Have you been promised a promotion only to be disappointed that it never came through? Every company has their own set of criteria that determines who does and doesn’t get promoted. And don’t assume that a promotion guarantees a pay raise. This is another area that disappoints people’s expectations.
Behaviors that prevent an employee from being promoted in order of importance:
1. Responding “that’s not my job” when asked to help – tells the employer you are not willing to go above and beyond to help the company
2. Showing up late consistently – shows disrespect for rules that everyone is expected to follow
3. Lying at/about work – employer cannot trust employee’s truth from lies
4. Taking credit for other people’s work – undermines co-workers efforts and creates strife among team
5. Often leaving work early – demonstrates employee is not dedicated to the company or following rules
6. Taking liberties with expenses charged to the company – could result in criminal activities and employer then questions what else is not being reported accurately
7. Being a gossip – unprofessional behavior that is unnecessary in the workplace and once labeled as a gossip can have negative effects on employee
8. Not dressing professionally – shows no respect for company culture and employee’s self-worth
9. Swearing – unprofessional behavior that is unnecessary and can get employee and/or employer in trouble
10. Not contributing at meetings – tells employer you don’t have initiative, ideas, or solutions to contribute
11. Crying – employer can conclude that employee is too emotional and may not be able to work well if/when faced with a crisis at work
12. Dating a co-worker – creates stress in the workplace and can have negative impact on working relationships within the company
Hopefully, you can say to yourself that you don’t possess any of these behaviors or at least exhibit them at work. If you have a few of these, work on improving your demeanor to position yourself as stellar employee and a good candidate for a promotion.
Speak up! It doesn’t cost anything to ask for a promotion and/or raise. Asking for a promotion shows initiative and drive. Be prepared to support your request for a promotion with examples of accomplishments that brought value to the company.
Remember, a promotion usually comes with added responsibilities. Make sure you are aware of what additional duties are involved with the promotion and that you are ready to take on these additional challenges.
[photo courtesy of freedigitalphotos.com]
