Getting A Promotion: Are You Ready For It?

Getting a promotion is equivalent to taking the next step on the corporate ladder. You may have a lot of rungs to climb, but that's one less rung you have to worry about. All in all, it's a great feeling. This is why getting a promotion is the single most important goal for most people in the workplace today.

Before you look to take that next step, make sure you are ready for it. If they promote you but don't give you a raise, I'd high tail it out of there, as you're basically doing extra work for free. While I'm sure you're ready for the money, are you ready for the responsibility? With that question in mind, here are three things to think about before you take that next step in your career:

• Do you know what this new position entails? — This sounds like common sense, but I've definitely come across people who have no idea what to expect in their newly promoted positions. While I'm not saying you have to know the intimate day-to-day details (you'll learn a lot of this on the job), you need to have a general understanding of what responsibilities this position entails and what will be expected of you. If you walk in completely blind, you're almost guaranteed to have a rough time of it. A good idea is to talk to someone already in that position and get a feel for what they do.
• Are you ready to manage others? — This may not apply to your new position, but if you’re going to be managing other people, you need to be ready for it. Most likely, if you are up for a management position, you have had some experience with it. However, if you haven't, try to get some experience before you take your new position. An example of this would be volunteering to take charge of an assignment where other people would be working with you to get it done. It will be a lot easier to manage people in your new position if you have done it in your current position. I know it might not be possible (sometimes you don't have a say in it), but you should try to get some experience if you can.
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Article Author: Kevin Augustine

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