I am happy and fully charged to work for my current employer. As a PM, I am tasked to create new products/services and responsible for their growth. I feel I am working more than my title prescribes. So, do I ask my manager to promote me? Or do I keep working with the same energy and let the performance "speak"?
Ask HN: Should I Ask for Promotion?
1–10 of 13 posts
Re: Ask HN: Should I Ask for Promotion?
#2If you can actually repeatedly and successfully create and grow new products and services, I would start your own company.
Re: Ask HN: Should I Ask for Promotion?
#3It depends?
I.e. when I worked at a fairly large multinational (around 10k headcount), the only time I got promoted was when I explicitly started asking along the lines: "I like the sound of 'senior engineer', how do I get there?"
But there was a process. Maybe you don't have a process.
W.r.t. 'having your performance speak' I would suggest looking at it as 'building your case' rather than 'I am working a lot, right?'
Re: Ask HN: Should I Ask for Promotion?
#4[deleted]
Re: Ask HN: Should I Ask for Promotion?
#5Like a-saleh says, about 'building your case', you want to position yourself such that it's undeniable you are producing more value with your time. Point out that there has plainly been a shift in the value of your time for the organization.
Re: Ask HN: Should I Ask for Promotion?
#6You can probably ask for anything you want. I would doubt, however, that anyone would give you anything unless they a have reason to do so.
Like an outside offer.
Why would I, as a company, promote you and give you more money when no one else wants you? I have no incentive to do so.
I’m sure wouldn’t do it out of the good of my heart. That doesn’t exist. People may try to make you think like such thing exists and you might get a promotion from time to time but that is a fraction of what you would get if someone else was interested in you.
Re: Ask HN: Should I Ask for Promotion?
#7In my experience, you don't get what you don't ask for. In other words, your work/performance rarely "speaks" for itself. If you believe your work is representative of a promotion, then you should absolutely talk to your boss about it. Even if they say "no", you can follow up with "what do I need to get there?" and demonstrate a willingness to grow and level up in the organization. That can kickstart a process where your boss is actively helping you get a promotion. (Assuming they're a good boss...)
For now, I recommend compiling a list of achievements and work that you've done that illustrates your growth. When you have this conversation, your job is so sell yourself as worthy of a promotion. You can't just say "I'm working more". That won't fly. But you can say "In the last 6 months, I've accomplished X, Y, and Z. I proactively identified problems M and N, and recruited Joe and Sally to develop a solution, then implemented it within six weeks. This solution saved/made the company $A, and increased productivity by B%." Numbers and data generally speak more than words.
Another piece of advice that a former boss told me is "don't ask, tell". I'm not sure I'm 100% on board with this, but the idea is that you go in with something like "I've done all of these things (see above), and it's time for me to move up to the next level and get a promotion to Senior Whatever." This shows confidence and assertiveness, which is generally a good thing the more senior you get. I'm not 100% convinced this works, but it has worked with me for the last few bosses I've had, so... YMMV.
Good luck.
Re: Ask HN: Should I Ask for Promotion?
#8In my experience, you don't get what you don't ask for . In other words, your work/performance rarely "speaks" for itself. If you believe your work is representative of a promotion, then you should absolutely talk to your boss about it. Even if they say "no", you can follow up with "what do I need to get there?" and demonstrate a willingness to grow and level up in the organization. That can kickstart a process where…
Great piece of advice. I like the "don't ask, tell". The reason I got a little disappointed in "asking" is that in previous 2 attempts the promotion got delayed because of stupid reorgs, the managers changed. I took it upon me to build the case again. That took time (at lease a year), and eventually I thought maybe it makes no sense, rather just wait till someone realizes. But I get your point. Thank you :)
Re: Ask HN: Should I Ask for Promotion?
#9If you can actually repeatedly and successfully create and grow new products and services, I would start your own company.
I am working on that, too ;)
Re: Ask HN: Should I Ask for Promotion?
#10It depends? I.e. when I worked at a fairly large multinational (around 10k headcount), the only time I got promoted was when I explicitly started asking along the lines: "I like the sound of 'senior engineer', how do I get there?" But there was a process. Maybe you don't have a process. W.r.t. 'having your performance speak' I would suggest looking at it as 'building your case' rather than 'I am working a lot, right?…
Yes. But whenever I try to build a case, my mental model tells me that its not the right time. I think of all counter arguments (company revenue is down, my product is still in infancy,etc.), and I tend to postpone it. Why can't it be discussed as a process (e.g. regular review session likes hey, I see you are very close to be promoted to senior manager, let us discuss it in details the next meeting). I mean that my manager should be as aware of it, as I am.