Getting promotions at work is a definite marker of success. It indicates that your boss is impressed with you and that you are doing well. A promotion also brings lots of additional perks. There is a pay increase, and you start getting more prominent roles and responsibilities.
Every employee looks forward to their promotion because it shows they are inching towards the success they have always dreamt of. It is a good idea to look for promotion signs as it can help you perform better. Knowing that your boss is preparing you for promotion will make you more attentive and productive as you anticipate something big coming your way.
Most of the time, your boss will not tell you that your promotion is imminent. While some companies offer regular increments, a promotion to the next level is not always easy. Hence, knowing that you are being groomed for promotion will make you look forward to the next milestone, and you are bound to perform better.
Moreover, knowing that your boss is grooming you for promotion can help you make some definite career choices. If you are considering a job change or you are thinking of changing industries, a promotion may help you stop and think and make a decision about the next phase of your career.
Why Will Your Boss Groom You for a Promotion?
Some bosses will test and groom you before giving you a promotion. While you may get additional responsibilities and a pay raise at the end of the year, a promotion to the subsequent designation is a huge responsibility.
The success of the company will depend on your performance and how well you handle your new role, so your boss will groom you for a while and check whether you are up to the task or not. If your boss is grooming you for a promotion, take it as a sign of respect and trust.
Your boss trusts you to handle the new role. Instead, they want to ensure that once you receive the responsibility, you will not fail and be fully prepared to take on the challenge.
Bonus Read: 9 Signs You are Valued at Work ( 5 Tips If You Are Not)
How to Know Your Boss is Grooming You for Promotion?
Some signs will give away that your boss has something planned for you and that they may be grooming you for a promotion. Here are some of them.
1. You are Given More Responsibility
The first telltale sign is that your boss will slowly start giving you more tasks and responsibilities. It may seem at first that your boss is giving you more work, but in reality, they are checking whether you can handle all the additional work.
You may even see your boss telling you to look at things they usually look into, which means they are placing a lot of trust in your abilities.
You may feel overworked for a time, but look at the bigger picture and take it in your stride, as once you are promoted, you will have to work more anyway.
2. You are Given More Independence
You will see that your boss might be granting you more autonomy than before. You will be monitored less, and you will be asked to make your own decisions in certain aspects.
You will still answer your boss, but they might tell you not to come to them for every little thing. They want to see how confident you are about making tough decisions and whether your decision-making skills are hindered under pressure.
These are essential qualities to have for a manager, which means your doctor is grooming you for a promotion.
3. Your Boss Asks you to Spend More Time With Them
You may notice that your boss is asking you to spend more time with them. They could ask you to join them for lunch or a coffee break.
They could also start taking a more personal interest in you during these meetings to figure out what kind of a person you are and whether your sensibilities will match the designation they have in mind for you.
You may be introduced to certain senior members of the team during the lunches, which could mean they are grooming you for promotion, as you will be working with the higher officials more closely henceforth.
4. Your Opinions Matter
You may notice suddenly that your opinions matter to your boss. They might ask what you think about a particular scenario before making a decision. They will ask you whether you have something else in mind and encourage you to speak up if you think things can be done differently.
This is a good indicator that your boss will rely on you more later and that you might be promoted.
5. The Company Invests in You
You will notice that the company is eager to invest in you more. Your boss may ask you to get a new certification or undergo a new course, and they are willing to pay for it.
They might also send you overseas to work with experts in the field so that you may gather the necessary experience and use it for the company’s benefit upon returning. They would be willing to cover the expenses for that as well.
It means that they have faith in you to perform better and know that by learning the new skills, you will be able to contribute more to the company as your skills will be significantly sharpened.
This is a powerful sign that you could be promoted. You should take advantage of the new training and learn from the experience, as it will increase your chances exponentially.
6. You are Given Better Projects
You might see that your boss is suddenly assigning your more critical projects. You are told to participate while dealing with some of the more important clients of the company.
Your boss can tell you to look into projects independently and give you feedback on how you handled them and how you could do better in the future. This shows that you might be expected to manage projects like these in the future and that you are being groomed for promotion.
It could be overwhelming to handle essential projects on your own, but remember that your boss would not have entrusted you with it if they had not believed in you.
7. You are Treated With More Respect
When someone is being groomed for a promotion, or there is an imminent raise, somehow, word often tends to get around. You might notice people treating you a bit differently.
People will also notice you are spending more time with the boss, and you will be shown more respect by the juniors. All of this can be very exhilarating, but you should focus more on your work.
However, you can take this opportunity to start networking with more people and strengthen your professional relationships, as you will need your coworkers by your side when you have to handle more responsibilities after your promotion.
8. Your Boss Compliments You More
You may notice that your boss compliments you more, in private and in front of others. This is a mark of encouragement and sends a message to others that you are someone to take note of. If your boss compliments you in front of others, you should also thank him in front of the rest of the staff for their encouragement.
Your boss will also give you feedback, and there could be some constructive criticism so that you can perform even better in the future.
9. You are Told to Train Juniors
Your boss will tell you to train juniors and recruits in the organization. Handling the juniors and grooming them for the future is an essential managerial responsibility and something you might have to do a lot more in the future once you are promoted.
Not all good employees become good leaders, as they might be excellent in their tasks and yet not have what it takes to teach someone else.
Hence, your boss might be checking whether you are up for the task and whether you can handle these roles in the future once promoted.
Also Read:– 9 Signs Your Boss is Threatened By You And Wants You Gone
How to Prepare Yourself for a Promotion?
Once you notice that your boss might be grooming you for promotion, you must also prepare to take on this new role. Here are some ways in which you can prepare yourself.
1. Have Clear Goals
Be clear about your goals, and don’t hesitate to ask questions. Sit with your boss and discuss where you see yourself in the next six months or one year.
You can do all of this without bringing up your promotion topic and just say that you are looking forward to doing better.
2. Be a Team Player
Always strive to work with others. Become a team player and take more part in collaborative activities.
Just as your boss asks for your opinion, you can also ask your coworkers about what they think. This will help in networking, which will help you a lot later.
3. Become Irreplaceable
Make yourself indispensable. Handle your responsibility with integrity, and your boss and other senior members will notice the extra time and effort you put in. They will see your worth and understand that you can become an invaluable part of the organization.
You can go forward and ask for more work without trying to hog the limelight or showing that you are better than your coworkers. Just keep doing your job well, and that is more than enough.
4. Keep Growing
You must keep growing and learning. Do not let stagnancy set it, or do not let the prospect of imminent promotion make you feel complacent.
Be a learner, and strive towards excellence. You can work and do other certifications online to learn new tools and techniques that will help you later.
5. Document Your Achievements
If you feel too overwhelmed, document yourself and remind yourself how far you have come. Sometimes, it is necessary to have some motivation, and validating yourself is the best thing you can do.
This will give you the strength to handle the extra work that will come your way, and you can prepare yourself for the promotion by setting a new routine that helps you handle the pressure more effectively.
6. Take Charge
Don’t hesitate to take charge. If you are worried you will make mistakes, you can always ask your boss for help. You will make mistakes, which is part of the learning process. Do not berate yourself for it.
Instead, learn from the experience and keep reading about ways to become a good leader. Do not become embroiled in office politics or look for inside information. Just keep doing your best.
7. Be Engaged
It is essential to be engaged to become a good employee. Be an active member of the organization, and you can do so beyond your immediate scope of work. Share success stories and encourage others to do the same.
You can also organize brunches at the time just to connect with your colleagues, but without being overbearing about it. The rapport will work in your favor when you are promoted.
Why Do High Performers Not Always Get Promoted?
You may feel discouraged when you see some other high performers not getting promoted. However, their abilities have nothing to do with it, and other external factors come into play.
Some high performers do not get promoted because they are only focused on their work and do not look forward to the future. They might not network enough or be unable to handle criticism, even when it is constructive.
They might not be able to train juniors or be too uptight. Employers notice everything; hence, despite being high performers, these employees are not promoted. However, you are not them and should chart your path to success.
What to Do if You Do Not Get a Promotion?
If you do not get the promotion you hoped for, don’t be discouraged. Do not think that all your hard work has gone to waste and fall into a depressive state. There are lots of managerial decisions that employers have to take, and you’re not being promoted might have nothing to do with you.
Keep doing your best so your boss will continue to notice your value. It will show that you were not just working hard thinking about the imminent promotion but that you are a genuinely motivated employee.
Do not become aggressive toward your boss or become defensive of your position. Do not beg for the promotion if you have been denied this time. Keep working on yourself, and give yourself more time to check the following review.
Conclusion
Being promoted is one of the most exciting phases of your career. Whether you are a junior employee being promoted for the first time to a senior position or a senior employee, being raised to a manager or a senior partner, the prospect of promotion is always thrilling.
If you keep doing your best, your abilities will surely be noticed and applauded by the management. There are various ways in which you are going to be tested along the way. Still, the result is always going to keep you motivated.
