11 habits of people who consistently get promoted at work

In case you didn’t know, simply doing a good job doesn’t mean you’ll get promoted. 

Promotions aren’t something that is given easily: you have to earn it. 

More than that, your manager has to know that you’ve earned it, that you will be responsible, and that this new position will suit your skills better. 

If you want to be promoted, read on to find out 11 habits of people who consistently get promoted at work. 

1) They communicate their career goals

A motivated employee is a very positive one to have in the company. 

So, before the busiest part of the year starts in your industry, have a chat with your boss and tell them about your professional goals. 

Ask yourself these questions:

• Where do you want to be in six months?
• What tasks would you like to take on?
• Do you want to tackle more responsibility?

If you have a good boss, they will be happy that you have initiative, and they’ll actually help you achieve these goals. 

People who get promotions are the ones who show they’re ready to take on more than they did and conquer new peaks! 

So, be one of them!

2) They are a valuable part of a team

Being able to work on a team is an essential skill to have if you want to be promoted. 

Why is it so?

Mainly because it reveals some of your best qualities: 

• The ability to listen;
• Being able to negotiate and find a peaceful resolution;
• The capacity to hold difficult conversations;
• Being able to work with others in synergy.

Team players will certainly be promoted a lot more than the people who won’t be able to work with others. 

If you want to be a better team player, you can volunteer to work more with your colleagues without them having to ask you. 

3) They’re consistent in what they do

Consistency is key in life and relationships, but especially at work. 

It’s not enough to only be good at your job occasionally. You have to keep a good momentum going and keep excelling in your performance. 

Top performers are promoted more frequently because others trust that they can manage a heavy workload better than those who are inconsistent and unbalanced. 

4) They take charge when it’s needed

People who get promoted aren’t afraid of responsibility, and they show it.

If you want to succeed in your career, you have to learn how to handle difficult situations confidently.

Taking charge is one way to tell your boss and coworkers that you’re reliable, trustworthy, and, most importantly, that you aren’t afraid to tackle an issue head-on. 

Act like a leader if you want a leadership position. 

Related: 11 things that genuinely confident people never do

5) They pick the right place to succeed

A fish might be an excellent swimmer, but it won’t succeed at riding a bike! 

Despite the nonsense of the metaphor, this is true for every worker. 

We all have different needs and abilities, and our talents might shine in some areas and not even be considered in others. 

A report made by the Cicero Group concluded that recognition is one of the most important factors when it comes to employee performance. 

Being praised and recognized motivates us to do a better job. It’s as simple and as complex as that. 

Choose your job carefully, keeping this in mind. 

6) They openly talk to their manager

Some people believe in telepathy, but if this phenomenon is true, it doesn’t happen at work. 

Your boss won’t know that you want to be promoted if you don’t talk to them. 

Promotions often imply more stress and more tasks, so not everybody wants them. 

If you want to get promoted, make sure to say it and repeat it, just for good measure. You can even mention that this is a good challenge to take on. 

That’s what people who consistently get promoted do! 

They let their managers know what they want, and they’re ready to take on more work (with better compensation, of course), and they are usually heard!

7) They make themselves seen

If you want to be promoted, you have to make yourself seen. 

In other words, you have to show your boss and your manager that they need you and they won’t likely succeed without you.

For example, you can proactively solve customers’ problems and make sure that your manager knows about you doing that. Dealing with challenging customers might be a good area to start. 

Managing a crisis is not something that anyone can do.

If you learn how to be a multi-skilled specialist, you can be indispensable to your job. 

And that’s something that can lead you to get promoted. 

Because if you’re a proactive and valuable member of your company–you’re likely to get a better position than a person who does the bare minimum.

8) They encourage other members of their team

If you want to get promoted quickly, help your colleagues and work with them, not against them.

People who get promoted more than others are honest and good team players. 

They celebrate when others succeed, and they are genuinely interested in the growth and success of their team.

Behaving this way proves you’re mature and professional and respect the company’s culture. 

Listen to other people’s ideas, work on different solutions, keep good teamwork, and you will be promoted in no time. 

It will also be great practice for when you’re actually in a leadership position. 

Related: 12 phrases to avoid if you want to sound more confident

9) They never forget about emotional intelligence

Some jobs require us to deal with pressure. If it is your case, you must manage it healthily without losing your head. 

This is key if you want to get promoted. Remember: a promotion often comes with a bigger workload. 

Emotional intelligence affects you and all the members of your team. 

So, if promotion is your goal, work on how you give and receive criticism and learn to listen actively. That’s advice I received from someone who was promoted five times!

10) They build a good professional network

Networking opportunities are goldmines for new connections and exciting jobs. Even if it’s a lunch with your colleagues, make sure you go and talk to others. 

If your network is in the right mindset, you will know who can support you in different situations. 

It’s also a chance to make yourself known, to get other people’s attention. 

If you aren’t interested in changing jobs, you can network within your company, especially with the people that do the “invisible” work: keeping the office stocked, planning events, etc. 

This way, when you get promoted, you’ll have more supporters on your side!

11) Finally, they think bigger!

This last tip is one of the most important ones. 

When it comes to professional goals, thinking bigger is always a must. Yes, you have all these ideas to improve your area of work. 

But how will this affect the rest of the company? What will be the long-term benefits for everyone else? 

Remember that companies have goals that go beyond what you do. Think about those when you propose solutions and new things to do. 

Think about how you can help the company grow on a larger scale, not just for now but for ten years ahead, and you’ll be on the right path. 

To sum up

If you want to go a step further in your promotion journey, be prepared to dedicate a lot of time to your work. Show up early, take on difficult tasks, and your manager will notice. 

Promotions take time, and it probably won’t happen overnight. 

Keep up the good work, and you’ll definitely see the results!

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