Whilst working remotely has its advantages, such as saving time and money on commuting, it can create some barriers particularly if you are considering taking your career to the next level and looking for a promotion.
As part of our employability series to help you in your job search and career, we have put together our 5 top tips to help you get noticed and promoted whilst working remotely.
When new opportunities arise within an organisation it is important for you to be on the mind of the hiring manager but that can be difficult whilst working remotely. That is why building relationships within an organisation is so important to help get that promotion. After all, if nobody knows anything about you, they won’t feel confident in considering you for a more senior position.
Schedule regular meetings with your manager to update them on your progress and allow them to get to know you on a more personal level. This also applies to your less senior work colleagues. Collaborating, suggesting ideas and showing an interest in other colleagues’ work is a sure-fire way of getting noticed as that feedback often filters through to management.
You never know who may suggest you for a promotion based on your interactions with them so be sure to network with as many people as possible.
Having a senior team member’s support can help bridge the gap between you and the wider senior management team. It is always good to have someone who will promote your achievements to management, especially when working remotely. To support you, find a mentor or sponsor. A mentor is usually someone who supports with your general development and a sponsor is typically someone that promotes you internally and looks for opportunities to help get you noticed or progressed, so a combination of the two are ideal.
Choose someone with a skillset that you can learn and develop from, agree and schedule regular meetings and encourage video calls over phone calls. That way your conversations are likely to be more engaging and memorable. As this is the only opportunity to see you, it is important to utilise this method of communication as much as possible to be able to present yourself professionally.
If you work in a small organisation you may be limited to the people you can approach. In this instance seek out mentors externally who could help with advice and support.
Whilst it is important to learn from others, it is equally important (if not more so) to seek out your own development opportunities when trying to get promoted. Showing that you have taken the time to upskill yourself will prove that you are a dedicated and suitable candidate for promotion. Ask your manager if there are any specific qualifications or skills that would benefit this role and focus on developing yourself in those areas. Seek out working groups in other departments or committees that you could get involved with to demonstrate a keen interest and gain a broader understanding of the organisation.
When working remotely you have an opportunity to save time by eliminating the daily commute. The average commute time to work in the UK is roughly 1 hour so for a typical full-time employee that is potentially up to 10 extra hours saved each week! Think about how you are utilising these hours. Are you using them for an extra hour in bed or could you be using this additional time to learn a new skill?
If you don’t tell them, they won’t know. This is particularly true whilst working remotely. Working in an office environment has the added benefit of people being able to physically see when you have achieved a goal, so it is important to ensure this is isn’t overlooked when working remotely.
Don’t shy away from telling your manager what you have achieved. Use catch-up meetings as an opportunity to sell yourself. Remember, they will always be keen to hear about your success.
More companies are adopting the use of platforms such as Microsoft Teams to connect with colleagues remotely, this is another great way of sharing your success virtually. Suggest a team channel or group where everyone can share their own successes and use that as a way of promoting yourself. That way more people will have exposure to your achievements, and you are more likely to be noticed.
Whilst we would all love for senior management to acknowledge our development with a promotion, they will usually have other priorities within their organisation and are often having to juggle multiple workloads. This means that you may need to be more proactive in asking for a promotion and use your best judgment on when the time is right. Just because they haven’t approached you doesn’t mean they wouldn’t consider you.
Schedule a video meeting and make sure you are fully prepared to outline specific examples of your achievements and clear reasons why you deserve a promotion. Show them how you can add value by taking on more responsibility and outline your vision for the future and what you could deliver in this role. Ensure you prepare for your meeting as you would any other job interview.
Hopefully, these tips will help when you are next considering asking for a promotion. Even if you are not in a position to ask now, why not start preparing for the future. Start engaging more with your managers and wider team. Share that success story. Learn a new skill. Putting in the groundwork now will benefit you when the time comes to ask!
For further advice on taking your career to the next level visit our employability hub or contact your Consultant on 020 7198 6000 or info@tpp.co.uk.
