CAREER SPECIAL ...................PROMOTION AHEAD

CAREER SPECIAL PROMOTION AHEAD





Being hard working isn't enough. Here's what management wants when handing out better appraisals

Besides trimming your waistline, beating your relationship blues, the other thing that's perennially on your resolution list is getting a promotion. And yet, much like the inch-tape that's never in your corner (and the partner, may we add) the promotion too seems elusive. Let this, then, be the year to tick at least one entry on your NY to-do list.

HR heads and head hunters say what is it that the top management is looking for when they promote someone.

SUSTAINABILITY OF CAPABILITY

You are doing well in the role you are currently in, but how will you do when you are promoted to a senior level? Whether or not you are asking that question, be sure your bosses are, says Sylvia Keishing a partner at the Pune-based recruitment firm MI10 HR.

“When deciding whom to promote, management looks at the long-term: will this person be able to handle more responsibilities; will they be able to take on a more senior role in two years?,“ she says.Keishing adds that management also looks at the sustainability factor, if you are promoted to a senior role, will you be able to perform well for a year or two?
If you are looking for a promotion during the next appraisal, collect data of your performance through this past year. How many targets have you met, how did you handle job pressure? Did you take on a new role last year? How have you been handling it?

HAS POLITICAL ACUMEN

Mohit Gundecha, co-founder of Jombay, a Pune-based data analytics firm that works with firms to predict employee behaviour, says that while all firms are looking for high-potential candidates, mere capability is not an indicator that a person will do well after a promotion.

To assess a candidates capability, says Gundecha, firms conduct a 360º review, which includes, understanding team dynamics and how your colleagues perceive you.

“If it's a senior position, firms also want a candidate with political acumen, someone who understands how to deal with office dynamics,“ he says.

EXPERIMENTS WITH IDEAS

Gundecha shares that the ability to say no, interestingly, is also a plus factor. “As an employee you are always doing what the boss sug gests,“ says Gundecha. “However, with Gen Y and the Millenials joining the workforce, the focus is on challenging each other to improve the product.“

Thus, if at an office meeting your boss says something that you don't agree with, don't be afraid to argue.

However, be mindful that arguing for the sake of it will not get you anywhere. Do you have an idea or good reason to say why your boss's plan won't work? Be sure to present them. Ensure, however, that you don't offend anyone while doing so. If you are eying that new corner office, you'll have to learn to present yourself in the best light possible, without putting any body else down.

IS FRIENDLY WITH EVERYONE AT WORK

It's important to make friends at high places. However, it's also important that you have friends (allies) across the office. When in a senior position, you will need cooperation of everyone on the floor to get your job done well and on time. And these are qualities that the bosses notice. So, if there's a party make sure you are a) invited and b) present.

At company parties, make it a point to not hang in the corner with the same people you work with every day. The more people you know, and are friendly with, the greater your chances of advancement.

NEGOTIATES WELL

Part of the process of getting a promotion is negotiating your way through it. However, how you negotiate is important. Keishing says you mustn't dictate terms to your boss.

Every promotion is about assessment of performance and it's here, she says, that you should bring data to the table. Tell you boss how you met your targets and generated revenue for the firm. Have you met client expectations?

Successful haggling (whether it's for a new role or a higher pay) is about conveying confidence.Ensure that your nervousness doesn't show. Don't sabotage your chances by playing with your pen, touching your face or hair, shifting from side to side, tapping your foot or finger or slouching. Make eye contact.

IS INTERESTED IN LONG-TERM PROSPECTS

Long before appraisal time comes in, discuss your role in the firm with the boss. Sit across the table with them, says Keishing, and discuss what your growth plan is for the next couple of years. Ask your boss “what can I look forward to“ and “what do I need to do to achieve this goal?“. This creates a win-win situation for all concerned.

Gitanjali Chandrasekharan MM 14JAN15