Asking for a promotion is never easy and unless you’re a super confident person you’re likely to have lots of uncertainties running through your mind in the build-up such as “have I got the skills? Will my boss recognise my abilities and hard work? Am I 100% ready to take on additional responsibilities?”

These worries are completely normal but it’s important that when you do approach your boss you are calm, rational and professional in order to get the desired outcome.

The evidence suggests that one of the most common reasons for an employee to leave a job is due to lack of progression but replacing leavers is expensive and time consuming for employers. It is usually in the interest of an employer to develop and promote their existing staff over spending time seeking out new hires meaning that if you're a hardworking and dedicated employee this can work to your advantage.

There are three key things to consider before asking for a promotion and they are:

Are you performing well in your current role and achieving all your targets?

Can you build the case for your promotion?

Is there an opportunity available in your workplace or will you be asking your manager to create a more senior role specifically for you?

If you are new to your role or new to the company it wouldn’t be advisable to jump straight in and ask for a promotion. Neither would it be the best idea to ask if you’re underperforming your job. You need to be able to demonstrate that you have outgrown your current role and that you are over-performing and are ready to take on more responsibilities.

Achieving promotion, particularly an internal one is based on performance so you not only need to be performing well but ensuring that your manager and team are aware of this. Make sure you are standing out as someone who is hardworking, helpful to others and committed to the company. You can draw on these examples during the conversation with your manager and this will help build the case for your promotion.

As mentioned previously, a lack of career progression within a business is a huge issue for many employees across the UK with many people waiting for the vacancy of the role more senior than them to become available. Depending on the structure of the business you work in and your relationship with your manager it can still be worth expressing your interest in promotion even if the job isn’t available right now. Some managers will respect your ambition and may put a plan in place following your conversation that will shape you for that future role. Others may offer you incentives to keep you with the company until a more permanent promotion becomes available.

The outcomes of these kind of conversations are limitless and it is very unlikely that you will be granted an immediate promotion following your first meeting. Patience and perseverance are key.

Some Managers may task you with additional responsibilities to see how you manage, others may not have the budget yet for an increase in wages or they may say no outright. It is worth considering all the possible outcomes and asking yourself how you will feel if you get rejected.

Will you be able to continue working in your current role or will you start looking elsewhere?

If you decide the best option for you is to seek alternative employment then be sure to contact our expert team of automotive recruiters at Perfect Placement. 

With more than 16 years of recruitment experience, our team are full of knowledge and are on hand ready to help you find your next automotive job!