Get promoted at work

4 Steps to give yourself a promotion

Get Promoted At Work
May 02, 2024•3 min read

4 Steps to Give Yourself a Promotion

People glorify getting promoted.

Suddenly, there's an opening 😯

🌤 "The clouds have parted!"
🥇 "Who will be chosen for greatness?"

But at that point, it's too late.

If you're waiting for a "gold opening," you'll be behind.

Instead, do this: (short summary)

1. Research job titles above you.

Find out what skills you already have, and what skills you still need.

2. Make incremental JD gains.

Update your job description as you gain more responsibilities.

3. Confirm your updated JD.

Once your job has changed enough, submit a new JD to your boss.

Get them to confirm that they agree with it.

4. Propose a new job title.

Get your title adjusted to fit your actual role & responsibilities.


Stop here if you're satisfied.
The rest of this email is a full guide.

🍎 You might want to save it and come back later.


- - - - - -


Step 1: Research.

1. Google:
"Job titles above [insert your title]."

2. Choose 1-2 of them you'd like.

3. Look at job postings for them.

4. Write down any duties/skills that you already have.

Example:
You're an SEO Analyst.

You want to be promoted to Data Analyst.

You already do some of the stuff in "Data Analyst" job postings.

That's good. Write those down.


- - - - -


2. Incremental JD gains.

Update your job description using language from the job titles you saw.

Example:
1. Look at Data Analyst job postings.

2. Flag any keywords that keep showing up.

3. Add them to your JD where they fit.

Take on new tasks that'll give you even more keywords to stack in your JD.


- - - - -


3. Update your JD.

Once you have enough "Data Analyst" bullets stacked together, you can submit a new JD to your boss.

Ask them to confirm if they agree with your additions, or if they have feedback.

Now you ⭐️Are⭐️ a Data Analyst.

Your title just hasn't been adjusted yet.


- - - - -


4. Propose your title adjustment.

Here's a script:
"I've looked at lots of job descriptions, and I've found that my current duties align with the title of Data Analyst."

Note: Make sure you can back it up.

Have at least 3 Data Analyst job postings that have significant overlap with your current duties.

You might not need to show your sources, but you need to have them for your own confidence.


- - - - -


Next step?
New titles deserve new salaries.

If you haven't picked up the extremely low cost pay raise template, now might be the time.


SUMMARY

Here are the steps again to get a promotion without waiting for a "gold opening":

1. Research job titles above you.
2. Make incremental JD gains.
3. Confirm your updated JD.
4. Propose your new title.

Here's to incremental gains that shock people later,

Dave Wolovsky
Your Career Growth Engineer

More Resources

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Dave Wolovsky

Dave Wolovsky

I was home schooled until 13 years old. Always a quiet introvert. Overly sensitive to others' discomfort. I was scared to ask for things. Waited for others to offer. Waited and waited. After a horrible job experience... ⚠️ Strangled by my own anxiety. ⚠️ Desperate to impress my bosses. ⚠️ "Stuck it out" until I got physically ill. I realized I needed to grow as a person. To ask for what I needed. To persuade with empathy. To negotiate without conflict. I dove deep into understanding people: ▪︎ Neuroscience (got a masters in it) ▪︎ Positive psychology (a certification) ▪︎ Negotiation (books, courses, teaching). Then I realized lots of people had difficulties like me. And I became committed to helping people get paid what they're worth. An early client got a $35k raise, while cutting back to a 4-day workweek. I wrote down everything we did. Conversations along the way. The mistakes along the way. I created a set of principles. Called it "Empathic Influence & Negotiation." Applied it to salary negotiations. Applied it to job interviews. Applied it to networking. And then I found Mindfulness. That added some next level juice. I created the "Mindful Sprint" process. And now I help talented introverts become Mindful Sprinters. This kind of personal growth creates: ✓ Better job opportunities. ✓ Higher compensations. ✓ Stronger boundaries. Without creating: 🚫 Confrontational situations. 🚫 Resentful relationships. 🚫 Suffocating stress. We navigate social complexities: ▪︎ Being a team player, not a pushover. ▪︎ Asking for a raise collaboratively. ▪︎ Making your value fully visible. With me, you're not getting an extroverted former CEO. I won't insist that you have to "command the room." You ARE getting a partner to help you: ▪︎ Shine a floodlight on your value. ▪︎ Stay authentically introverted. ▪︎ Meet you where you're at. Expect to be empowered: ▪︎ Do things you've never done before. ▪︎ Learn the science of negotiation. ▪︎ Experience true mindfulness.

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I was home schooled until 13 years old.

Always a quiet introvert.

Overly sensitive to others' discomfort.

I was scared to ask for things.

Waited for others to offer.

Waited and waited.

After a horrible job experience...

⚠️ Strangled by my own anxiety.

⚠️ Desperate to impress my bosses.

⚠️ "Stuck it out" until I got physically ill.

I realized I needed to grow as a person.

To ask for what I needed.

To persuade with empathy.

To negotiate without conflict.

I dove deep into understanding people:

▪︎ Neuroscience (got a masters in it)

▪︎ Positive psychology (a certification)

▪︎ Negotiation (books, courses, teaching).

Then I realized lots of people had difficulties like me.

And I became committed to helping people get paid what they're worth.

An early client got a $35k raise, while cutting back to a 4-day workweek.

I wrote down everything we did.

Conversations along the way.

The mistakes along the way.

I created a set of principles.

Called it "Empathic Influence & Negotiation."

Applied it to salary negotiations.

Applied it to job interviews.

Applied it to networking.

And then I found Mindfulness.

That added some next level juice.

I created the "Mindful Sprint" process.

And now I help talented introverts become Mindful Sprinters.

This kind of personal growth creates:

✓ Better job opportunities.

✓ Higher compensations.

✓ Stronger boundaries.

Without creating:

🚫 Confrontational situations.

🚫 Resentful relationships.

🚫 Suffocating stress.

We navigate social complexities:

▪︎ Being a team player, not a pushover.

▪︎ Asking for a raise collaboratively.

▪︎ Making your value fully visible.

With me, you're not getting an extroverted former CEO.

I won't insist that you have to "command the room."

You ARE getting a partner to help you:

▪︎ Shine a floodlight on your value.

▪︎ Stay authentically introverted.

▪︎ Meet you where you're at.

Expect to be empowered:

▪︎ Do things you've never done before.

▪︎ Learn the science of negotiation.

▪︎ Experience true mindfulness.