How to Ask for a Promotion

Are you due for a promotion? Would your boss agree? What’s the best way to ask for a promotion?

You’ve been in your position for a while, and you believe you deserve a promotion. Now you just need to convince your boss that the time is right. We’ll go over how to prepare and practice the conversation.

Here’s what we’ll cover:

• When to ask for a promotion
• Setting up the promotion conversation
• What you should tell your boss
• What you should ask your boss
• How to practice asking for a promotion using an AI speech coach

When to Ask for a Promotion

Before you move forward with asking for a promotion, make sure you’re familiar with your company’s current promotion policies, eligibility criteria, timelines, and procedures for applying for a promotion. Once you have clarity, and you believe you’re eligible, a few more stars need to align for the time to be right. Here’s what should come together:

• There’s an opportunity for advancement. Your company actually has an open position that aligns with your career goals and skills—or such a position might be created. It’s possible that you could carve out a new space if you demonstrate that you can bring value to your company in a new role of your own making.
• You’ve been with the company—and in your current position—long enough. Of course, “long enough” is a relative amount of time that you’ll have to intuit or determine based on the experience of others or the policy of the company.
• You deserve a promotion. Make sure you’ve consistently demonstrated excellent performance in your current role and have exceeded the expectations of your employer.
• The company is growing. If your organization is going through downsizing and layoffs, it’s probably not the best time to put yourself forward to be, um, put forward. Unless, of course, you’re a genius at managing sinking ships and could come to the aid of your ailing company. But, if your organization is hiring and its budget is growing, it could be a great time to ask for a promotion.
• Your boss isn’t too busy or stressed. Even if your supervisor is happy with you, they might have too much on their plate to take on one more thing. Don’t push it; wait for a more opportune time.

It might be helpful for you to schedule a preliminary meeting with your boss to discuss your career goals and ask for feedback on your performance. That will help you gauge the situation and make a wise decision about moving forward with a promotion request.

Setting Up the Promotion Conversation

You don’t just walk into your boss’s office and ask for a promotion, right? First, you need to set the scene. There are a few variables here that determine the best way to do this. If you have the option to discuss the matter in person, request a private meeting with your boss. With so many remote jobs these days, this might not be possible. If it’s not, request a video conference or a phone call.

Even though you’re scheduling a time to meet, you don’t want to drop a bomb by waiting until the meeting to tell your boss what it’s about. When you request the time, let your boss know that you want to talk about your position and opportunities for advancement.

You might specifically say that you’d like to discuss your qualifications and eligibility for the role in question. Use your best judgment and your knowledge of your boss’s style and preferences. The main thing is not to catch them off guard; you want to give them a chance to prepare for the conversation.

What You Should Tell Your Boss

When you meet to ask for a promotion, don’t lead off with “the big ask.” Instead, start with a statement that you want to discuss the possibility of your advancement.

Keep in mind that you’re making a case; you’re building an argument. Your goal is to persuade your boss that you deserve a promotion. That means that you need to present the reasons why you deserve it. You must convince your boss of two things: (1) you’re ready in general to advance, and (2) you’re qualified for the particular position you want to take on.

When you meet, it’s a good idea to start off with a sincere, respectful tone of appreciation. Express your gratitude for the time you’ve already spent with the company and under your boss’s leadership. Let them know that it’s your pleasure to be part of the team. Tell them that you’re excited about the future of the company and that you want to be part of it. Make it clear that you’ve already contributed to the company, and you’re ready to make a greater contribution.

Your Prep Notes

Of course, this takes some preparation on your part. Make some notes for yourself that include these details:

• How long you’ve been with the company
• How long you’ve been in your current position
• Specific things you’ve learned and accomplished in your current position (this might include data that you should have ready)
• Specific ways you’ve gone above and beyond expectations
• Your qualifications for the position you want to take (include your specific qualifications as a leader, if the position requires leadership)

When you ask for a promotion, you’re basically applying for a new job. Treat it that way. Understand the qualifications, and show how you meet them. Research the salary range for the position you’re interested in, and be ready to negotiate if necessary. Be prepared to discuss the tasks of the new role.

Indeed, a promotion means assuming additional responsibilities and learning new things. Make it clear that you’re not just willing to take on new challenges and greater responsibility; you’re eager to do it. Being ready for a promotion basically means that you’ve outgrown your current position. Convince your boss that you’ll be more valuable to the company in an advanced role.

What You Should Ask Your Boss

It all comes down to this: asking for a promotion. You’ve set the stage. You’ve presented your case. Now you want to clarify that you’re asking your boss to consider you for the position in question. And, you’re ready to hear their thoughts on what you’ve presented.

You might get an instant “Yes.” Perhaps you’ll get an instant “No.” Your supervisor might have feedback on areas where you can improve before being considered for a promotion. If that’s the case, be receptive and grateful. Then, prepare to take action to address any areas for improvement.

If you just get a hard “No,” ask what you can do to meet their expectations for the role or whether there’s another position that you should aim for. This is a dialogue, so ask good questions and listen well for recommendations and direction. Be sure to thank your supervisor for their time and helpful feedback, and express a positive outlook for the future.

How to Practice Asking for a Promotion

Whether you ask for a promotion in person, over the phone, or via web conferencing, it’s in the context of a live conversation. It’s wise to practice what you plan to say and how to deal with follow-up questions. The Yoodli AI-powered speech coach can help with both of these. It’s free, fun, and effective. Here’s how to practice your promotion conversation with Yoodli.

Presenting Your Case

• Sign up or sign in at yoodli.ai.
• Make sure you have a camera and microphone connected. (If you don’t want to use the video feature, Yoodli will record just the audio. You just won’t get feedback on visual aspects of your delivery, such as eye contact.)
• Hover over Practice, and select Speech.
• Click Start.
• Record what you plan to say. Then, click on Stop and Save Recording.
• In just a moment, Yoodli will provide you with a transcript of what you said and analytics on your word choices and delivery. This includes feedback on your filler words, weak words, etc.

Answering Follow-Up Questions

• Hover over Practice, and select Interview.
• Click on “I want to practice with my own questions.”
• In the My Questions area, manually enter a question you think you might be asked during the conversation. For example, you could add “Are you willing to put in more time than your current position requires?” or “Are you ready to lead a team of people?”
• Toggle on the Ask Me AI Follow-Ups. (This option works for one question at a time because it generates the next question based on your answer to the first question.)
• When you’re ready, click on Start Practicing.

This video walks you through the AI Follow-Ups feature.

We believe that you’ll find Yoodli’s analytics helpful. The AI follow-up questions give you experience in quick thinking and impromptu speaking, and they help you know what you can expect. And, much of the app’s value is the way it lets you practice on your terms, as much as you want.

Wrapping Up

The more you prepare and practice, the more comfortable you’ll be. And, the more effective your promotion conversation will be. Whatever happens, asking for a promotion is a positive step in advancing your career. Even if you don’t get the promotion you want, the conversation can help you better understand what you need to do to get there in the future. Good luck!