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The Three Things All People Who Get Promoted Have In Common

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If you are seeking a promotion this year, consider these three things that are common to those who get promoted.

1. They go beyond meeting the qualifications.

Obviously, if you don’t meet the minimum eligibility requirements, you won’t even be considered for a promotion. But just meeting them is not enough. Why? Because there are typically countless others who can tick the boxes next to each of the job requirements. People who get promoted offer something beyond what’s required. To prepare yourself for the promotion, determine what you offer, looking for traits that sit at the intersection of these three career-building boulevards:

Valuable – what would add value to the team and the company, going well beyond what is required? For example, imagine that you are applying for a business development director role. Do you have a large contact list of potential business partners because you are the queen of networking?

Compelling – what is interesting (and perhaps not even required to do the job) to the people who are making the decision? For example, if you speak three languages, that’s interesting – even if the role only requires English.

Unique – what can you offer that other qualified candidates can’t? Identify the things that you uniquely bring to the role. What traits put you in a category of one? For example, perhaps you spent most of your career working on the client side in a highly specialized business, and you are now pursuing a role as a client relations director at your ad agency.

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2. They act like they have the job.

Hiring managers don’t want to take risks when it comes to their talent. In the lean organization of today, there is no room for mistakes. That applies to hiring new staff and to promoting existing team members. When it comes to granting promotions, your boss is looking for someone who has already honed the skills necessary to be successful at this new role. When you’re seeking a promotion, make list of the skills necessary to do the job, and then find ways to demonstrate those skills in the role you have.

That will likely mean taking risks – like tackling the big, honking problem that everyone knows about but is reluctant to touch, or stepping outside your comfort zone to stretch yourself. To show you are capable of handling the role you desire, you need to go beyond the skills you are using every day for your current job.

Volunteer for projects that give you this opportunity. Look beyond what you do at work. You may be able to demonstrate these skills through your professional associations, etc. Being on a board or taking a leadership role in an extracurricular organization can help you master the skills you need in order to be considered. Just make sure you let decision makers know what you’re achieving.

3. They show their commitment to the team and company.

If you are on the list for promotion, you’ll increase your chances of being promoted when you show your long-term commitment to the team and the organization. It’s costly and disruptive to have leaders leaving all the time. Your boss is looking for someone to count on – someone who believes in the strategies and the mission of the organization. Be the brand ambassador for your team. Tout the accomplishments of your colleagues, your boss, and the team as a whole.

Above all, do the same for the organization. Become your company’s most fervent brand ambassador. Understand the corporate strategy, mission, vision, and values. Live the brand in everything you do. Volunteer to be a part of multi-disciplinary groups. Offer to mentor junior staff, and volunteer to speak to new hires during on-boarding. Share your company's content with your connections through social media. You must prove that you know what the company is about and showcase your commitment to helping the company achieve its goals.

William Arruda is the cofounder of CareerBlast and creator of Ace Your Annual Review, a proven system to help you ace your performance review and get promoted faster.