Time and time again, you have missed out that major promotion. You question yourself “Are you not good enough?” You felt defeated, you are ready to give up and in fact, you don’t even care if your boss sees you browsing through Monster.com. Don’t give up yet! Let me share my secrets of grabbing that promotion that you have always wanted.

Do it fast
Opportunities don’t wait for no man, especially the golden ones. As long as your company does not only promote those by hierarchy or by tenure years, you are good to sniff out the quickest way to get yourself promoted (in the most legit way, of course!). Impossible? The fastest promotion I had was within 6 months after I joined the company. By telling yourself impossible, you are already creating your own hurdle to jump over.

Wipe Out the Negative Mentality
It is always so easy to tell yourself you can’t do this or you are not capable of that. Sometimes, it does get too repetitive that people around you start to believe that you are not good enough even though they might have faith in your capabilities in the first place. The tough cookie in you should tell yourself you can do it and the only one that is stopping you from achieving that promotion is you and your excuses.

Have A Vengeance to Prove
Identify your goal, aim for it, never divert your attention from it and go get it! Go at it with a vengeance in mind. I had to prove to a company I just joined that I am good enough to be their customer service manager even though I had been in that same role for 2 years, just because it is a bigger firm and a different industry. My boss wasn’t too sure that I’ll make it in the information technology sector especially since I have no background in IT, a field that is primarily male dominated. I promised him and myself I will sit in his office a year from the date of the interview that I will have proven results and that he will not have any excuses not to promote me. He laughed at my balls. I smirked at his ignorance. He hired me as junior customer service assistant. Less than one year, I was promoted to the role I initially applied for, with more pay than I originally asked for.

If You are Good, Own It
This is especially true when comes to Asians who like to be bashful and not own up to their success, yet secretly pine for acknowledgement. You can’t secretly want a promotion, you need to tell the world you are hungry for it, and if you are good enough, you need to own it. When I know I can achieve over expectations, I negotiate my own success instead of keeping a crossed fingers behind my back, hoping my boss will reward me. By letting my supervisor understand what I am in for, it is easier for us to talk about my career path in an honest way that helps me improve myself and help him see my leaps and bounds. Using this method, the most time I had been promoted within a year in the same company is 3 times.

Pave All Obstacles Away
Ultimately, it boils down to you to grab that promotion dangling in front of you. Whether it is the lack of education, experience or exposure, go and fill up your shortfall. Whining and blaming others, your boss and your company will not benefit you in the long run. If they don’t appreciate your work and you truly believe that you have been treated unfairly for that promotion, walk away. Nothing is more worthy to call it quits than unfair treatment or bullying. However, if you do believe there are room for improvements, don’t give your superior any excuse or reason to overlook you, make it hard for them not to promote you.

Have you missed out any promotion opportunities? Any good advice to share? Welcome to comment below!