The New Year Promotion Plan

The New Year Promotion PlanThe New Year Promotion PlanPosition yourself foraversetzung by followingthese foursimple strategies.Unfortunately, as the days get shorter and holiday madness sets in, its easy to letyourbright-eyed and bushy-tailed attitude toward workfade away. But theres one sure-fire way to keep yourself on-track and focused onyour career duringthe holidays Startplanning for a aufsteigen in the New Year.Dress the partYou may have heard that you should dress for the job you want, not the job you have, and this is particularly important once youve set your promotion plan in motion. While youre probably dressing appropriately for your current role, the position you want might require you to make some adjustments.Ifyour office has a policy of dressing down on Fridays, and this is something you and your co-workers look forward to, take a look at what management is doing. If your superiors dont dress down on Fridays, you should probablyabandon casual Friday, too. The visual a ssurance that youvepicked up on, and are willing to adhere to, will go a long way toward management feeling confident youre ready to become a part of their team.Speak upA pivotalway to impress your superiors is by exhibiting ease in multiple situations. One of the quickest ways to showcasethis ease is by speaking up at every opportunity, from your weekly staff get together to meetings with key management personnel.Ifyou find yourself on the elevator with your CEO a few mornings a week, its a great opportunity to get your feet wet in speaking up. Rather than simply standing face-forwardstaring atthe control panel, you should take the opportunitygreet him or her. Im not asking you to be effusive- a simple good morning, coupled with a smile, is often enough to start getting noticed.Initiate appropriate actionI have a client who is a trainee stockbroker at one of Manhattans larger firms, as well as a former Marine. One day he was in the mens room, which was littered with paper towels. H e began picking them up. At that moment, one of the directors came in and asked him what he was doing. He said he was picking up paper towels. The director asked why. He said because they were on the floor. The director pointed out that this wasnt his job. My client agreed, but explained what the Marine Corps had inleiseed in him In the absence of orders, initiate appropriate action.Suffice to say this seemingly insignificant display of manahme did a lot to enhance his reputation with those occupying corner offices. Similarly, a show of initiative on your part in ways both large and seemingly small- is a great way to move up in the ranks.Lead a teamFew jobs these days are about working in isolation. Thats why your people skills are just as importantas any technical skills you might have. Use those skills to demonstrateyou have the ability to lead and motivate your co-workers and your superiors will see you asready to be one of them. I strongly recommend volunteering to head a team project. Or better yet, initiate one of your own.Just be awarethat your work as a leader will be silently evaluated just as much as the impact your work might have on the bottom line.With these four strategiesimplemented, youll be in great shape to ask for a promotion by the New Year.Gofor itFor many of us, the idea of asking outright for what we want or deserve is foreign. But asking for what you want is a must. Not doing so means youll be disgruntled, and no one wants an employee with a chip on his shoulder. There are a few first steps to asking for your promotionMake an explicit appointment to discuss your requestProvide concrete examples of how you have contributed to your companys successHave a specific salary figure and/or title in mindAlsokeep in mindtheres a chance you might not get what you want. And no is typically just information not a reflection on your value to the business. In fact, its more likely a reflection on the history of the position, or the current balance s heet of the company.Why is this important? Because making requests with this in mind will help you remain relaxed throughout the conversation. And when youre at ease, its easier to roll with the punches. Youll convey confidence and humor, essential elements in the negotiation process. And when the balance sheet does look more favorable, your request may still be top of mind.