It’s enjoyable when your life is progressing. Like losing weight or increasing your nest egg, getting a promotion can be gratifying. The key is to prove that you deserve a promotion and are the right person for the job. With a little planning, you can get a promotion and advance your career.
Even if you’ve been stuck in the same job for years, it’s never too late to make new career strides. You can quickly establish yourself as a valuable employee that deserves greater responsibilities. Do you want to be a lead teacher, curriculum specialist, trainer, or director? You can!
Get a promotion and revitalize your career:
- Work at a school where promotions are possible. For example, if you work for a small center with long-term teachers, there will be few opportunities for promotion. So, your first step might be to find a new center! Ideally, it would be a large company with multiple locations. If your center has room to grow, stretch your wings there.
- Start each day with a plan. Most employees arrive at work, grab a cup of coffee, socialize for a while, and then try to figure out what to do. Have a plan before you go to bed. With a plan, when you get up, you can start your day effectively and get a head start on the competition.
- Go above and beyond. Does everyone else arrive at 8:00am and leave by 5:00pm? Then you arrive at 7:30 and leave at 5:30. It doesn’t take long for people to identify you as the person that comes in early and leaves late.Find a way to stand out as a superior employee. It isn’t hard since most others are just doing enough to avoid getting fired.
- Always be early. Be early to work and early with your work. If something is due by Friday at 5:00, have it completed on Thursday. Be 100% reliable. And be on time for meetings. Avoid letting anyone down. Be impeccable with your word.
- Avoid making enemies. You never know who your archenemy knows. You both might be low on the totem pole but your nemesis might be best friends with the boss’s daughter. Be one of those people that everyone likes and admires. It’s not hard to be pleasant when a promotion is at stake.
- Be indispensable. There are certain people that your school can’t do without. You probably know a few of them. What can you do to be so valuable that the owner or board will try to keep you happy? One key to getting a better job is being important enough that the company won’t want to disappoint you.
- Identify the important people. Where is your promotion likely to be? Whom would you work for? Start making friends and prove your worth. Specifically ask about the position and what qualities they need in an employee. Begin developing and advertising the skills necessary to be successful.
- Speak to your boss and any other managers. Let them know that you’d like to take on a new role in the near future. You’ll be viewed favorably for showing initiative and you’ll be on their radar. Being proactive shows that you’re willing to take on greater responsibilities.
- Get the training you need. If you want to be a Director, or Assistant Director, Get your Director Credential. TexasDirector can help you get your credential in less than a month. If you want to be a trainer, take a train-the-trainer class.
Keep your ear to the ground to know of upcoming openings. You can even suggest a new position be created that’s perfect for your backgrounds, skills, and interests. Perhaps you can step into the new role for 2 hours a day, and stay teaching the rest of the time. Be a creative problem solver!
Most employees aren’t willing to earn a promotion. You have much less competition than you think. However, if your best efforts fail, it might be time to look to another company. The perfect promotion for you already exists somewhere. The disadvantage of staying with the same company is fewer opportunities. Weigh your options and enjoy!
