As Abraham Lincoln once said, “The best way to predict the future is to create it." If you want to advance your career but don’t know where to start, here are some things you can do to get promoted at work.
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1. Be a Model Employee
Rule number one for being a good employee is to always be on time and ready to go. Even if you work in a culture that runs behind schedule, it’s better to be on time—or even early—each day and to every meeting.
If you’re leading the meeting, show up with an agenda and be an active timekeeper. It’s a sign that you’re organized, respect people’s time, and serve as a role model to peers. At the end of the meeting, give a quick recap and identify next steps.
2. Solve Problems, Don't Just Identify Them
One of the best ways to stand out as a budding leader—regardless of your current role—is to be self-sufficient and demonstrate solid judgment. Doing so won’t just set you apart as a critical asset to your team but also serve as a tactic to further develop your leadership skills. A helpful mantra is, “Be a problem solver, not a problem identifier.”
When you raise an issue to your boss, also propose a solution. Busy leaders often get bogged down by solving every problem their team faces. Do your boss a favor and find workarounds rather than just surface issues.
Related: Why Problem-Solving Skills Are Essential for Leaders in Any Industry
3. Respect Your Boss's Time
Be considerate of your boss’s time. Before asking for help, consider the level of urgency and try solving the problem—or at least brainstorm a plan of action to run by your manager. Making an attempt first will demonstrate you know how to take initiative.
For things that require your boss’s intervention but aren’t time-sensitive, keep a running list of items to discuss. Ask if you can get some time on your manager’s calendar and outline what you’d like to discuss in your meeting invite so you both come prepared.
Related: How to Be More Productive at Work
4. Don't Be a Squeaky Wheel
Perhaps most important is a can-do attitude. Anything you can do to minimize your boss’s workload will likely benefit you in the long run. You can help by volunteering to take on something new or brainstorm solutions when a crisis pops up.
Baseball great Wade Boggs once said, “A positive attitude causes a chain reaction of positive thoughts, events, and outcomes. It’s a catalyst, and it sparks extraordinary results.”
So, whatever you do, don’t be a whiner. Even if you’re feeling stressed, save your venting for a friend and present a positive front to your boss.
5. Serve as a Vault
Earn trust by keeping information about confidential or sensitive subjects to yourself. Beyond that, don’t gossip or backstab at the water cooler. By being a stand-up employee, you'll earn trust and respect.
6. Make Your Boss Look Good
Staying organized and moving quickly can make you, and your boss, look good. But don’t move too fast. Getting things done efficiently is important, but quality matters, too.
Ensure your work represents your company well. If you take on additional responsibilities, confirm they align with what’s expected of you. Your work reflects on your boss, so make sure they’re proud of you and your product.
7. Ask for Advice
It may seem counterintuitive, but asking your boss for advice can yield dividends. According to research by Harvard Business School Professor Alison Wood-Brooks, “Individuals perceive those who seek advice as more competent than those who do not.”
Timed right, asking your boss for guidance can work to your advantage.
8. Speak Up
As Aristotle said, “There’s only one way to avoid criticism: Do nothing, say nothing, and be nothing.” Since you’re reading this article, you clearly want to stand out, so speak up.
Confidently sharing your views and expertise in conversations or meetings allows you to demonstrate your knowledge and skills. You can also make an impression on your colleagues and superiors.
9. Project Confidence
Being a strong communicator is more than what you say. How you say it—both in your body language and tone of voice—may matter more than the words themselves.
Albert Mehrabian, a professor at the University of California, Los Angeles, and an expert in nonverbal communication, proved through his research that what you say is negligible compared to how you say it. Body language and inflection matter more.
“Nonverbal elements are particularly important for communicating feelings and attitude, especially when they’re incongruent: If words and body language disagree, one tends to believe the body language,” Mehrabian told the site Right Attitudes.
That said, you can look like a leader through confident body language, such as your posture, stance, handshake, eye contact, and smile.
Related: 4 Tips for Developing Your Personal Leadership Style
10. Advance Your Education
What else can you do to propel your career growth? If you want to sharpen your skills but don’t have the time or resources to go back to school full- or even part-time, consider taking an online course.
According to HBS Professor Das Narayandas, there’s a plethora of options that can benefit you and your employer.
As Narayandas said to the Harvard Business Review, “The good news is that the growing assortment of online courses, social and interactive platforms, and learning tools from both traditional institutions and upstarts…offers a solution. [They’re] flexible and immediately accessible, and it enables employees to pick up skills in the context in which they must be used. In effect, it’s a 21st-century form of on-the-job training.”
There are many affordable online business courses that can work around your schedule. Your employer might even cover the cost.
One to consider is Leadership Principles. It features interactive exercises to help you if you’re an early- or mid-career professional preparing for a leadership role.
How Quickly Should You Expect to Get Promoted?
Above all else, it’s crucial to identify what’s driving you to get a job promotion. Beyond wanting to advance in your career, think of the bigger picture and identify how your promotion will benefit your organization. Your motivation doesn’t just boost your professional trajectory; it also provides value to your company.
Don’t expect immediate results. Instead, focus on your personal development and seek ways to become a more well-rounded professional. A promotion may come when you least expect it.
If online learning interests you, explore our portfolio of online courses and download our free guide on how to advance your career with essential business skills.
This post was updated and republished on April 27, 2023. It was originally published on May 28, 2019.
