As I read a recent Business Insider article entitled, “The Great Resignation is working for women”, I couldn’t help but smile. I’ve heard firsthand from my coaching clients about their “wins”, about how the pandemic brought them clarity, and how they are now prioritizing themselves in ways they had never done before. This same article also states that 31% of women who switched jobs in the past two years received compensation packages greater than 30% of their previous positions. (Side note: now would be a great time to clap for what this means in terms of closing the wage gap.) Along these same lines, a number of women still desire a promotion, but haven’t been able to clearly navigate a path in their organization to help bring their career goals to fruition.

Keep reading for my top recommendations when it comes to navigating your path to promotion so you can (quite literally) take your career to the next level!

The 3 Ps to Get Promoted at Work

1. Potential — identify positions you’ll potentially be promoted to and/or the title you’re aiming for. Once you’ve decided which seat you’ll occupy and by when, it’s important to understand what leadership expects when they promote talent internally. In essence, you’re asking yourself, “What does it take to be promoted to _______?” If you can’t articulate a response with specificity, you’ll definitely need more clarity. Please know that if expectations and requirements for your promotion aren’t documented, you should proactively have a conversation with your leader to gain the insight you need.
2. People — ask yourself, “Who can accelerate my goal attainment?” In other words, who will you need to partner with that can assist with your promotion beyond your direct leader? Your strategy for being promoted should include social capital. Whether it’s a mentor, coach, or a sponsor — your career success will never be a solo act. Remember: people will accelerate you in ways performance can’t. You should always have advocates close who are influential and who can open doors you cannot yet access.
3. Pay — when it comes to compensation, clarify and confirm that your next promotion meets your salary expectations before you pursue a job change. This means understanding how much the role pays internally, as well as what the market says you’re worth. One of the biggest mistakes my clients make is assuming they aren’t underpaid simply because their salary increased by way of an internal move.

Pitfalls to Avoid When Seeking a Promotion

Last but certainly not least, there are a few pitfalls you should absolutely steer clear of along your path to promotion. These common mistakes include:

1. Sitting on your ask — if you don’t ask for the promotion or express interest, it may not happen. I’ve spoken to countless women over the years who think their leader should simply promote them, or that their leader is aware of the obvious work they’ve contributed to the organization. I can assure you that assuming isn’t advantageous. Although there’s no guarantee you’ll get what you’re asking for, more often than not, you’ll get what you settle for.
2. Silence instead of self-promotion — communicate your area of expertise by consistently offering clear ideas and insights. Get accustomed to broadcasting your thought leadership in ways that benefit both you and the business you work for.
3. Solicit feedback so you’ll know what to stop doing — consider asking, “What should I continue doing if my goal is to become ____________ (insert promotion goal)? What should I stop doing?”

What’s Next?

At this point, you’ve probably heard of, or maybe even experienced, some of the negative impacts of our new normal. However, there’s another new normal that consists of positive effects of the Great Resignation for women. The task that lies ahead is choosing the path to promotion that works best so you can ultimately:

(1) stop doing the work in absence of the rewards

(2) excel at work

(3) know your worth and experience the fulfilling career you deserve.

Ericka Spradley, Chief PowHer Officer/Founder of Confident Career Woman helps women excel at work and know their worth. For additional information, visit: ErickaSpradley.com

Check out Ericka’s talk on rethinking career success in the new normal by clicking here.