How to get promoted

Look good at the moment

Be positive about new ideas, never negative

Be easy to work with, low maintenance

Appear in control – tidy desk, everything delivered when promised, on time to meetings (see skill 5, below)

Reliable – always keep promises (5)

Look ready

Be visible so they think of you, e.g. take opportunities to present at meetings (1), volunteer to lead projects (4), speak at conferences (1)

Do it BEFORE you get paid for it – don’t ask for the money, that will follow

Look the part – smart, the right clothes, the attitude (7)

Be T-shaped so you have the specialist knowledge and also the breadth of knowledge

BE ready

Be trained and ready for your next position (2)

Take all the training you can

Volunteer so you get experience and visibility

Have your CV always up to date (9)

Know about job interview skills – answers to all the main questions etc (9)

Be doing some of the job you want BEFORE it comes vacant

Make it easy to leave your current job – everything delegated to an excellent team, all documented, so you’re not indispensable (3)

Friends and contacts

Be liked by your boss – low maintenance, helpful, use the communication methods they prefer and at the times of day they prefer, be honest, no surprises (8)

Be liked by colleagues in your team – help them if you can (6)

Be liked by other departments – no politics, honest, helpful (6)

Maximum networking in your local business community

Understand the process

Look at others who have been promoted – why them? How did they do it?

Help with interviewing others so you know how that process works (9)

Realise that when you move from functional (sales/design/tech etc) to management it’s a whole new skill set, and if you’re very good functionally they may not want to lose you

Have a plan

Know what’s available now and what’s likely to be coming up

Investigate and consider both internal and external options (2)

Who is leaving soon? What reorganisations are happening or coming up?

Are you sure you want it? Will it make you happy?? (2)

What skills / experience / and qualities will your target job need? Then get them / show you have them.

Position yourself as the obvious candidate so you’ve got the job before you even apply (pre-lobbying, having a public manifesto for what you’d do, etc)

Suggest / be involved in the design of the job

Ask!