Asking the Question

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Updated August 7, 2023

Once you’ve put in the work to prepare and you feel like you’re ready, it’s time to ask for the promotion. To be clear, asking for a promotion is not a one-time conversation. Rather, it’s an ongoing conversation between you and your manager about what you need to do to be considered for the promotion. Very rarely will you be promoted on the spot, so it’s going to take some time and hard work to get across the finish line. Don’t expect things to happen overnight. Asking the question is just the first step to get the ball rolling on the process. So, how should you ask?

exampleOne way to ask for a promotion:

“I’d like to be considered for a promotion to a senior software engineer. I feel like I’ve demonstrated that I’m ready based on my recent performance, but I know there are still some areas that I can improve. I’d like to start an ongoing conversation with you to identify what I need to work on in order for me to reach the next level. What do I need to do to show you that I’m ready for the next step?”

The goal is to ask for the promotion, but not demand it. Humbleness goes a long way here, so it’s good to acknowledge that you know there are still some areas where you can improve. The idea is to work with your boss to put together a roadmap for what you need to work on to get to a point where they’re confident in your abilities and comfortable going to bat for you when submitting their recommendation for your promotion.

Keep in mind that your manager is evaluated on their decision-making skills and their team’s performance, so there’s a strong incentive for them to recommend a promotion only when they believe you are ready. If your manager recommends a promotion to their boss when you’re not ready to perform at the next level, it may make them look bad and hurt their credibility.

There will almost certainly be some areas that your manager would like to see you improve before they will be comfortable enough to recommend a promotion for you. Work with them to develop a plan to improve those areas. They may be able to put you on projects that will give you certain experience, or give you more responsibility that will help you develop skills they want to see you improve.

Put in the Work

Once you’ve got the ball rolling and have a plan in place with your manager, it’s up to you to put in the work to show your boss that you’re serious about the promotion. Set weekly goals for yourself to work on the areas that your manager would like to see you improve. Write them down and review your progress regularly, like at the start and end of each week.

Some things your manager expects of you won’t be easy. You’ll be forced out of your comfort zone, and you’ll be asked to do things you’ve never done before. You may need to make important decisions, whether they’re technical ones or choices about how to handle certain processes.

You may not always make the right decisions, but the important thing is to learn how to think logically, creatively, and collaboratively with the rest of your team. Being a senior engineer is about taking on more responsibility and putting the team first, and your boss may set you up to gain experience in making bigger decisions before you actually get promoted. If you can demonstrate that you’re able to make decisions and lead within your team, you’ll be able to show your manager that you’re ready for the promotion.

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