking about yourself or making sure everyone knows everything you’ve done.

It means making your contributions visible.

Share progress. Communicate results. Speak up in meetings. Contribute to conversations. Make sure the people who need to know what you’re contributing actually know.

You want to be someone who comes to mind when opportunities arise.

7. Keep Track of Your Accomplishments

Keep a running list of the projects you’ve worked on, accomplishments you’ve had, results you’ve achieved, and recognition you’ve received.

This is one of the simplest things you can do to make communicating your value easier.

Your list gives you specific examples to reference in meetings with your manager, during interviews, on your resume, and when preparing for your annual appraisal.

You shouldn’t have to rely on your memory to remember everything you’ve accomplished over the past year.

Keep track of it as you go.

8. Don’t Let Doubt Hold You Back

Belief and doubt take the same amount of energy.

Stop falling into the imposter syndrome trap and start recognizing what you already know and what you’re capable of doing.

You don’t need to know everything before you’re ready for the next step.

You need to be willing to recognize your own capabilities and trust that you can learn what you don’t know.

9. Communicate Your Value

This may be one of the most important pieces.

Doing the work isn’t enough. You need to communicate your value.

The hardest worker doesn’t always get recognized.

The person who can clearly communicate the value and impact of their work often does.

Don’t just talk about what you did.

Talk about what changed because you did it.

What problem did you solve? What improved? What results did you achieve? Who did your work help?

Your work has value. Make sure you’re communicating it.

10. Don’t Wait for the Opportunity. Create It.

You don’t have to wait for someone to tell you that you’re ready.

Start positioning yourself before the promotion is available.

Identify where you want to go. Build the experience you need. Ask for opportunities. Stay visible. Track your accomplishments. Communicate your value.

And most importantly, don’t let your current title define what you’re capable of doing next.

Don’t wait for the opportunity. Create the opportunity.

That’s how you start positioning yourself for the promotion you want.