How to Get Promoted

If you’ve decided that this is the year you will get promoted, read below for some tips on how to do so.

Hint: Getting promoted has little to do with luck or chance. The more value you provide your employer – and the more you make sure he or she knows of that value – the better chance you have of taking that next step or two up the career ladder.

Step 1: The real secret to getting promoted is showing value to your employer. Insurance companies don’t hire people just because they are feeling charitable. Instead, your current employer had a problem – they needed more clients, needed help organizing the office,  needed help servicing clients, etc. – and so they hired you to help solve that problem.

Step 2: Take a close look at your performance. Are you – at the very minimum – actually helping your boss solve the problem which they hired you to solve? Or are you doing just the minimum not to get fired? The more you’re actually doing the job for which you were hired, the better. The more you go beyond your job description to provide even more value, even better! 

Step 3: Look to quantify the value you add to the company. Each time you accomplish something that (a) saves the company money or (b) makes the company money, add it to a list of your accomplishments. Did you land a big new account? If so, quantify how much it worth and write that down. Did you save a disgruntled customer or two from going to another insurance firm? If so, how much money does that keep in your company’s pocket? Jot it down.

Step 4: Keep a running tab on your training and accomplishments during the year. Did you get extra certifications? Another degree? What else are you doing consistently that provides real value to your employer?

Step 5: Try to review these accomplishments with your boss each quarter. Outline the value of these accomplishments and also list your goals for the coming quarter.  

Step 6: You don’t have to wait for you annual review to ask for a promotion or raise. If you do something big – land a large account, refine your office’s entire accounting procedures and/or policies – don’t hesitate to ask for a meeting with your boss to discuss your desired career path. 

Step 7: When you ask for a promotion, and/or raise, be sure to highlight and quantify the value you’ve brought to your employer. It’s best to discuss this in monetary terms – how much money you’ve saved or made for the employer. If you can’t quantify it monetarily, quantify it in some other way, such as saving time, streamlining processes, keeping a growing client base happy, and so on.

Step 8: Ask for a raise either in a dollar figure or percentage amount. Give your boss the value report you created to show in black and white what you offer to the company.

If you’re looking for new opportunities within the insurance industry, contact the recruiters at Insurance Relief™ to help you find them. We look forward to hearing from you.