In today’s episode, Sarah's tackling a big topic: how to position yourself for a promotion. Whether you're aiming for an internal step up or seeking opportunities externally, Sarah shares actionable steps to make your next career move a certainty.

Show Notes

[00:00:00] Welcome & Introduction

[00:02:00] Recognising When You're Ready for Promotion

• Signs it’s time to move up (boredom, lack of challenge, outgrowing your boss)
• Self-doubt and imposter syndrome
• Ensuring the next level is the right move for you

[00:04:00] Managing Self-Doubt and Career Confidence

• How to prevent self-doubt from holding you back
• Engaging your inner coach and reinforcing your strengths

[00:05:00] Preparing for Promotion: Gap Analysis

• Evaluating what the next level role requires
• Identifying skill and experience gaps
• How to develop the necessary competencies

[00:06:00] Seeking Opportunities to Stretch & Lead

• Finding opportunities for projects and presentations
• Showcasing leadership skills at the next level
• Demonstrating your ability to operate beyond your current role

[00:07:00] Increasing Self-Awareness & Knowing Your Value

• Understanding your strengths and worth
• Recognising when your organisation underestimates your potential
• Making informed decisions about internal vs. external moves

[00:08:00] Being Proactive & Building a Strong Reputation

• Positioning yourself as a problem solver
• Demonstrating a positive and solution-focused mindset
• Navigating organisational challenges effectively

[00:09:00] Building Key Relationships & Securing Advocacy

• Strengthening relationships with your line manager and senior leaders
• The importance of mentorship, sponsorship, and networking
• Engaging with HR and other decision-makers

[00:10:00] Getting Comfortable with Self-Promotion

• Overcoming the fear of self-promotion
• Effectively communicating achievements and challenges
• Framing accomplishments in a way that highlights leadership capabilities

[00:12:00] Researching Industry Trends & Market Insights

• Understanding recruitment trends and promotion practices
• Knowing the market rate for your next role
• Using industry insights to strengthen your negotiation position

[00:14:00] Timing Your Promotion Strategy

• Choosing the right moment based on company performance
• Leveraging recent successes to advocate for your promotion
• Recognizing when it’s time to move up and out

[00:15:00] Recap & Final Thoughts

• Summary of key steps to position yourself for promotion
• Encouragement to take action and plan strategically
• Invitation to work with Sarah on a personalised advancement strategy

Useful Links

Sign up for Weekly Career Inspiration

Learn about Leadership & Advancement Coaching Programmes

Book a Free 121 Clarity Call

Join The Love What You Do Facebook Group

Connect with Sarah on LinkedIn

Rate & Review the Podcast

If you found this episode of Unstuck & Unstoppable helpful, please do rate and review it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

If you're kind enough to leave a review, please do let Sarah know so she can say thank you. You can always reach her at: sarah@careertreecoaching.co.uk

Remember, you’re capable of more than you know—shine brightly, lead boldly, and be unstoppable.

Welcome to Unstuck and Unstoppable,

the podcast for ambitious female

2

leaders who want to create more impact,

income, and influence in their careers.

3

feel connected to their passion

and purpose, but without

4

selling out or burning out.

5

I'm Sarah Archer, a leadership coach

and career strategist, helping women

6

like you thrive in leadership roles

while staying true to your values.

7

I'm the founder of CareerTree

Coaching and have over 15 years of

8

coaching experience and significant HR

leadership experience to share with you.

9

I know as a female leader it can

be hard to find time to focus

10

on your career aspirations.

11

The day job can be all consuming.

12

Plus, no matter how senior you are,

there are always going to be times

13

when you feel stuck, when you have

self doubt, or feel like an imposter.

14

And that's where unstuck

and unstoppable comes in.

15

Each week I'll be sharing practical

strategies, insightful interviews and

16

inspiring stories to help you boost

your confidence, lead with purpose

17

and achieve sustainable success.

18

If you're ready to stop playing

small and unlock the incredible

19

potential you have within you and feel

unstoppable, you're in the right place.

20

Let's get started.

21

Welcome to episode 17 and today's topic is

a big one so I'm really glad you're here.

22

Today we're talking about what

you need to do to get promotion.

23

I'm going to run through some

ideas for you about how you can

24

make that more of a certainty.

25

If this year , you set yourself a career

goal to get promotion either internally

26

or get to that next level externally

then these are some things you can

27

think about to put in place this year.

28

Obviously it depends on your

timeframe to make that happen.

29

First of all, how do you know

you're ready for promotion?

30

Maybe you are feeling bored, maybe

there's no challenge or stretch

31

left in your role, and OK, I

could do this standing on my head.

32

Maybe you're bumping up against your

boss, so you're noticing, you're

33

thinking I wouldn't have made that

decision, or I know as much as my

34

boss knows on this particular topic.

35

You just feel like you're

bumping up against them.

36

Or you find you're being asked to

act up into a more senior role,

37

or you know you're ready for a new

challenge, you've achieved everything

38

you want to in your current role.

39

Or you find yourself thinking about

wider challenges, you're thinking

40

more about the organizational

wide challenges rather than your

41

department or your team's challenges.

42

So you're starting to think

on that bigger scale.

43

But you might have a bit of self doubt

going on because it often kicks in,

44

doesn't it, when we're thinking about

stepping out of our comfort zone.

45

And you might find yourself

thinking actually, am I ready?

46

Can I do that next level role?

47

Can I do the strategic piece?

48

That all seems to be a

stumbling block with people.

49

Am I strategic enough?

50

Am I a visionary?

51

And also that question around,

is it the right thing for me?

52

Just because you can go that next

level doesn't mean that you,

53

it is going to be right for you.

54

I'm working with a client at the

moment Her boss has left, she's a

55

head of department and the director

has left and she's being encouraged

56

to apply for that director role.

57

But she's come to the conclusion,

quite bravely, that actually that

58

isn't the right thing for her.

59

She's often thought that role

would be a complete nightmare.

60

But it's made her realise that she

needs to find a more senior role,

61

but not in her current organisation.

62

Having those reflective moments to

think is that next level I can see in

63

my current organization the right thing

for me, or is there something else in

64

the organization, or is it externally

that I'm going to have to make that move.

65

If that self doubt is kicking in, we don't

want it to grow roots and stop you or hold

66

you back in moving forward in your career.

67

So it is about, engaging with your

inner coach and reminding yourself of

68

all the great things you bring to your

current role and why you're good enough.

69

Imagine that you are thinking yes, this

is the right thing for me and I'm managing

70

my inner critic Let's think about how

to then prepare to get your promotion.

71

First of all would be to do a

gap analysis what does that

72

next level role require of me?

73

And what are the gaps

in terms of my skill?

74

or experience.

75

How would I rate myself around, say,

influencing or that strategic piece

76

or people management or stakeholder

relationships, thinking about the

77

elements of that next role and where

am I and what do I need to do to get

78

that experience to be a credible.

79

candidate for that role, whether

it's internal or external, and

80

then having to think about how

you're going to plug those gaps.

81

The second thing would

be to start scanning.

82

And what I mean by that is looking

for opportunities to lead or to

83

get the stretch that would help

you plug some of those gaps.

84

That might be about taking on a project.

85

It might be about volunteering

to do a presentation to a client

86

or to SLT, just looking for those

opportunities to get that opportunity.

87

some of that more leadership experience.

88

And also thinking about what

opportunities are there for me to

89

show that I'm already operating

at that level, at that next level.

90

Because if you're really

ready, then you will already

91

be operating at a higher level.

92

So looking for ways.

93

and opportunities where you can

show that to your organisation.

94

The third thing, and these are not

in any particular order, these are

95

just ideas for you to think about,

is to increase your self awareness.

96

You probably know yourself quite well

already, but it's really thinking,

97

okay, what are my key strengths?

98

What am I bringing that I know

is going to be really valuable?

99

in this next role.

100

And also knowing your value

and knowing your worth.

101

Okay.

102

Because, you might have a great line

manager who's really supportive,

103

but you might have a line manager

who can't see your potential and

104

doesn't think you're ready for that

next level role, even if you do.

105

And it's important for you to

recognize when you're ready,

106

because it might be that rather than

waiting until that manager thinks

107

you're ready, you're going to go.

108

to a different organization

where they can see your potential

109

and what you are bringing.

110

If you've been in your organization

quite a long time, maybe you've moved

111

up through the organization, it can be

harder for people to see that you are

112

able to step up into that next level role.

113

But knowing it yourself will help you

navigate that and make some decisions

114

about what's going to be right for you.

115

Then the next step would

be to be proactive.

116

And that's about again, how you want

to be viewed in the organisation.

117

Everybody wants a problem

solver in their organisation.

118

People who get things done.

119

Making sure that you are seen as

that can do person who gets on and

120

solves those problems, whether they're

team, departmental or organisational,

121

that you are showing that you are

thinking differently and bringing

122

your unique way of approaching

things to different organizational

123

challenges or team challenges.

124

And also being seen as a positive

influence in the organization.

125

You're not somebody who goes and

moans at the water cooler, that

126

you're actually setting the tone

in your team, in your department

127

around that , let's look at this.

128

differently.

129

Let's be positive about what

we can do, what we can't do.

130

Let's navigate some of those

organizational challenges.

131

And obviously while you're doing

this, you can be actually recognizing

132

can I be that positive influence?

133

Is the culture of the organization one

that actually at the moment morale is

134

really low, everyone's feeling negative.

135

It's quite a lot of energy and hard

work to be that positive influence

136

because that might be giving you

information about actually maybe I need

137

to be moving up, but also moving out.

138

While you're doing all this preparation,

it'll help you make a decision about

139

whether it's right to stay or time to go.

140

And also you could be proactive

at thinking about getting a mentor

141

if you don't have one, or thinking

about your personal board, in your

142

career, and that's about having

different people in your career

143

who can help you in different ways.

144

Having a mentor is one way, but it could

be about having a sponsor, or a connector,

145

or a cheerleader, or a door opener.

146

Thinking about what you need,

and engaging with that person

147

to help you in your career.

148

Which brings me onto my next point,

which is all about building relationships.

149

Hopefully you've got good relationships

already, but it might be being more

150

strategic in those relationships.

151

The first one and the most important

one, if you're thinking about

152

promotion is with your line manager.

153

Thinking about having a

career conversation with them.

154

So not tagging onto the end of a

one to one, but having a separate

155

conversation where you are talking

about your aspirations, talking

156

about what you want, getting their

input, getting their feedback getting

157

their buy in, because they are

going to have to be your champion.

158

If we're talking about, promotion,

they're going to be the one who's

159

going to be talking about you but

it's also important to have a good

160

relationship with your manager's manager.

161

So if, say your boss is a director who

puts into the C suite or a C suite member

162

and puts into the CEO, you want to be

making sure your manager's manager knows

163

you and, you're having conversations with

them, your talking about the business

164

with them, you're engaging with them.

165

Because they are going to be part

of the decision making process

166

when it comes to promotion.

167

And also being aware of who

else is a decision maker in

168

this organization around.

169

this area around promotions, and that

might be HR, so it might be also,

170

building a relationship with them.

171

And making sure you've got

those good relationships.

172

And if you haven't got those good

relationships, thinking about how

173

you're going to navigate that,

who else you can get on side.

174

And then the next thing, which a lot

of people really struggle with, is

175

getting comfortable with self promotion.

176

And particularly women, we tend to feel

like we don't want to be seen as arrogant,

177

we don't want to blow our own trumpet, but

actually it's really necessary throughout

178

your career, not just when you're

thinking about going for promotion, but

179

to practice getting really comfortable

talking about your achievements and your

180

team's achievements, because that's an

important part of being a leader as well.

181

But not just talking about what

you've achieved, but also talking

182

about the challenges and the

complexity of what you've achieved.

183

Because sometimes we just

go yes, we've done that.

184

And, that's ticked off.

185

We, we're onto the next thing now.

186

But what I want you to imagine

is if you're your boss.

187

Has two direct reports who

could be up for promotion.

188

Let's set the scene like that.

189

And you are the direct report

who goes, yeah, we did that.

190

We're onto the next thing

in our strategic plan now.

191

This is what we're working

on, blah, blah, blah.

192

And then the other person who's their

direct report, who's, potential candidate

193

for Motion two talks about what they've

achieved, but also talks about we had

194

this particular challenge and what we

did with that is we did this and this.

195

And actually it was quite complex

because the client wanted X or Y.

196

And so what I had to do was go and

renegotiate this and deal with that.

197

So the line manager hearing both

of those things might go well.

198

The first direct report has it easy.

199

They just get on and they've done

it and they haven't really had

200

to deal with any difficulties.

201

Whereas direct report number two

actually is super skilled because

202

they've had to navigate all these

challenges and, put these things in

203

place and actually perhaps they're the

better candidate for this next level

204

role, so it is thinking about not just.

205

What you've done, but how you've done it

and if you're going to go external to

206

get to that next level That's going to

be key in terms of your interview prep as

207

well So it's all good stuff to be thinking

about doing on a regular basis and the

208

self promotion piece can feel hard But it

is super important and you can position

209

it as I'm giving other people inspiration

that I've managed to achieve things.

210

I'm giving them information

about how I've done things.

211

So it's actually not me blowing

my trumpet and being arrogant.

212

It's helping other people

in the business too.

213

The next thing would be to think about

doing some research in your industry.

214

Knowing what's going on in your industry.

215

not in terms of your specialism,

because obviously that's important,

216

but in terms of the market.

217

Who's recruiting?

218

Who's promoting, your peers in

other organizations so they can

219

keep and retain their talent?

220

What's the pay rates that are

going for those next level jobs?

221

So that you are really informed about.

222

why your organizations should

promote you to retain you.

223

And when you're having those

paid discussions, what actually

224

the market rate should be.

225

And because you're bringing so much

more value, actually why they should

226

be paying you above the market rate.

227

Keeping up to date with that we'll

be really helpful at you feeling.

228

you know your worth and also

what you want to negotiate on.

229

And then the last thing to factor in

would be to think about your timing.

230

, sometimes you can't have an impact on

the timing because if your director

231

or your CMOs, CCOs, whatever has left

and you're going to go for their job,

232

it's going to be a recruitment process.

233

There are opportunities to get

promoted within your band . It's

234

thinking about the timing.

235

If you've just delivered a great piece of

work for them, that may be, about bringing

236

in a new client delivering something

on time that meant that, the business.

237

retained that client, or, you've

implemented something that's going

238

to have a lot of efficiencies and

save the business money, or you've

239

done a great job on something, or

you contributed to the team winning

240

an award, whatever it might be, that

is a good time to be then really

241

pushing that agenda around promotion.

242

And also thinking about

where the company is.

243

If the company is buoyant, that's

a great time to be pushing for it.

244

But if the message is coming out of the

company is things are a bit difficult

245

at the moment, business is down we

need to be, making more efficiencies,

246

then that's not a good time to be

pushing your agenda around promotion.

247

So thinking about your timing.

248

I know I've run through a lot of things

there for you to think about, but it

249

is about putting this foundational

work in place so that you are in a

250

good position to get what you want,

whether that's internally or externally.

251

All of these things can be useful

for an external move as well.

252

Just to run through it, recognizing

when you're ready for that

253

next level and then preparing.

254

Doing that gap analysis, doing some

Scanning for opportunities increasing

255

your self awareness so you really know

your strengths, you know your value,

256

being proactive about how you want to

be seen in the organisation and who

257

you want to get on your side, building

those relationships, getting comfortable

258

with self promotion, that is the key

piece I would say doing your research

259

so you know what's happening in the

market and thinking about your timing.

260

I hope that's given you

some food for thought.

261

This is something I work on with my

clients around this advancement strategy.

262

So if that's something that you

want some help with because you

263

want to make this happen this year,

then, do get in touch with me.

264

I'm really happy to have a

chat with you about that.

265

Thank you so much for listening

to this episode of the Unstuck

266

and Unstoppable podcast.

267

I have lots of free resources you

can access on my website, ww.career

268

tree coaching.co

269

uk, and I'll also put

links in the show notes.

270

If you found this episode

helpful, then please subscribe

271

so you don't miss the next one.

272

And please do share it with a

friend and leave me a review

273

and I will personally thank you.

274

Remember, you're capable of more

than you know, shine brightly.

275

Lead boldly and unlock the

extraordinary potential within you.

276

Be unstoppable.