8 Signs A Promotion May Be Headed Your Way

When you’re in the same job for a long time, it’s natural to start to feel restless. Even if it’s a job you really enjoy, everyone likes to feel appreciated for their work and challenged to do their best. After a few years of solid performance, you may start to wonder, “Will I ever be promoted???” It can be hard to know what bosses are planning until they just come out and finally make the promotion, but there may be indicators in your work life that your boss is considering moving you into a higher position. Keep reading for eight signs that you might be getting ready to climb up the ladder. Just remember, don’t count your chickens before they’re hatched. Even if all signs point to “yes, you’re getting promoted!”, don’t celebrate (or, you know, buy something crazy expensive) until you know for sure that it’s going to happen.

Also, don’t be afraid to advocate for yourself: If you want to take on a more senior role in your company, let your bosses know that you’re interested in taking on further responsibilities and doing more training if necessary. (Just don’t tell them that you want to take their jobs. That is a terrible idea.) If you’ve been expecting that you would get promoted and you haven’t, ask your boss to sit down with you to discuss your future in the company. He or she might have some excellent advice about what you need to do to get promoted, or he or she might be able to tell you that, for whatever reasons, promotions won’t be a possibility for the foreseeable future (in which case, you might want to start looking outside your company for opportunities).

1. You’re doing your job really well

Of course, the first step to getting a promotion is doing your current job really well. If you’ve proven that you’re an asset to your company—by recruiting new clients, increasing sales, and consistently producing high quality work—then your boss is more likely to think of you when opportunities to promote employees arise.

2. You’re well-liked

Getting a promotion shouldn’t be a popularity contest, but you’re not likely to get promoted (especially to managerial positions) if you don’t get along well with your coworkers, bosses, and clients. If you’ve had rough relationships with the people you work with in the past, and you want a promotion, take the time to heal those breaches and developed solid connections going forward.

3. Your boss sends you to have additional training

If your boss has been encouraging you to attend training workshops or get certified in additional skills, it may be a sign that he or she is trying to prepare you for the duties of a new, higher position. (Conversely, you can show your interest in getting a promotion by making an effort to pursue these educational opportunities yourself.)

4. There is movement happening in your company

If there is a lot of shifting happening in your company—particularly if your boss is being promoted—then that might mean that a new space will open up for you.

5. You’re being put in a position of authority

If your boss is asking you to manage your coworkers or to train new employees, it shows that he or she values your knowledge and skills, and wants other employees to emulate you. That may be a strong sign that he or she thinks you’re ready to take on a more managerial role.

6. You’ve been asked to head a special project

If the higher ups have put you in charge of a special project or account, it may be that they are “testing” you to see how you would perform in a more senior position. If you do a great job on this project, and show that you can handle extra pressure and responsibility, you may find yourself heading up these kinds of projects full-time.

7. Your bosses are including you in higher level decision-making

If your boss starts asking you to attend senior-level meetings or wants to know your opinion about more advanced aspects of the company, it may be because he or she wants to get a sense of how you would contribute to these discussions in a higher level position.

8. Your boss is asking you about your goals

Has your boss suddenly started asking you about your professional goals and your vision of the future? He or she might be trying to gauge how you would feel about moving into a different position in the company. Be sure to let your boss know that you want to stay in the company as you continue to grow and take on more responsibility, and that you would be interested in any promotions that may become available.

Images: Jo Guldi/Flickr; Getty Images; Giphy (5)