Lion in Winter

OK, so I want a promotion (upgrade one level with accompanying new grade salary). I've read what the bloke on the internet has to say about it. Any advice from people here?

Successes? Failures?

Email and then follow up with a meeting?

Spring it on the boss in a meeting?

What to always do?

What to never do?

Anything else?

Answers on a postcard please...

mrken30

I bring it up at my one-to-ones with my boss. He keeps promising, but nothing ever happens.

Quite often they offer you a promotion once you hand in your notice. This happened to my and my colleagues at my last company.

Lion in Winter

I'm not in a position to try that tactic

How do people make the case?

joto

You could list any of the tasks that you have done that someone at the higher grade level would be expected to do, and your competence at them. Is the person, if any, at that level expected to be promoted or leave soon? Have you ever stood in for them? If there is an annual review with the boss, then that may be the time to voice a desire for promotion, if the review goes well, otherwise wait until good things are happening with the company (boss in a good mood) and email asking for a face to face meeting.

Lion in Winter

There may be comparable work at the higher grade, so I can work that in. I have been working largely without any direction at all, so that ought to be worth something.

Leslie

I think the culture of the company makes a huge difference as to what approach you should take.

It took me years to get where I am today in this company but I now make (literally) more than double what my starting salary was.

Some of the things that I think made all of the difference for me:

1. Dress for the job you want, not the job you have. I started really going out of my way to out-dress and out-groom management. So when the boss looked at me, the visual he got was of somebody more accomplished than those who were supposedly my superiors.

2. Start doing the more advanced work before you are actually being paid to do the work. Basically, I took the initiative before I had any promise of being rewarded. This is risky and, yes, I was taken advantage of for a couple of years before it paid off.

3. Let them know you are interested in more challenges (and money) before actually putting them on the spot. If you put them on the spot before they're ready to make a decision, or if they have something/somebody else in mind, the kneejerk reaction will always be "no". Plant the seed and later when they promote you they'll think that it was all their idea.

4. Do the things that nobody else is willing to do.

5. Play the long game. Strategery.

tom169

I think this advice is spot on.

Lion in Winter

All good points.

I have been playing that long game for a good while now, with the big break coming in 2013. This next jump is less difficult because I'm now in the head office and closer to the grade I want next, and an opportunity has presented itself due to other staff shifting around/leaving/getting fired, etc. I see a way to make my boss' life easier for her by stepping my grade up. It's a bit of a strike while the iron is hot moment.

Leslie

I was in that situation once in this same company. A position came open and I wanted the job. I sent my boss an email where I basically applied for the job. He called me almost immediately and said he had hired an outside person but he appreciated my interest. He said if she didn't work out we could talk about it then. She actually turned out to be great and she's still with us. I took that opportunity to let him know I'm interested in more responsibility and more money (I said it just like that) and that I loved the company and wasn't going anywhere. Ultimately, a few years later, I ended up in an even better position --- one that I thought was out of my reach, tbh.

Good luck! Even if you don't get this one, the next one will be yours.

mrken30

This is good advice, but unfortunately some companies will thank you for your work, but take advantage of you doing extra work for free.

I know at one time I was doing the job of about 5 people , including my previous manager that they had laid off. I got little recognition for the extra work. A lot depends on your boss and if there are budget constraints. If he is bonused on keeping under budget it will be a tough journey.

Leslie

I think that people have to be smart enough to figure out the culture of the company and adapt themselves accordingly. I figured out early that the "that's not my job" people never got anywhere in this particular company.

I also didn't view it as doing anything for free. I was being paid to be there for 40 hours per week. I used my 40 hours differently than others and rose above all of the other 15 people in my particular position. Many of them had been there a lot longer than me. As I said above, it is risky and you could get taken advantage of, I've seen it in other companies. Ultimately the only true risk/cost is the extra effort that you chose to put in.

mrken30

I guess my consolation was that I didn't get laid off unlike my colleagues. I wish I only worked a 40 hour week. Management in my industry unfortunately includes doing on-call and being expected to attend out of hours meeting with overseas offices. But then there was a merger and the more senior people from the other company came in and filled the "vacant" positions, just as I thought there may be an opening.

ian-mstm

Something I've always kept in the back of my mind... no matter what your day-to-day responsibilities are, your real job is to make your boss look good! That's worked out pretty well for me!

Ian

mrken30

I had a boss that would keep all the chocolates from the vendors for himself, unless I got to them first and distributed them around the team. I also gave the team performance awards whereas my boss gave out none in his 5 years of being there. I saved the company $1/2 mn in one deal and got no thanks. He was there just for the ride until his retirement.
So YMMV depending on the work environment.

At the end of the day, just try and enjoy your work environment. If you enjoy it, you will probably work harder and have potential for a promotion. Also sometimes it's better not to have the responsibilities that go with rank.

Leslie

J-

Some more thoughts.

Try to figure out why you haven't already been offered the job. Think of it from the point of view of your boss. Not to get too esoteric but --- Sometimes you have to put yourself inside their head. Is it about budget, or maybe your boss is a procrastinator, maybe she likes you in your current position etc etc.

One of the women I work with has made her way up by swallowing up other positions. Several times, when somebody leaves or moves elsewhere in the company, she has taken over their work for big money but yet it's still less than what it would cost them to hire somebody. Of course, this is all laughable because, before she started doing that, we all knew they did **** all. Your mileage may vary.

FWIW - I like the idea of a semi-formal email. The one that I sent, when I got turned down , was really more like a job application or a pitch for the job. I didn't get too wordy but I went into detail about why I was qualified blah blah blah. It is a completely acceptable format in this age and I think it gives both parties a graceful way to escape any awkwardness.