6 Promotion Secrets Your Boss Won’t Tell You

You're ambitious. Of course.

And that's a good thing, because you rarely get far if your mental gears are stuck in neutral. Ambition is what drives you — and your career — forward.

But there's one teeny-weeny problem. Your boss hasn't shared much helpful advice with you about how to get promoted, and what they have told you is basic stuff you already knew.

Your dreams of promotion are falling flat. If you can't find a way to move up in your working life, you're gonna have to take a rain check on that expensive apartment/vacation/car/whatever it is you daydream about having in your future.

How can you fix this and get your career climbing again?

Simple. You need the tips your boss didn't share. And we've got those for you today.

Here's what your boss won't tell you about getting a promotion:

1. "It's not who you know, it's how you know."

Networking is kinda awesome and kinda icky at the same time. Why? Because trying to make friends while you size up their ability to help you win a promotion is weird. It's like those "fruit flavored drinks" that have never met real fruit — it leaves you with an artificial aftertaste.

So instead of making a beeline for the big kahunas next time you're mingling with colleagues, go and introduce yourself to somebody you don't recognize. Have a real conversation. You'll wind up meeting new people you didn't even know could help you (and you know, they're more likely to help you if you don't treat them like rungs on your career ladder).

2. "I'm too busy doing paperwork to promote you."

Turns out middle management really don't spend a lot of time managing people and promoting the best workers. Almost a quarter of their working week is spent on administration, with only a couple of hours per week on coaching, mentoring and other promotion-friendly activities.

With that kind of workload, it's no wonder your boss hasn't spent any time thinking about your promotion prospects. So, maybe offer to help alphabetize those files while you discuss your ambitions.

3. "Every role is available, including mine."

Some bosses don't like to admit they're replaceable. But when you take that idea a smidge too far, you end up with a boss who truly believes they're the only person in the universe who can do the job right. A good boss, on the other hand, knows if you have the potential to take on their job — and they'll let you gain experience in their role if they need a deputy for vacations, sick leave, or the next time they're at a business conference.

OK, so you don't have a permanent promotion. Yet. But if you've worked the boss's role, you'll be at the top of their list for a whole range of promotion possibilities.

4. "You can have a promotion when I die or get fired."

Yep, there are still organizations where promotion only gets considered if someone else leaves their role. And if the hierarchy is rigid, it may operate on what I think of as the career gridlock principle — nobody's going anywhere until the space right in front of them opens up, and hey, that's your boss's job! (See promotion tip #3.)

If your boss views your desire for promotion as a job-stealing betrayal, try pointing out alternative promotion possibilities, such as a new responsibility or a shift to another department.

5. "Ask me after a big win and I'll say yes."

Top secret: your boss is sometimes irrational and emotional, just like everybody else. If you catch them on a bad day, they won't want to hear about your ambitions because they're too busy worrying about what's gone wrong with their own life.

Pop the promotion question when they're feeling good about the world, and you've got a much better chance of getting them to agree.

6. "Promotion? I didn't know you wanted one."

Bosses forget to mention this tip for the same reason they forget to promote you. If they don't know what you want, why would they do anything to help you get it?

Your promotion prospects are pretty much zero until you ask. So talk to your boss about your hopes and reasons for wanting a promotion. Talk to your peers at work about it, too.

Once people know what you're aiming for, they'll be able to tip you off about professional development opportunities and upcoming vacancies in the company. Your name might just get dropped into the conversation next time promotions are being discussed.

Equally important: every time you talk about it you're reminding yourself of your goals, and that helps keep you on track to achieve them.

See your target. See your path to it. See yourself at the top.

And I'll see you there.