Why You’re Not Getting Promoted: The Hard Truth From Me To You

Promotions are not about doing your job well.

They are not about your potential.

They are actually about being seen.

Yup, you heard that right.

You could be the best at what you do, solving world hunger at your desk, but if no one sees you doing it, you might as well not do it.

So here are some other reasons why you are not getting promoted:

1. You are invisible

   If people don’t know about your contributions, it is like it never happened. Being good at your job isn’t enough if no one knows about it.

   
   If you are keeping your head down and hoping someone will notice your hard work….

2. You are not showing your value

   It is not just about the work you do. It is about the impact the work has. If you are not clearly demonstrating how your efforts are driving results, improving processes, or contributing to the team, then you are wasting your time.

3. You are not building relationships with decision-makers

   Promotions come down to trust and relationships.
   
   If you are not actively building relationships with those who have influence….

4. You are not advocating for yourself

   You need to be your biggest cheerleader. That means speaking up about your achievements, asking for feedback and making it known that you want it.

   
   People are not mind-readers. Tell them what you want.

How to turn things around?

If you are tired of being passed over, it is time to do something about it.

Start by making your contributions visible. Speak up in meetings, share your successes with your team and don’t be afraid to highlight your achievements.

The more people see your impact, the more likely they are to see you as promotion material.

And whenever possible, tie your work to measureable outcomes. Did you save the team time? Did you bring in extra revenue? Use data to back it up.

You can’t really go around not building strategic relationships. Identify the key players and start chatting!

One thing that gets most is they assume others know you want a promotion. Make it clear and ask what you need to do to get there.

Bonus: Look for opportunities to go above and beyond your current job description.

I promise you if you do these things, you will get promoted.

Pinky promise,

Mary