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What Managers are Looking for When Promoting Staff

You work hard at your job, and you deserve a promotion. Does that sound familiar? Try these strategies to position yourself for an internal promotion. Sometimes managers look for qualities that you may overlook when Promoting Staff.

Five Common Traits Managers Look for When Promoting Staff

1. People Who Step Up and Who Take Responsibility

Are you ready for that challenging project? Why not ask to be considered? According to an article in Business.com, when looking to promote internally, managers first consider staff members who proactively step up to new challenges. They also prefer candidates who take responsibility for their outcomes from their actions.

Salesforce’s Quotable magazine offers tips to help you take responsibility and prepare for that promotion. They suggest a little soul searching as the first step. Identify why you want a promotion and take the time to learn the realities of the role you hope to move into. Next, approach your manager and initiate a conversation.

2. People Who Stay Current with Emerging Technologies

Technology moves at such a rapid pace that it is easy to fall behind. Is AI moving into your field? If so, be sure to study up on AI and volunteer for AI-related projects. Or perhaps automation is the next big thing? Well, in that case, learn all you can about automation. When you establish yourself as an in-house resource or expert, you become more valuable. Don’t be that staff member sho grows obsolete and clings to yesteryear!

3. People with Excellent Soft Skills Like Communication

As mentioned, you want to stay current with emerging technologies in your industry to avoid growing obsolete. However, when it comes to a managerial promotion, soft skills like relationship building and communication may be even more important. Quick Base listed soft skills as one of the top qualities since many managers see these skills as harder to teach than technical skills. Other valuable soft skills include leadership, the ability to prioritize conflicting demands, and a strong work ethic.

4. Positive Solutions Oriented People

Every manager faces pain points and challenges. They value staff who introduce affordable and practical solutions to their problems. Be the person who takes an active, constructive approach and who seeks to make your managers’ lives easier.

Quick Base suggests looking beyond your job description and seeking ways to help your company become more profitable or successful. Managers value the entrepreneurial or “intrapreneurial” mindset.

5. People Who Constantly Grow and Improve

The Muse listed “eagerness to learn” as one of the top qualities employers value in their employees. One simple example of this, is an HR Associate who pursues a Master of HR Online or in the classroom. When you invest in your own continuing education, you set yourself up to become a valuable in-house expert while demonstrating that you are committed to improvement. Even if this promotion doesn’t happen, you set yourself up for other opportunities both within your existing company and beyond.

Congratulations on taking charge of your career and your life! These strategies help make you better at your existing job, position you for internal promotions, and also help position you for external promotions.