If you feel that you want to take the next step in the career ladder in your work, you need to be able to impress those above you. A promotion won’t just be offered to you, you need to show that you are capable and deserve it. Particularly in the busy working environment of an events or marketing department it is all too easy to lose sight of the bigger career picture.

Here are just some of the ways you can secure a promotion and take your career to the next level.

1    Exceed expectations

It is important to remember that in order to get a promotion, you need to be able to show that you are capable of carrying out the role you’re aiming for. This means that rather than just meeting with the needs of your current job, you need to be able to exceed the expectations of your superiors. If you are consistently exceeding what is expected of you, you will stand out and it is highly likely that your manager will notice - particularly if you mention it in your one-to-ones!  Keep a record of your achievements - and make sure your boss knows just what you’re capable of.

2    Be responsive

We have probably all experienced those people at work who are always ‘too busy’ to answer emails, take calls etc. Too busy with what? These employees will be noted for the fact that they are unresponsive and inflexible, and this is never a good thing in any organisation. If you want to give yourself a good chance of securing a promotion, always be responsive and don’t use the ‘I’m too busy’ tagline as an excuse for not getting back to people.  

This doesn’t mean say ‘yes’ to everything. That’s a fast track to becoming a dogsbody. But if a request exposes you to a new part of the business or develops a new skillset, show willing - and grab the opportunity.  

3    Help others

If there are times when your workload is quiet and your colleagues are overwhelmed, always be willing to lend a hand. If anyone asks a question, don’t just roll your eyes and say you don’t know; try and help them as much as you can. The more you help others, the more noticeable you will become for all the right reasons. If your boss sees your colleagues respecting you and looking to you for answers, they’ll respect you more too.

4    Volunteer for projects

Most organisations will have fixed term projects from time to time and will ask for people to join the project group. This can be one of the most effective ways of getting noticed by the top management. Most projects need communications support, so your skills in marketing or events would be considered very valuable. 

Don’t hesitate to offer to lead a project if it feels achievable, even if it’s outside of your core role. Successful delivery of a project can make a massive difference to your profile and career. 

5    Be positive

Negativity is really harmful within any business and it can quickly start to affect everyone and drag them down. It is important to try and always maintain a positive frame of mind and stay clear of any gossiping. Don’t be dragged down by the negativity of other people, as difficult as that may be. Those who stay loyal, positive and professional in tough times will often be rewarded when opportunities arise. 

6    Make suggestions

If you want to become indispensable to your organisation and get that promotion, it is a good idea to come up with ideas and suggestions about improvements for the business. Whether these are taken on board or not, it shows you have a genuine interest in the business and your manager will be impressed that you are showing initiative.

Pitch your ideas carefully as you don’t want to be seen as being overly critical of the current state of things. A good approach is to say something like, “I see xxxx is working really well and I thought it might be even better if we did yyyyy”. 

7    Ask for it!

If you have been overlooked for promotion, it may simply be down to the fact that you haven’t expressed an interest in moving to the next level in the business. It is always worthwhile having a chat with your manager to let them know that you are looking to progress and to keep you in mind if opportunities arise. If your manager doesn’t think you are interested in moving up, they might make the wrong assumption. 

These 7 steps will not guarantee you get a promotion but they will certainly help. Sometimes, however, you may find that you’ve been pigeon-holded into a role with your current employer and need to look elsewhere for the next step in your career. 

Which is when you should talk to Regan & Dean.