Self-Advocating for a Promotion/Raise
Aspiring for a promotion or raise in your current role? Let’s talk about how you can self-advocate to achieve that goal! Coming from a K-12 background, corporate career pathways were a bit alien, so hopefully this 3 part series can shed light on how to advance your career in the corporate world.
No one is going to hand you a promotion or raise. You have to believe in yourself, decide where you want to go next, and start vocally advocating for yourself. If this feels icky or boastful, remember that everyone out there looking to progress their careers is taking the same steps. It’s ok to take pride in your accomplishments.
Firstly, you need to establish credibility by starting to perform the tasks of the new role you desire. What are the responsibilities of people in the job you want? Start doing those today. Look to influence your team by improving processes, taking advantage of leadership opportunities, or volunteering for more challenging work. Build your reputation as a meticulous and reliable colleague.
Then, explicitly express to your manager that you want more responsibility. This puts your aspirations on their radar and they might put your name forward for task forces, project lead roles, etc. For example, I told my senior manager that I was interested in DEI work, and he signed me up to be on a small workstream that created DEI initiatives for company leaders, which culminated in me facilitating small group sessions in front of managers and senior managers.
Lastly, once you start moving in more high profile circles, act like you belong there. You may feel out of your league at first, but soon this will become your new normal. Show up to every meeting prepared with thoughts/questions, and contributes ideas and solutions during conversations with higher-ups. People will begin to see you as a leader and your professional brand will evolve.
Overall, you have to trust yourself and be confident that you are ready for a promotion and a raise. Other peoples’ opinions will follow.
