Promotion Strategy #1: From Director to VP in 6 Months (promotion while changing employers) Situation: You are an accomplished Director with stellar performance reviews. You are starting to think about a promotion, but then the strangest thing happens. Your manager says your work is not up to par, and you are laid off. You are confused, hurt, and overwhelmed. Your confidence takes a hit. This is what most people do in this situation: They immediately start applying for ANY Director job they can find, creating a false negative. They get rejected because they apply for roles that don’t match their unique skills. Following the rejections, they assume they’ll need to take a step back, so they apply for senior manager roles. They get rejected from those because they are clearly overqualified, but the rejections reinforce the false negative cycle. Their confidence is completely shattered, so even when they get interviews, they come across as insecure and lose the opportunity. The Promotion Strategy you need: 1. Rebuild self-confidence first. Don’t act out of fear. If you don’t believe in yourself, no one else will. - Do not let one person’s opinion count more than a decade of experience
- Create a brag list to remind yourself who you are and what you are capable of
- Talk to past leaders and colleagues to get an unbiased perspective
2. Create a vision and plan: It may feel tempting to run in all directions to grab any opportunity, but that’s a recipe for disappointment. Having a vision gives you clarity and direction. - Ask yourself: What would my next move look like if I wasn't laid off?
- Where will l have the most leverage to achieve this goal? (type of company/industry/role)
- How did people like me get this opportunity? (talk to people who have the job you want to have)
3. Don’t limit yourself to what’s available; create opportunities. If you only rely on job postings, your opportunity pool will be limited. Instead, figure out how to create the opportunity you want. This is exactly what my client did after being let go from a Director role. Her vision was to become a partner at a VC firm. She never even considered it while applying because she thought she’d need an MBA or financial background to be considered. However, after speaking with a few partners, she realized she didn’t need any certifications. She needed practical experience working as a VP. She also learned these roles are mostly filled through the inner circles, so she must become an insider. Instead of randomly applying online, she started networking with people who work at VC firms. She joined a few dedicated communities and started engaging and sharing advice, which got her noticed. A few partners approached her and offered her consulting opportunities. Those paid consulting opportunities turned into two job offers, one of which she accepted as a VP. From laid off as a Director to a VP in her dream industry with a killer network in less than 6 months. Promotion Strategy #2: From Manager to Sr. Manager in 6 weeks (internal promotion during reorg) Situation: You are a respected manager that everyone knows and loves. You work hard and give 120% because you believe your hard work will eventually be rewarded. You’re getting close to the two-year mark, but instead of being put up for promotion, you learn your manager is leaving, and the company is going through a reorg. To make things worse, you have no idea what this reorg means for you or where you will land. This is what most people do in this situation: Accept the news, hope for the best, and wait for the storm to pass. Assume you have no control over what happens next, and cross your fingers it won’t be worse than where you are right now. Don’t even think about a promotion. You should be grateful you have a job. The Promotion Strategy you need: 1. Take ownership. Instead of waiting to find out where you might land, pursue the opportunity you want. - Identify an opening or an opportunity that aligns with your goals and skills, and make it your target. If qualified, aim for a promotion, not just a lateral move.
2. Identify gaps or objections. - Is there any reason why you shouldn’t get the job? Identify objections in advance.
- Is there a valid need to fill the role you are after? What makes you the best candidate?
- Is there anything you need to do or stop doing to become the best and obvious choice?
3. Roadshow + business case. This is an opportunity to position yourself for the role proactively. - Identify the most important decision-makers and meet them one-on-one
- Share your goals and your plans for growth.
- Paint a compelling picture, and ask for their support.
- Clearly declare your interest in the role and make your case.
This is exactly what my client did to turn a dreaded reorg into a promotion accelerator. He identified the role he wanted - Sr. Product Marketing Manager. He reached out to a few people with this title and quickly realized he had no gaps. He was qualified for the role and could easily do it! He then identified the stakeholders who will need to support his promotion - the hiring manager, their peers, and HR. He reached out one by one and spoke to these stakeholders about three things: his past work and how it helped them, his vision for the role he wants and how he will do a good job, and their feedback about his plan. All stakeholders were thrilled to support him, and by the time he spoke to the hiring manager, it was already a done deal. His stakeholders spoke so highly of him that the hiring manager was convinced he deserved the role. He was promoted to his dream job and quickly became a people manager. From dreading a reorg to landing a promotion in 6 weeks. Promotion Strategy #3: From Sr. Manager to Director in months (after being told “no promotion”) Situation: You’ve been a valued manager at the company for more than 2 years, and your manager can’t stop praising you. In fact, they tell you that they can see you are already operating at the next level. You are so excited because you take it as a sign it’s time for promotion! To make it official, you put your hat in the ring and ask your manager the next steps. The response you get is not what you expected. Your manager says no because they don’t have the budget to promote you. You are frustrated and a little mad. Everyone agreed you deserve the promotion, but it feels like you just wasted two years for nothing. This is what most people do in this situation: The first reaction is usually anger. It’s unfair that you have done everything right, and you’re not getting the reward. Some people may even lash out (not a good idea). Rage quitting might follow, with rage applying to Sr. Manager roles. After all, no one will promote you without having the title first. You plan on finding a lateral move, proving yourself for a year or two, and then getting the promotion you deserve. The Promotion Strategy you need: 1. Shift in perspective. The common belief is that you shouldn’t take a promotion without a raise. This belief is misguided because it lacks context. The strategic approach is to ask: How can I use this situation to my advantage to get the promotion faster? The answer is to take the promotion without a raise, “earn the title” by having it 2-3 months, and then use it to get a more senior role with a different employer. 2. Renegotiate the terms. Just because they said “no” doesn’t mean there is no flexibility. It’s your job to suggest the terms you want. This is exactly what my student did to turn a “no” into a Director promotion in just a few months. She asked her manager if he would consider promoting her if she accepted a promotion without a raise. Her manager said yes, and she became a Director. Armed with a new title and more confidence, she started applying for Director roles and, after a few months, found the perfect fit. From hearing “no” and planning a lateral move to Director promotion (and eventually raise) in a few months. | 
