You’re in the zone! Your supervisor has tagged you as her best performer five years in a row. Your co-workers often say – “what will we do without you?” Annual report figures show that your efforts contributed directly to the company’s bottom line. Even the big boss has gotten wind of your good work. 

So why haven’t you been promoted yet?

Asking can be scary, especially if you’re a newcomer to Canada. You may think that it’s not something for you to initiate. You may be thinking: What if the boss says no? That would be embarrassing! Or worse, what if you lose your job?

Advocating for yourself

Asking for a promotion is a crucial step to growing in your career. Advocating for yourself shows that you are a proactive and goal-driven professional. It can also show that you are serious about your career path. To make this a win-win situation, careful assessment, planning, and timing are needed. Here are three steps to prepare:

1. Make an assessment. Make a list of your achievements.
   • Gather your commendations and citations.
   • Get exact numbers that show how you’ve added value to the company (for example your X project increased company productivity by 50% or you’ve consistently exceeded sales targets by X dollars).
   • Make a list of initiatives you’ve led and additional work you assumed.
   • Note the degrees or courses you have recently accomplished.
   • You can also take into account the years you have served the company.

   Examine these achievements and credentials to see if they match the expectations in your job description. See if you exceeded these expectations. If you’re unsure about this assessment process, ask a mentor or someone in HR for advice.

2. Know what to ask. Will you be negotiating for a higher position, salary increase and/or other privileges? If you’re asking for raise, would you be able to give a figure if your boss asks you? And more importantly, would you be able to handle the additional responsibility that comes with a promotion? You may have to do some research to find out what is appropriate to ask for.
3. Timing can be everything. You also have to consider the current position of the company or organization: Is it downsizing? Is it in transition like a merger or take-over? Has funding been cut? These have a major bearing on staffing decisions. If the business climate is normal, the best time to ask is during your regular performance appraisal. It would be normal to discuss where your career is headed during a performance review.

Set a meeting

If you’ve gone through the three steps above and are convinced that you can build a good case in your favour, set a meeting with your supervisor. Make sure to say that it will be about your performance so that your boss can prepare too.

In the meeting, make sure to:

1. State your case clearly and decisively.
2. Use tact and diplomacy . It can turn into a bragging session if you merely rattle off your accomplishments. Instead, emphasize how happy you are that you’e been given the opportunity to help the company achieve ___ and ____. And now you’re ready to contribute even more.
3. Help your boss see what is in it for them too. For example, will your promotion involve taking on responsibilities that will free up some of their time?
4. Show your boss that you have done your research and examined industry standards to back up your ask. Also, think of possible objections your boss may have in advance. Come up with counter objections if possible.
5. Always be respectful and don’t assume anything.

Results

If you get a yes, then congrats on the promotion! But if the answer is no, you still have options.

1. Assess the reasons why they can’t give you what you asked for. Perhaps the company just needs a little time, or maybe you need to improve certain areas of your performance. Whatever it is, take it as constructive feedback.
2. Negotiate. If they can’t give you the raise you were asking for, then ask what they think would be reasonable. For some people, it’s not even about the money. It’s the recognition that they are doing a good job and they’re ready for higher responsibilities. If this idea is your main motivator, then tell your boss. 
3. See the situation as an as opportunity to discuss your opportunities for growth. Identify the skills, knowledge, and attitude to get to your goal. Ask when you can revisit the discussion.
4. Review your values and goals. In certain workplaces, you also have to take into account that promotions are not only based on merit. It can also be based on seniority, or even politics. In this case, you have to decide if this is something that you can work with.

Even if you don’t get the promotion, you will now have useful information that can boost your career. This is infinitely better than being in the dark for a long time, waiting for something that may or may not come.

Source: Moving on up: How to ask for a promotion, Megan Halpern, The Muse. Accessed Sept. 18, 2017.