Month after month, it seems as though an increased number of jobs are being removed from the workplace – either in the form of job cuts or in the form of companies making the choice to not fill vacant positions. As a result, if you’re looking into starting a job search, you might want to think about things a little bit differently. Not only is there a lot of competition out there with people making efforts for finding a new job, but also there are fewer positions available.
In other words, rather than focusing on finding a new job and starting a fresh job search, you may want to focus your attention on seeing what you can do to get a promotion. After all, if you like your job and you know that the company that you are working with is stable, why go through the stress of a job search?
In order to get a promotion, you’re going to want to keep the following in mind:
- In order to move up the corporate ladder (even if you work for a small company) you are going to need to show your employer what you can do; you’re going to need to establish a consistent record of accomplishment.
- Getting a promotion isn’t like finding a job in that it’s not always going to come from applying for a new position. Often, the best way to move up within the company is going to be focusing yourself on learning more about the company’s inner workings and gaining the knowledge and skills that a higher position would require.
- It’s important to take the lead. On some levels, leading is about showing others the way, but on others the focus is on your willingness to grow and adapt in the position. Asking for – and acting on – feedback about your performance, working with a mentor can help you to learn a lot about changes that have been made in the past and help you to establish more solid relationships in the workplace.
- Making a commitment to the company and to yourself is important; when you are focused on learning what it takes to get a promotion, one of the most important things that you can do is to show that you are dedicated to the company, to your position and to performing at your absolute best.
On some levels, the process that you’ll go through to get a promotion isn’t altogether different from finding a job, but there are benefits to not starting a job search. Once you have made your way into a company, you’re going to find that you are in a position in which your potential has already been seen; by living up to that potential and showing your supervisors that you have even more to give, you won’t just secure your current position. Instead, you will also be well on your way to finding the growth and long term success that you have been looking for.
Copyright 2008, Cecile Peterkin. All rights reserved.