How to get a promotion

Getting a promotion takes a mix of strategic planning, clear communication, and intentional action:

• Verbalize your goals: Lorraine K. Lee's first point is to explicitly tell your manager you are aiming for a promotion, since many will not assume it or raise it themselves, and to keep those lines of communication open well ahead of review cycles 1.
• Make your contributions known: Mel Robbins notes that getting recognized matters, because busy managers may not notice everything you handle behind the scenes, so strong communication keeps your work from going unseen 2.
• Act like the next level: Vanessa Van Edwards suggests behaving like the role you want rather than just meeting your current job's basics, taking on more responsibility and solving future problems, since decision-makers judge candidates on whether they already show next-level ability 3.
• Be strategic about decision-makers: Lean into your strengths, understand your leaders' goals, and win the buy-in of the people connected to the decision, because hard work alone is only part of it.