It’s no secret that securing a promotion requires you to sell your many benefits as an employee. But if you think it’s enough to list the reasons why you’ve earned the next step up, you might find yourself coming unstuck.
Who better to tell us what leaders look for in a candidate for promotion, than the leaders themselves? We asked five everywomanClub members what swings the deal for them. Here’s what they told us.
Ruth Huddleston – Author and Publishing Consultant
What do I look for when deciding if I’m going to promote a member of my team? Firstly, a willingness to work hard and learn. Secondly, flexibility; I want someone who can and will work outside of a narrowly defined job description. Thirdly, the ability to get on with others in and clients of my organisation.
Anna Lee – Co-founder, Storm watches
If I’m going to promote someone in my team it’s going to be because they’re passionate about whatever it is they do. They will need to have demonstrated that they are able to use their initiative and, of course, they’ll need to have displayed promising results.
Jacqueline de Rojas – Non-Executive Director, Home Retail Group; Board Member, techUK
I have one rule before I’ll even consider promoting someone in my team and that is to ask: have they put a succession plan in place? It’s an absolute must. Unless there’s a smart and amazing replacement ready to step into your shoes, there isn’t a chance in hell I’m going to give you the opportunity to move on!
Nicola Sangwin – Founder, Amethyst London Ltd
When I’m interviewing a potential candidate for a role, I’m looking for someone with a ready smile who can look me in the eye. I’ll want to hear their ambition and their knowledge shining through; see that they’re keen and friendly. If their role is going to involve presentations and/or meeting clients, then clean shoes and nice nails are a must!
Katrina Roberts – Vice President – Head of European Technologies, American Express
I want to see someone who is able to lay out very clearly where they plan to grow; a positive attitude to learning and self-development is much more convincing that someone who proclaims they are 100% ready to take a step up. They’ll also need to show genuine interest in the role they want to step into, beyond the fact that it’s merely a promotion. They need to demonstrate that they really understand the role they’ll be taking on, and can explain why they’re such a good match for it. When you ask for examples to back up the skills and experience they are describing, those examples have credibility and you know they are not winging it.
