Marketing yourself with internal and external promotions

Surveys have shown that up to 80% of those employed are unhappy.
Unhappiness results from being overworked/underpaid, a deteriorating relationship with colleagues or management, or possibly, disappointment in oneself. If you plan to sell your time and abilities, why not take complete advantage of your efforts. Being in control of your career and promoting yourself can dissolve dissatisfaction by providing more career options and opening more doors to opportunity.
Volunteering on committees or with non-profit organizations (whether internally or externally) or offering your capabilities when your employer shows a need can educate you on new topics.
While learning on the job or within a volunteer position, you’ll likely uncover opportunities through continued personal growth or by networking with individuals you wouldn’t have met through your existing channels. Added responsibilities will show management that you are serious on saving the company money, or that you care about your community.
Executives and business managers want to see measurable results from employees, so I recommend making the effort to step up to the plate.
The benefits of self-marketing can far outweigh the time needed to do so; I’ll outline just how in this story about a salesman.
If a sales rep out-produces colleagues with over $2 million in yearly sales, then the company probably won’t mind paying upwards of six figures to keep this employee happy, right? The company is experiencing a very favorable return on investment, and the employee is trained, independent, and compensated well. It’s a win/win situation.
The question now is how did this sales rep turn into an asset.
After all, out-producing colleagues is not an easy feat. I’ll tell you exactly how this person went from a mediocre $50,000 salary to over six figures within less than 2 years.
First, he took the initiative to participate in evening classes on various sales topics, such as relationship building, new selling techniques, and identifying the aspects that provoke decision makers to buy. Did the company pay for these classes?
No. He saw the need for improvement and jumped at the chance to enhance his education and produce more revenue for the company.
Second, he focused on external marketing techniques by sending personal press releases upon obtaining key accounts (more notably known as “People on the Move” within business sections of newspapers and other publications), participating on non-profit committees, and so on.
One opportunity was particularly beneficial. He elected to serve on a high-profile committee and found himself talking to a secretary that reported to the Director of Business Development for a prominent technical firm. Ironically, his company had been pursuing this corporation for over 5 years. He gradually built a relationship and eventually landed the account that produced nearly a million dollars in new revenue for his business.
Committee meetings were on his personal time and not compensated.
Marketing yourself to the community can enhance your existing job or job search tremendously because companies like to see employees that I’ll label “movers and shakers.” These individuals don’t wait for things to happen, they make them happen.
Third, he documented all career successes and solidified his position in the industry. Documentation can consist of letters from superiors or customers, awards, and/or performance bonuses.
When seeking a raise, he created a presentation that focused on the amount of new revenue he cultivated for the business over the last 12 months and compared it to the proposed new salary. The company would be crazy to refuse his request, in my opinion. If they did, he would subsequently work for a competitor making him an adversary rather than an ally.
Taking a proactive approach, rather than being reactive, is what catapulted this person to a six-figure salary. Prove yourself an asset to your employer. Make them unable to live without your expertise, your devotion, and your overall dedication to ensuring the company’s financial health and customer loyalty.

4 Reasons You Aren't Getting Promoted

Who or what is to blame if you are not getting the promotion you want and think you deserve?

Many factors, in various combinations can be the cause, but one thing is almost certain. Like it or not, you and you alone must take most of the credit or the blame if your career is stuck on "hold."

There is valuable insight into all of this in Shakespeare's "Julius Caesar." Cassius is advising Brutus as they consider their ambitions for bigger and better things: "The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars but in ourselves, that we are underlings."

Let's examine four of the more frequent reasons (or excuses, as the case may be) given to explain why people are not promoted and the courses of action that can be taken to deal with them.

Four Reasons Promotions Are Stymied

1. You fail to win the promotion because you are not qualified to take on the bigger responsibilities. Two things can be happening here.

One is you have the potential to learn the new responsibilities, but you haven't made the effort. Hopefully, your employer has a training program. If so, get enrolled without further delay. If there is no such program, it is up to you to find a way to learn how to handle the bigger job. Study and practice on your own time. Continue to be successful on the job at hand. Be patient, but persistent. Convince your boss that you are ready and willing to work for the promotion and that you can handle it.

The second condition is the job you covet is simply beyond your capacity. You must accept the fact that you, like every other human beings, have limits to your capabilities. You have at least two options: make the best of where you are; or strike out in a different and more realistic direction where your abilities can be put to better use.

2. You can't be promoted because there is no one to take over your present responsibilities.

Your employer should have a training program to provide lines of succession for all key positions. But, if your place of work is not so prepared, you still can't place the blame for your lack of promotion on someone or something else.

If you are stymied for lack of a replacement, it is up to you to make certain that at least one person is ready to step in and take your place. Pick out a likely candidate and train him or her to fill your shoes when you get promoted.

3. "They" don't know what you have been doing; how much you can do; how ready you are for promotion.

It is often said, "There is no limit to the good a man can do if he doesn't care who gets the credit." That is a laudable ideal, but unfortunately, it doesn't square with reality when it is applied in the competitive world of work. Think of yourself as a product that must be sold to advance your career. This means the buyers (i.e., your superiors who make decisions about your career) need to be made fully aware of your good qualities and your potential for growth. Do a good job, be prepared for advancement and communicate the facts.

4. You have tried repeatedly to get a promotion. Everything is locked up, nobody is leaving, the business is stagnant. There is no room to grow.

You are still the key. If you are certain this is the situation, your career issue is more clearly defined than in most instances. You can recognize that you are stuck. Then there are two things you can do.

One, consider the pluses in your current job. There are always some benefits. Will they continue at least as they are? Are there some personal considerations dictating that you stay where you are for now? (Look twice to be sure they are not being used as convenient excuses for inaction.) Are the benefits worth the price you are paying to live on a plateau below what you believe to be your potential? If so, you can stay put and hope for things to get better.

Second, if your unmet ambitions are burning you up inside, make a move to another organization where you will have opportunities to advance.

The first step toward getting promoted is to understand that the credit or the blame for your career and where it goes is strictly yours.

Pushing for promotion

Wanting to progress your career is natural, but actually doing so can be a tricky business. Many people take the default position that getting a better job means changing employer, but there are often great opportunities for progression with your existing employer, and not just in the part of the company you currently work in.

If you're working a small company, chances are you'll know pretty much what everyone's doing and who's heading where. In larger companies, there's likely to be a lot going on elsewhere that you may not know about, especially in other departments. It's well worth keeping an eye on internal newsletters or notice boards, as well as refining your internal networking techniques.

Getting noticed by your superiors
Make a habit of getting into work early, and try to be the last out. In some organisations, this could mean taking in a sleeping bag, but don't overdo it. Just let your bosses know that you're on the money and not one of those who always seem to be looking for an easy ride.

You may want to copy some high level people in on an email early in the morning or late at night to emphasise the hours you're putting in. You may have to be careful how you manage this if your company pays overtime. Don't make it look as if you're just stretching your day out to boost your earnings.

Make an effort to really enjoy your job, and let others know you do as well. To further enhance your prospects, build a reputation as someone who is always positive and good to be around. Be the first to volunteer for any tasks, whether work-related or social, like helping organise the office Christmas party or summer outing.

Always be prepared to do a bit more than is expected of you or is in your job description. However, if you do take on extra tasks or responsibilities, don't over-promise and keep your head down until you have successfully completed the task. There are no prizes for loud-mouthing and then failing to deliver. As a general rule you should always under-promise and over-deliver.
Pay attention to how you present yourself. Look at what your superiors are wearing, and go for something similar. Don't however make it too obvious by copying a trademark item of your boss's clothing. Look the part, and make it easy for them to see you working on the next tier of management.

Building a case
Although you won't usually have to present your bosses with a CV in order to gain a promotion, having some documented evidence of what you've achieved will be a major bonus. Keep a record of everything you do that is successful and look at the records of your predecessors and colleagues in similar roles. If you're performing better than them, let your boss know about it, but don't put-down your colleagues or wind them up. It may come back to haunt you.

Get on all the relevant training courses, and look around for other ways to enhance your profile. Make time to read the trade journals and share your knowledge with colleagues. Consider evening classes for specialist skill areas where training is not provided by your employer, like accountancy classes, advanced computer skills, or perhaps a formal business qualification like a diploma or MBA.

Managing former peers
If you land the promotion you were after, there's a good chance you'll find yourself managing your former co-workers. It's a tough situation and requires sensitivity and tact in large measure. This is where many newly-promoted people fail, and find that they have to move back to their former position once their trial period has finished. That's an experience you definitely want to avoid.

Never be afraid to ask your boss for guidance on how to handle these situations, and make sure you communicate clearly with your former equivalents and juniors. Use your common sense and think how you would like to be dealt with in a similar situation. Don't let any simmering resentments explode into full blown conflict. If people have an issue with your new position, deal with it.

Learn to see what inspires and motivates your staff and concentrate on that. It's the best way to build a loyal team and to meet your management objectives. Don't play the big 'I am' the minute you get promoted. Equally, avoid being too chummy with your new team. You are not there to be friends; you're there to do a job.