Concerns about safety have reduced in some corners of the community and we see many people making the most out of the present situation, often riding through the difficulties and waiting to see what will happen next. Although recent events have raised concerns about personal wellbeing and career advancement, those who have chosen to remain have clearly demonstrated that they are determined to do the best they can, with what they have.
It may seem strange, but your best career opportunity this year could be right under your nose, but it’s likely that you’re not exploring possible avenues for advancement within your own company. Perhaps you have already asked for a promotion and had your request turned down. This doesn’t mean you have to accept your present position as a dead end, nor does it mean you have to look elsewhere for a better job.
If you’re anxious to move ahead and you like your company and the working environment it generates, you should take advantage of the inside track you have to advance yourself.
The position you now hold gives you a strategic vantage point for a promotion, and you should not be reluctant to make the most of it. There are three job improvement advantages you have in your present company.
First, you have access to the people in the organization who can help you determine what your company needs to increase its level if success.
Second, by identifying these needs, you can put yourself in a position to help make priority contributions to your organization.
Finally, it is a recognized fact that company management will promote from within when they believe the move will upgrade their operations.
Someone who knows the organization has more potential value to the firm than a new employee who must be “broken in”, provided the staff member knows how to demonstrate value.
It is also a fact that good companies are willing to pay attractive salaries to those who can make productive contributions to the company.
Even though the positive environment for promotion exists, most employers don’t go after internal advancement in the right way. They often travel one of two routes: talk to their boss or wait for the promotion to happen. Both are inefficient methods.
Talking to your boss about a promotion raises your personal problem to a supervisor who is probably faced with numerous other current issues. It is likely to get lost among the other problems awaiting a solution.
Waiting for a promotion presupposes that management has both the time and the motivation to observe and reward every employee’s contributions. This does happen occasionally, but it is always preferable to take a proactive rather than a passive stance.
So how do you take a proactive stance? By developing and implementing an internal campaign!
Don’t begin your campaign if you are behind in your work or if you are experiencing conflict in your working relationships with people.
Catch up with your responsibilities and begin to plan each workday so that every task you must perform is completed reliably and on time.
Commit yourself to good human relation practices with your supervisors, co-workers and staff members. If you have a strained relationship with someone — especially if that person would be a key player in your strategy — be certain to work through the difficulties that exist. Keep in mind your campaign will need allies, not enemies.
Now that you recognize the that there is potential from within and that to be successful, you must prepare and implement an internal campaign, next week we will explore a five step plan to give you an edge when looking for an internal promotion.
As with everything that we have explored to date, success boils down to careful preparation and a structured and systematic approach, taking and maintaining control. Keep this in mind in all areas of your career search.
—Based in Dubai, David Thatcher, ([email protected]) is managing director of career management and corporate outplacement specialists BH Careers International in the Middle East.
