5 Signs You’re Ready For A Promotion

Climbing the corporate ladder requires goal definition, commitment, capability and productivity. You’ve got several years of experience under your belt, you’ve put in your fair share of time, sweat, and tears, and by your calculations, it’s your turn to move up into a leadership position.

Here are Five Signs You’re Ready For A Promotion:

1. You’re really good at what you do.

Are you the one people go to for advice? When the program your department uses goes funny, do your coworkers come to you? Are you the one giving formal and informal training to the new hires? You’re ready to go on! While your company loves the idea of someone who is great staying in the same job, most places would rather keep you on in a higher role than lose you.

2. You’re bored, but effective.

Being bored isn’t always a sign that you need to move up. It can be a sign that you need to move to a different field. But, if you used to be excited by your job, and now you’re not, it may be time to move up. But, you still need to be effective. Bored and unproductive is a sign you need a slap across the face, not a promotion.

3. You’re starting to see a bigger picture.

The higher up the food chain you go, the broader the picture you need to see. Entry level roles tend to be more task oriented. Senior management roles tend to have few “tasks” and a lot of big picture thinking. The continuum between the two is ever widening. As you start to be able to see how your tasks fit into the big picture, and you have ideas on how to make that big picture better for everyone, it may be time to move up.

4. You’re smart and nice.

By smart, I don’t mean you have a high I.Q. (Although, that’s not a bad thing!) I mean, you know how to walk the walk and talk the talk for the position above you. You have some idea of the political pitfalls (and let’s face it, no one has a complete grasp on that until they are in the situation). And why nice? If you’re willing to step on others to get to the top, you’re not ready for a promotion. You’re ready to be fired. (Although, admittedly, stepping on others sometimes works, but you lose your soul in the process. Your choice.)

5. You’re ready to work your tail end off.

​There’s a stereotype of the manager, or senior people being these lazy slobs who make all their subordinates do everything. While these people exist, most often you find that the higher level the job, the more hours and more stress you have. This can be bad and good. But, if you are ready, willing, and able to work harder, longer, and smarter, it may be time for a promotion!