How to Know When You're Due For a Promotion

Onyeka

Sep 13, 2024

Don't make my mistake.

Hello there!

Welcome to another edition of the Creaitz newsletter.

I’m Onyeka, founder of Creaitz and I’ll be speaking to you today.

Why?

Because I have asked the question in today’s newsletter in the past and I made a drastic mistake.

My Drastic Mistake

I got a job a few years ago.

I was fresh out of the university and it was my first “professional” job experience.

I was earning a six-figure salary and I was fine until I found out that I was kind of the least paid team member.

Ouch!

As the saying goes: Nothing is small until you compare it.

I felt bad about it, considering all the effort I put in.

And that was my first mistake—> Letting my worth be determined by what others were earning and not by my value.

Fast forward to six months into the role, I was talked up by my colleague to ask for a raise.

I wasn't very prepared to ask because I didn't know how my efforts were contributing to the company.

But I summoned courage and asked for a raise.

It was a disaster!

My boss kindly explained that my terms of justification for my raise weren't strong enough.

I understood everything he said and meant but I got insecure about the job afterwards.

And that was mistake number 2—> Because I didn't take the time to objectively think through my effort, contribution and value to the company, my pitch was bad and eventually it affected my self-confidence.

My experience at work got ruined, my anxiety about the job grew, and every correction - to the team - hit me harder.

Eventually, I resigned from the role.

There were a few other reasons for this, but let's focus on the topic of promotion.

Just so You Know- Our Lives Don't Have to End at a Mistake

After that experience, I learnt my lesson.

I picked myself up and continued in other jobs.

Recently, I got promoted to a managerial role and I want to share how you can recognize when it's time for your own promotion.

First, What is a Promotion?

A promotion is an advancement to a higher position within a company or organization.

It often involves increased responsibilities, a higher salary, and a change in title.

However, these changes don’t always happen all at once.

You might move through several roles before receiving a salary increase.

In 2024, work environments are more fluid.

Career paths often shift, and simpler roles can evolve into more complex ones as you gain experience and skills.

For instance:

Content Creation

Content Creator → Content Writer → Content Marketer → Community Manager → Marketing Manager

Partnerships

Promotions Manager → Partnership Manager → Junior Business Developer → Business Developer

Software Development

Junior Developer → Frontend Developer → Fullstack Developer → Software Engineer → Technical Lead

Project Management

Project Coordinator → Junior Project Manager → Project Manager → Senior Project Manager → Program Manager

Data Analysis

Data Entry Clerk → Junior Data Analyst → Data Analyst → Senior Data Analyst → Data Scientist

Cybersecurity

IT Support → Security Analyst → Cybersecurity Specialist → Senior Security Engineer → Chief Information Security Officer (CISO)

Of course, your career trajectory may not look this straightforward.

This is only to show how roles transition.

Next, How do You Know You Are Promotion-Ready

Here are some signs that you're ready to level up:

You've exceeded expectations.
This means when your work consistently surpasses the standards set for your current role.
You've taken on additional responsibilities.
When you've volunteered for extra projects, or been given more tasks without being asked, it shows increased capacity and your employers- naturally- would want to trust you with more responsibilities.
You've upskilled.
Upskilling means investing in your professional development through courses, certifications, or workshops.
You've built relationships.
Once in a while, organizational politics come into play. Cultivating strong connections with your colleagues, clients, and mentors can help to solidify your chance at a promotion.

Finally, if You Freelance…

Promotion is akin to charging higher and niching down.

Increase your prices after upskilling or after every year in that role.

As a good rule of thumb, increase your prices after you've acquired new skills or after every year in your role.

This helps to reflect the growth and experience you've gained.

If you enjoyed reading this, feel free to share it with others by clicking the button below.

Community Updates

Did you know? Crypto is NOT the only way to invest during inflation.

There are other options(alternative assets).

And in our last Telegram voice chat on Thursday, the 12th of September, I shared with the community how to invest in stocks and alternative assets.

Get the recording here.

Next, as mentioned in our last newsletter, we announced our 3-day boot camp on blockchain technology, graphics design, content writing and video editing.

Amazingly, over 315+ people registered within 72 hours🤯.