Most tech professionals hold a belief that is nothing but a myth: “Everyone knows the significance of my work.” It’s customary for us to assume that our job roles are so critical, they portray their importance on their own. We automatically reckon others would acknowledge how you built an intricate software system or managed crucial cloud instances all by yourself! After all, it was essential work done tirelessly.
Regrettably, this is incorrect! While you may be aware of the significance and nature of your work, others are not. In actuality, if you were to inquire about their thoughts on it, they could have a distinct viewpoint that varies significantly from yours (to such an extent that you might even question whether or not they comprehend what profession you’re in).
The psychological phenomenon known as the Spotlight effect refers to people’s tendency to overestimate how much they are being noticed. Empirical research confirms that this belief is prevalent and often greatly exaggerated.
Series focused on improving tech skill sets
As a tech worker, is it necessary for me to constantly enhance my skill set?
To remain relevant, what technological skills should I acquire?
Is there a way for me to persuade my boss into providing time or financial support for enhancing my tech skills?
If people are unaware, then the occurrence is non-existent – a disconcerting reality.
If the cool thing you did to help the business went unnoticed, it might as well have never happened. The saying “if a tree falls in the forest and no one is around to hear it, does it still make a noise?” applies here.
There are significant consequences to consider, not only for your chances of promotion but also for the security of your job and opportunities in your future career. If others aren’t aware of the work you’re accomplishing because it isn’t automatically communicated, they may perceive that you’re actually not contributing at all.
It’s quite frightening to consider that nobody wishes to be labeled as unproductive, particularly when they are actively engaging in significant tasks.
What is the resolution? Essentially, you need to create the sound for the tree.
You are the one who needs to communicate your value.
It’s crucial to reiterate the importance of conveying your value: You must actively communicate it. But when I say “communicate,” I don’t simply mean informing others of what you do. Most likely, you already share this information during stand-up meetings and one-on-one conversations.
Communication involves more than just relaying information; it’s about ensuring comprehension. To achieve this effectively, one must comprehend their audience and determine what is essential for them to hear.
When the topic of receiving a promotion arises, your boss becomes your target audience. Simply presenting them with an account of what you’ve achieved won’t suffice; in order for it to truly resonate with them, additional context beyond just factual events is necessary. While these are helpful details to share, they alone do not carry enough weight or influence.
It is important for your employer to comprehend and appreciate the worth you bring, rather than just hearing about it.
Although “managing up” may have a negative connotation, it is actually an advantageous skill. It’s important to remember that your boss and you are not the same person (unless of course, you’re self-employed), as they hold distinct views on business priorities and how they justify them. As a result, one essential aspect of their job involves communicating their team’s value to higher authorities – something which cannot be accomplished without understanding said value themselves.
On rare occasions, you may hear them repeat the very words you’ve uttered, but regurgitation without true comprehension is unlikely to be effective. Furthermore, it’s improbable that a manager will recite your value proposition verbatim to their superior. To solve this predicament, it’s crucial to grasp what metrics your boss deems valuable and how they can effectively communicate them upward in the hierarchy chain.
Many technologists despise the fact that promoting oneself is a necessary aspect of their profession. They consider it unfair to have to rationalize and prove the worthiness of their work. Their belief is that individuals in close proximity should inherently be aware and capable of judging without any explanation required, simply by intuition alone. However, this assumption falls short as others lack insight into our thoughts (which may not necessarily be bad).
Ways to demonstrate your value during a promotion interview.
The time has arrived! Since the start of this article, you’ve been anxiously waiting for this moment – discovering how to successfully pitch yourself to management and secure that desirable promotion.
Inform them about the tangible results of your actions.
Communicate with your manager about how the achievements you have made align with the business’s goals. The key is to ensure harmony between yourself and the company. A tangible example of impact could be “As a result of my addition of x feature, there was an increase in customer satisfaction by %.” While numerical data can be beneficial, testimonials from customers expressing appreciation for new product features also hold weight as qualitative data.
When you express such information to your boss, the benefits are evident: content customers make purchases more often, leading to increased sales and greater business prosperity. Therefore, this undoubtedly showcases your worth!
By asking the appropriate questions, you can determine which achievements would impress them.
If you’re aiming for a promotion, it’s important to go above and beyond expectations. However, it’s also crucial that your efforts are focused in the right direction so that you don’t burn out needlessly. The easiest way to avoid this is by asking what exactly is expected of you and how best can you meet those requirements with great success – then execute flawlessly!
To approach the task at hand, it’s essential to consider both forward-looking and backward-looking perspectives. To achieve this, actively seek feedback from your boss on a regular basis – even welcoming negative feedback! Bosses may not offer their opinion for various reasons including discomfort or concern about how it will be received. Therefore, you must take charge by initiating these conversations and inviting honest critique.
Failing to acknowledge your critical feedback can permanently restrict you from reaching your full potential. This is because by disregarding the obstacles preventing you from obtaining that desired promotion, you may be hindering yourself from receiving a positive response.
3. Inform them about the role played by your upskilling in this matter.
Employers appreciate individuals who consistently enhance their skills, portraying them as proactive and up-to-date on the latest technological developments – qualities that can aid business decisions. However, it’s crucial to articulate this value effectively.
Inform your boss about everything you have recently learned and stress how it has made a difference. It is important to note that this impact does not necessarily need to be customer-facing; rather, it could be internal like discovering the various query service options available through Amazon Athena which helped determine our current direction or even adopting something new as a result of what was learned leading ultimately improved business practices! Regardless, ensure that all learning can contribute back towards creating value for the company.
Your one-on-one meetings present a significant opportunity for promotion.
Would you opt to watch a TV show if it’s tedious and unappealing for the initial nineteen episodes, but becomes captivating only in the last one of the season? As far as I’m concerned, not at all. Therefore, do not permit your narrative concerning your significance to stay on that trajectory! Your tale should captivate others throughout your occupation and professional life.
If you’re simply presenting your boss with a monotonous progress report during your 1-on-1 meetings on either a weekly or monthly basis, then you’re squandering an immense chance to steer yourself towards promotion.
Although it is necessary to inform your boss about your activities, the manner in which you convey this information can significantly impact the outcome.
Don’t just tell a simplistic victory tale like “Once upon a time, the hero defeated the villain and lived happily ever after. The end.” This is not how you should communicate your business value! Without providing context or backstory about our latest tech challenge, whether it was battling a dragon, overcoming SEV 1 zero-day bugs or resolving Reddit’s hug of death – we risk sharing an unremarkable narrative that falls flat on impact. To make an impact with stakeholders, flesh out details such as: why this raised concerns for business; what action steps you took to address those issues materially benefiting operations moving forward in both short-term projects & long-range strategic objectives.
Additionally, it is crucial to take measures for issue prevention in addition to resolving them. Therefore, do not neglect showcasing how your serverless architecture effortlessly handled the overwhelming traffic from Reddit without any complications.
Each 1:1 meeting marks a new chapter in your personal journey towards reaching that coveted promotion, where you are the protagonist. Some chapters may be less thrilling or leave you on edge with unanswered questions, while others could entail failure which can serve as valuable lessons for growth. However, if you continuously craft and shape this narrative about yourself during these meetings rather than only focusing on it before seeking that elevated position, by the time of considering opportunities to move up the ladder comes knocking at your door- It would just come naturally since Your supervisor already knows how exceptional YOU truly are! This advancement will then serve as an apex part of your story arc; all instances hinting towards securing that ultimate reward waiting around the corner throughout every episode leading to THE Climax!
Undoubtedly, the 1:1s are crucial chances to receive feedback and gain situational awareness. The “show” analogy applies here as well because character development is vital in any story’s success. Shows featuring stagnant characters that do not evolve or mature will inevitably face cancellation before the next season.
Conclusion: Make a conscious and constant effort to communicate your worth.
Take control of your worth and author the narrative well before any promotion interview. Do not depend on others to determine what you’re capable of. It’s crucial that you market yourself, or else luck will decide where you stand in life.