How to get experience for a promotion/new role?

How to get experience for a promotion/new role?

Hi, I’m Janet Granger, answering the question: “How do I rise in my career and get promotions without having the experience to do the new position?” 

This question is similar to the question: “How do I choose my next role or how do I get to my next role” and I like this question because often people feel stuck in their current roles and they can’t get to that next level.

It could be a matter of competition, it could be a matter of budget at the organization. It could be something else – that’s not a good thing – something insidious like an “ism” – sexism, racism, ageism, etc. 

I have seen a lot in my career. 

We can’t change the world; all we can do is do what we can. Arthur Ashe once said, “Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.” When it comes to your career, that’s where you are. Start with what you have and use what you can. 

There’s sort of a catch-22 when it comes to getting promoted. Some people will be given the benefit of the doubt and they get put to the next level without much experience in the area. More often than not, what  happens is people are tested. They’re given new tasks, assignments, projects that help them to prove themselves ready for the next level. 

The bottom line is: they’re doing the job of the person at that level, or the next level up, without the title, without the money, because the company (or the organization) wants to vet them and make sure they can do it. 

I’m not saying this is good or right – I’m just saying this is often what happens. That’s a good thing if you’re  given that opportunity. I know some people get a little rankled by this; they think: why am I doing this extra work? And doing all the work of someone with a title above mine – without getting the promotion and the raise?

My response is: they’re testing you – for three to six months – to see if you can grow into that role. If it lasts more than that, you either need to demand the new title and the new salary, or walk. And now, you can tell other people (new companies) that you had that experience, but you weren’t getting paid for it, or the title to go with it. 

If you’re not given that opportunity then, unfortunately(or maybe fortunately) it’s incumbent on you to take matters into your own hands. You need to do it on your own. You need to find out how to get to that next level and prove yourself for a promotion internally – or, what will often be the case, by leaving your organization to get a promotion. 

• So – you can take courses. 
• You can read books. 
• You can go to a conference on your own time. 
• You can start your own side hustle. I actually did that – I started a side hustle/job so that I could start my own agency. I wrote a book as I was working full-time (my first book) doing that. 

The goal is to get the experience, doing what that “new role” or what a promotion would look like, so you can talk about it  – you can speak intelligently about it – at an interview and on a job application. Put it in your LinkedIn profile and say, “I’ve got experience doing this.” 

If you’re not sure how to go about doing that, I’ve brainstormed a few different ideas that I’ll share. If you’re working hard for your company but they won’t invest in you  – or test you – to see if you’re promotable (for whatever reasons), try to get some people management experience. 

• You can volunteer with a youth group 
• You can volunteer for a sports team 
• If you have kids, find out about their activities and see if you can coach or volunteer
• Find out if there are alumni groups in your area – for wherever you went to school – high school, college There might be groups where you can offer to put things together: meetings, trips, something you can organize 
• You can volunteer at a non-profit – let’s say you decide to volunteer at a food kitchen
  • you can organize an event for the food kitchen, where you’ve got volunteers and now you’re managing those volunteers 

There are ways, if you think about it and want to do it, where you can put yourself in a position – especially in a volunteer position – where you’re managing other people. It’s really good practice and it’s a good thing for you to do. Because then you see what managing people is like. And you can decide if you really want to be doing that.

If you’re a parent, in particular, you can always find leadership – and ways to do things with your kids, when it comes to organized events. Organize other parents, for example. And then you can see the challenges, when it comes to doing those things. 

• You can organize an outing. 
• You can organize for a cause – a fundraising opportunity

I hope this gives you some ideas of things that you can do to prove that you can manage people, or manage an event, and have that type of responsibility. 

Be creative. There are many, many unpaid ways for you to get the experience that you need to have. in order to talk about it, and to show that you are ready for that new position.

I’m Janet Granger, answering the question: “How do I figure out a way to rise in my career and get promotions, especially when it comes to choosing my next role and getting the experience that I need?”