I spoke with a friend the other day who opened up and told me that they were struggling at work.

They had been in the same role for 3+ years and, with no signs of advancement, they were beginning to look for opportunities elsewhere.

When I asked him why he hadn’t been promoted he shrugged his shoulders and said, “I don’t know.”

This, my friends, was the inspiration for today’s edition.

Promotions typically mean better status, better projects, better perks, and better money.

With all that, who wouldn’t want a promotion every few years?

That said, it is foolish to just expect one.

Promotions are earned not given.

Here are the three main reasons why you aren’t being promoted.

1/ You are underperforming

2/ You aren’t advocating for yourself

3/ Your company is hiring from outside

Let’s start with the obvious one…

1/ You are underperforming

We all strive to be good at our jobs. We crave justification, success, and the material benefits that come with being good at what we do.

No one sets out to fail. Yet, it happens all the time, and oftentimes it is too late for us to do anything about it.

The point is you won’t know you are underperforming until you ask.

Don’t wait for a yearly performance review to get feedback on your work.

Make the time now, so if there is an issue you can change it sooner rather than later.

When it comes to work performance there are 5 suggestions I always make.

1. Track your goals. If you can’t track it you won’t do it.

2. Get into an office. People who work remotely are at a disadvantage IMO. Meet people, shake hands, and advocate for yourself.

3. Ask for help. If you are struggling, let someone know. Most workplaces have tons of resources available that are just waiting to be used.

4. Change your habits. If you are underperforming spend time identifying and removing any unproductive or distracting habits.

5. Quit. That’s right, and there’s no shame in it. We can’t excel at everything. The only thing worse than quitting is quitting too late.


The first step to a promotion is doing good work.



2/ You aren’t advocating for yourself

If you identify as more introverted than extroverted you probably fall into this category as extroverts, especially in the workplace, are more likely to advocate for themselves and ask for what they want.

That said, everyone should feel comfortable advocating for themselves at work.

I am of the opinion that employees have never had more leverage in the workplace than they do right now.

Here are a few prompts to get you going and advocate for yourself.

Hey <Boss>. I was hoping to grab a few minutes on your calendar today to discuss the success of my last project and my future at <Company Name>.

Thanks for your feedback. I worked really hard on this. In fact, given this was such a win, I wanted to discuss the promotion cycle with you.

I’m happy to look into this for you, however, I was hoping to take on more responsibility this year. Can we talk about what that would look like?

You are the best person to stick up for yourself. If you wait for someone else to do it, you’ll be waiting a long time.


3/ Your company is hiring from outside

This one is the toughest pill to swallow as typically it is 100% out of your control.

At the end of the day, some companies just like to hire senior-level talent from outside the organization.

I don’t necessarily agree with it but sometime’s that’s just the status quo.

If you ever find yourself running out of rope at your company try asking yourself the following:

Do I know anyone at the company who was promoted to this level? Can I talk to them about their experience?

How did my manager get to their position?

Am I willing to wait longer - and potentially sacrifice years of advancement - for this promotion?

If you can’t see a clear path to a promotion in your current position it’s most likely time to move on.



Remember, work is important but it is NOT everything.

Don’t let any job or promotion define you.

Until next time,

Ben

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