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How to get promoted

Getting a better position at your company is called being promoted. There are several things you can to do help get promoted and move on to a better job.


1. Have a good work ethic

A good work ethic means a positive and hard-working attitude toward work. People with a good work ethic:

  • do what they are asked to do
  • do their best and work hard until the job is done
  • do not complain unless they are being treated badly
  • support their coworkers

If you see something that needs doing, do it. If you see that somebody has too much work, offer to help. (But be sure your work is done first.) A good work ethic is among the top American values. Companies like employees who have a good work ethic.

2. Have a positive attitude

Your attitude is your way of looking at the world. In the USA, there is a saying about attitude. The saying is, if you look at a glass with water in it halfway up, you could say the glass is «half full,» or you could say the glass is «half empty.» To say the glass is half full is to have a more positive attitude. Having a good attitude means:

  • you do your best to complete your work, even if you are tired or do not like your job
  • you are friendly to your coworkers and customers
  • you smile when you are happy – Americans smile often and see smiling is a sign of friendliness
  • you show initiative – showing initiative means doing something positive without being asked

A positive attitude does not mean you should allow your company to treat you badly or allow people to be rude to you. Employers like employees who have positive attitudes. A person with a positive attitude is more likely to get promoted.

3. Get a mentor

A mentor is a person who can give you advice and help you gain new skills. If you want to stay at your company and get promoted, it can help to have a mentor at the company. A mentor can introduce you to people in your career field and help you with your resume.

You can ask someone at your company who has a higher position in the company to be your mentor. Even if that person likes and respects you, it is possible they will say no. Being a mentor takes a lot of time, and the person may be too busy. Do not take this personally.

It is best if your mentor works at your company or has a job that you wish to have in the future. However, you can also ask someone outside of your company to be your mentor. This could be a friend, a caseworker, volunteer, church member, supervisor or co-worker. It is best to have had a mentor you can meet with in person. If you can’t find one, you can look on the internet. If you don’t know anyone to ask, you can find mentors online.

Watch a video about how a mentor can help you.

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tVQ7obrki4)

(The word protege is used in the video. A protege means the person who is being mentored.)

4. Keep learning

If you want to get promoted, it is important that you keep learning. Continuing to learn new skills is called professional development.

Think about the skills you wish were better and which ones would help you do better at your job. Some workplaces will offer free professional development. Others may be willing to pay for courses you are interested in.

If you find a professional development opportunity you are interested in, ask your manager if your employer is able to pay for some or all of the cost. Be ready to explain why it would make you a better employee. Your employer might say no because there is not enough money, but they will be happy that you showed initiative.

You might not have time to go to a college or training center. There are free and low-cost courses online that could help you get promoted.

  • LinkedIn Learning has low-cost classes in business, communication, and technology. A lot of the courses are shorter than other websites, so it is a good choice if you are busy.
  • Udemy has a large variety of classes. You can learn about health and fitness, photography, and music. You can also learn how to use some databases.

5. Network to get promoted

Networking means using the people you know and connecting with new people to gain new opportunities. Networking is an important part of finding a job and working to get promoted.


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