I work with a manager who has a solid employee we'll call Christopher. During his annual performance review this year, Chris brought up getting a promotion. Chris does a good job, but frankly, it isn't anything out of the ordinary.
He does what's required and not much more. He isn't a mentor to junior team members. He doesn't apply strong critical thinking to his work, and he's missed some key opportunities because of it.
The manager asked why he felt he should be promoted. Chris answered, "Well, I've been doing this job for a long time."
If you think you deserve a promotion just because you've put in the time, you're going to be disappointed. The tricky part is that managers don't always spell out exactly what it takes to get promoted, so the path can feel murky. Every company is different, but these six moves will get you on the right track.
Avoid Entitlement
The biggest mistake people make when they're going for a promotion is assuming they deserve it. Even if the promotion is deserved, an entitled attitude won't get you there. A "give me" monologue with nothing to back it up quickly becomes background noise.
Entitlement can also make you fixate on the promotion instead of what you need to do to get it. If you're convinced there's no doubt you'll get the role, you're probably tuning out the feedback you've already been given about what it'll take.
Another common misstep is going around your manager to win over senior leaders, hoping to show off your value. People always notice this, though usually not in the way you'd like. Your manager, the senior leader or both will likely read it as manipulative.
Know Your Why
It's easy to treat a promotion as the next logical step and start moving toward it without thinking about what the promotion will mean for you. Before you set your sights on a role, decide what you want and why you want it. A promotion just for the sake of a promotion doesn't make you a strong candidate, and it can lead you somewhere unfulfilling.
Start with your motivation. Are you after a better title, more money, more influence, bigger responsibilities, a team to manage, a chance to learn, or something else? And will this particular role actually give you that?
Then look hard at the position itself. Set the title aside and think about the responsibilities and how much of your week each one will take. Will the job mean late nights or weekend work? Will you be on call? What new skills does it require, and how many of them do you already have? What people and organizational skills will you need, and are you comfortable taking that on?
Once you've assessed both the role and your motivations, and they line up, it's time to get noticed.
Go the Extra Mile (Strategically)
The people who get noticed are the ones who take on more responsibility without being asked and see what a project needs before anyone else does. What counts is the scope of what you take on. Volunteering for the cross-team project or fixing the process everyone complains about will do more for you than working late.
If you can do it without stepping on toes, you can even start taking on parts of the role before you get it. One of my clients had an ambitious young employee who wanted a promotion to a position that didn't exist yet. When his boss pushed back and said he wasn't ready, he came to his annual review with a list of the tasks he was already doing in that job. His boss couldn't argue, since he was already doing most of it. The new position was created, and he got the promotion.
One caveat: doing the next job without the title or pay shouldn't go on indefinitely. If you're taking on stretch work, agree on a timeline with your manager for when it'll be reflected in your role.
Do Your Current Job Really Well
If you're running on autopilot or letting parts of your job slide, you can come across as careless or uninterested. And if you can't shine in the role you have, why would your manager trust you with more? Doing your current job well is part of proving you're ready to move up.
I have a client who was recently passed over for a promotion because she was seen as having weak administrative skills in her current job. A little more attention to detail would have fixed it.
Ask for It
Make your intentions known! If you want the promotion, make sure your manager knows. Ask what you'd need to do to get there, then get to work on those skills. Your regular 1:1s with your manager are a good place to bring it up, well before review season. Even if you don't get it this time, you've flagged yourself as a candidate for the future or for a different role.
Speaking up matters even more for women. In McKinsey and LeanIn.Org's Women in the Workplace 2025 report, only 93 women were promoted to manager for every 100 men, and just 74 women of color. That gap at the first step up is a big reason to say out loud what you want instead of hoping someone notices.
Don't Be Afraid of a Little Self-Promotion
Remind your manager of the standout projects you've delivered. Don't assume your boss knows how great you are. You can fill in the details, which also helps offset any perceived weaknesses. Speaking up with ideas in meetings is another way to make your work visible to people beyond your manager.
It helps to have someone senior making your case when you're not in the room, too. The same report found that women with sponsors were promoted at 1.7 times the rate of women without one. A mentor gives you advice. A sponsor puts their reputation behind you. For more on finding one, see our guide to getting promoted when great work isn't enough.
Make Yourself Promotable
Becoming promotable takes time, strategy, diligence, and commitment. Get clear on what you want so you know exactly what you're asking for. Don't rely only on your own self-evaluation, either. Ask a trusted colleague or mentor for honest feedback, and really listen to what they tell you. A little self-awareness goes a long way.
Act as if you're already in the job you want. Pick up the skills you need, take some of the load off your boss's desk, and show you can solve problems creatively. Then remember to ask. It would be a shame to do all this work and miss out because you never said what you wanted. And if the answer keeps being "not yet" with no clear reason, it may be time to weigh whether to stay or leave.
This article by Dr. Lisa M. Aldisert was originally published on Success.com.
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