You can be in control of your progression
Taking ownership of your career progression means being proactive about what you want, making your ambitions known and creating opportunities for the conversations that could move you forward.
A common theme that pops up with my coaching clients is frustration about career progression. People feel overlooked, their confidence starts to dip and they begin to question their value when a promotion or new opportunity doesn't materialise. Perhaps they've been in the same role for several years, their manager hasn't made time to discuss their development, or nobody has recognised their contribution and suggested what's next.
It's easy to assume that if you're doing a good job, someone will eventually notice and take steps to help you progress. But one of the things I often help clients recognise is that nobody is likely to care more about their career progression than they do themselves!
That's not to say managers don't care. They may genuinely want to see you progress, but they're also busy managing teams, competing priorities and their own careers. Your progression might be important to them, but it won't necessarily be at the forefront of their minds.
So, rather than waiting for someone else to start the conversation, how can you take a more active role?
1. Get clear on what you want
Before asking for a promotion or more responsibility, think about what progression actually means to you. Is it a more senior role, better pay, greater autonomy, new challenges or the opportunity to develop different skills? The clearer you are about what you want, the easier it becomes to communicate your ambitions. Often with clients, we have concluded that they may not necessarily want the job that is the next rung up, and “progression” isn’t always linear.
2. Start the conversation
Don't wait for your annual appraisal or your manager to ask about your future. Ask for time to discuss your development and where you'd like to go next. You don't need to have all the answers, but you do need to make your ambitions known. You could start with something as simple as: I'd really like to understand what opportunities there might be for me to progress here. Could we talk about what that might look like and what I'd need to demonstrate?
3. Make your contribution visible
Alongside making your ambition visible, make your value visible too. Doing good work and making sure people understand the value of that work are two different things. Keep track of your achievements, the challenges you've overcome and the impact you've had. When opportunities arise to talk about your contribution, don't shy away from sharing it. This isn't about showing off; it's about making sure your work is recognised and understood.
4. Ask what needs to happen next
If you want to progress, ask your manager what skills, experience or evidence they would need to see to support your next step. Be specific. What would make you ready for promotion? Are there projects you could take on or opportunities to demonstrate your capabilities? What are the timeframes? When can there be a review of progress? This helps turn a vague conversation about development into something more tangible, with actions you can both work towards.
Taking ownership doesn't mean doing it all yourself
It's important to recognise that taking ownership of your progression doesn't mean you are solely responsible for making it happen. Organisational structures, limited opportunities, unconscious bias and decisions outside your control can all affect career development. You can make your ambitions known, demonstrate your contribution and ask for support, but you cannot control the outcome.
But you can control whether you start the conversation. And if you've repeatedly made your ambitions clear, asked for opportunities and received little support or progress, that is useful information too.
Your career progression is too important to leave entirely in someone else's hands. Don't wait to be noticed or hope that someone will eventually open the door. Sometimes the first step towards your next opportunity is simply having the confidence to ask. If you’d like to explore this, or any other career themes with a qualified coach, visit Karmjit’s coaching page and book a free introductory call.
