How to get a promotion.

• Author: Marrow, Mary

The tactics it takes to advance on the job.

You've worked long and hard at your present job. Other employees at your work site have been promoted. You've dreamed about advancing in your company. But how do you ask for a raise or promotion without rocking the corporate boat?

"Take control of the situation," says Dee Buchanon, who was recently promoted from media director to operations director/media planner at Ken Flynn Alaska, an Anchorage advertising firm. Getting that promotion becomes an achievable goal if you take initiative and responsibility for your advancement. All it takes are a few key steps: communication, the right knowledge, professional skills, a plan of action and the art of negotiation.

First of all, Buchanon adds, "Initiate communication with your boss." Through effective communication with her boss Ken Flynn, she learned that he wanted to know more about what was happening in other departments in the company. She offered to find out for him. Now Buchanon meets with her boss 15 minutes a day to give him the big picture of what is happening in the firm.

Sandy Beitel-Huff, manager of employee relations at BP Exploration (Alaska) Inc., suggests that you initiate conversation and dialogue with your supervisor to clarify expectations and perceptions of your job performance.

Evaluation of your work may rest on unwritten and unspoken expectations. Uncovering these hidden expectations and taking concrete steps to fulfill them will boost your chances of advancement.

The value of these communication efforts on your job performance is that you can receive support and feedback in a non-threatening, supportive atmosphere. As you learn to receive constructive feedback, you will be able to identify and pursue opportunities for growth and advancement within the company you work for.

KNOW EVALUATION RULES

Every business has its own rules for raises and promotions. Some companies offer raises based on a cost-of-living index or how long employees have worked with the company. For many other firms, promotions are determined by an in-depth employee evaluation, which is based on an employee's professional development and initiative.

Knowing what skills your company bases promotions on will help you take active steps to improve your job performance.

For example, Beitel-Huff explains that BP evaluates its employees through a four-pronged approach that incorporates performance appraisals, personal development plans, upward feedback (team members...