5 Ways to Expand Your Visibility and Earn that Promotion

When promotion opportunities arise, you want to be the obvious choice.

You want your name and face to spring to mind when leaders have exciting roles to fill and projects to assign.

All too often, people want this kind of recognition but they don’t how to position themselves. They struggle to get attention and launch intense campaigns to sell themselves for advancement. At that point, they’re fighting an uphill battle. Chances are good that someone else’s face and name have already sprung to mind.

To set yourself up for success, you have to increase your visibility—be seen, be known and be memorable. Here are some strategies to help you do that.

Speak Up

In meetings, don’t be afraid to vocally share your perspective. Be sure you’re staying on topic and adding value to the conversation (not detracting). The goal is not to dominate the discussion or speak merely for the sake of hearing your own voice; rather, it’s to be a thoughtful contributor. You want people to recognize that when you have something to say, it’s worth their time to listen.

Also read: Master These 3 Soft Skills to Improve Your Chances for Promotion

Volunteer

Take initiative and be the first person to raise your hand for an opportunity. The more you do this, the more people will see you as someone who is able to fill the gaps for the team and is willing to take on more, even when it’s not easy. Be careful not to set yourself up for disaster, but stretch yourself and people will notice.

Expand Your Network

Make efforts to get to know people throughout the organization, not just within your own department or team. You never know where opportunities will come from, and you never know who might play a behind-the-scenes influential role in decision-making. Engage with people as professional peers; offer assistance, support, and friendly interaction.

Also read: Are You Missing Golden Opportunities for Self-Promotion?

Share Your Expertise

Don’t hold on to knowledge like some kind of hoarder. Instead, freely share it with others. When you have a super-effective strategy for saving time on a critical process, train people how you do it. Be a resource. As you help others achieve their goals, they’ll become more inclined to help you achieve yours. Plus, you’ll demonstrate confidence—you don’t have to protect your secret sauce because your value is much greater than that.

Be Present

It sounds simple, but so many people show up to work on auto-pilot. They’re physically present, but not mentally there. They don’t listen, they don’t problem solve, they don’t have ideas. They simply go through the motions. This is the easiest way to become invisible.

To really be seen, be known and be memorable, you have to be ALL there. Care about what you’re doing. Find ways to deliver greater value. Engage with your work and your co-workers. Look people in the eye and actively demonstrate your enthusiasm—even on days when it’s not naturally there.

People who earn promotions and advancement opportunities make themselves visible. They step out of their comfort zone and take risks. In doing so, they reap the rewards.