When people who are still employed start looking for another job, the desire to advance often drives their search. If you feel like you have no chance of being promoted in your current job, you may decide switching to another company is the only way to continue moving your career forward.
But is it? Moving out in order to move up has its pros and cons. On one hand, if you have no chance of advancement in your current job, moving to another company can give your career and earnings a boost. On the other, if you move out to move up too often, you could give potential employers the impression that you’re a job-hopper who’s not reliable for the long haul.
About half of the people who enter GetFive’s Career Insider program are employed and looking to move on. Yet if you’re still learning skills that enhance your marketability, and know advancement is available in your current company, moving on may not be the right choice for you. Before you take the significant step of deciding to look for another job, reassess your current situation to determine what your chances of getting promoted really are.
Look for these signs that you’re well positioned for a promotion:
You are ready — and you show it!
You could know your job inside and out, excel at every task and be an innovator, but if you don’t make your readiness known, you’re undermining your career advancement. People who become stars in their company make a conscious effort to do so. They not only nurture their own skills, they help others in their department and company to excel. They counsel and train others, volunteer to take the lead on projects, and share the kudos when their team succeeds.
You are involved and included.
People who do just enough aren’t the ones who get promoted. Take the initiative to be included on choice assignments so that your bosses see you’re on the leading edge. Ask to represent your department on important projects and task forces. Volunteer for office committees that aren’t directly work-related, such as offering to lead the team that plans the company’s annual holiday party. The more involved and engaged you are with the company, the easier it will be for managers to envision you in a leadership role.
You work — and play — well with others.
Everyone has encountered that co-worker who is great at his job, but not such a nice person to work with. If you’re good at what you do but not good to your co-workers, you likely will not be the first person your boss thinks of for a promotion. If your peers don’t like you, they won’t support your promotion, and if you get promoted anyway your job will be even more difficult working with people who dislike and resent you. In addition to working well with your peers, it’s important your boss feels positively about you personally. Never undermine him or her. Instead, when you disagree, work toward an amiable resolution that allows your boss to feel in control and respected.
You can identify an opportunity.
Unfortunately, you can do everything right and still not be promoted — if no opportunity for promotion exists. Keep your ear to the ground so that when a promotion becomes available you know about it and are ready to make a case for why you should get the promotion. Sometimes, when no promotional opportunities immediately exist, innovation can allow you to create your own opportunity. If you identify an unmet need in the company or conceive of a new, better way to do things, your creativity can create a job that will be perfect for you. Other times, the structure of the company and the reality of the business might mean there’s just nowhere to go.
Finally, a word about when it’s definitely time to go: Don’t assume that upward moves are the only ones worth making. A lateral move between companies can also advance your career, if not your salary. Moving to a larger or faster-growing company can enhance your credentials, while moving to a smaller one can enrich your responsibilities and experience.
