What To Consider When You Are Eyeing A Job Promotion

By Lilian Wamaitha
One important way to know that you are growing in your career is when you are offered a job promotion.
In as much as climbing the career ladder comes with a lot of excitement, you need to know what to expect when you get a job promotion so as to be able to handle one.
According to Muthoni Ndegwa, a recruitment manager at Corporate Staffing Services, there is no guarantee that a job promotion means you going up the career ladder.
“Apart from the vertical job promotion that we all are used to, there is also lateral job promotion where you are accorded more responsibilities at your current position within the company structure,” she says.
Whether vertical or lateral, there are things that you should look for in any job promotion.
1. A job promotion is a chance to grow
“More than anything, you should look at a job promotion in terms of an opportunity to grow. It is the number one benefit even above the additional remuneration package that comes with it,” Ms Ndegwa says.
According to her, when you are given a promotion at work, you are accorded a platform to exercise your skills at a higher level and in a more challenging environment. It helps you grow your skills even more and gain the much coveted experience in the job search.
Think about this, when you land a job in a media house as a correspondent journalist and within time you are elevated to head the editorial desk.
When you look for job opportunities in future, you don’t search as a correspondent journalist but as a chief editor or something higher.
2. Improved remuneration
Ideally, a job promotion comes with a swollen remuneration. Your salary is supposed to increase by a certain percentage so that you start taking home a bigger salary from your previous package.
In terms of future job search, the salary you quote on your applications also improves. However, according to Ms Ndegwa, a better remuneration is the least you can expect in a job promotion, yet it is part of it.
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3. A job promotion means more challenges
A job promotion comes with more challenging job responsibilities than what you are used to. However, before the management settles on you for a promotion, it means that you have shown potential in handling your new position.
Challenging roles are also an important aspect of career growth as doing the same thing for a long time adds nothing to your growth in terms of experience.
When you get a lateral job promotion, it is important that you show your commitment by working hard.
“A lateral job promotion is characterized by a wider job scope than your earlier job description. It could entail performing additional tasks, or coordinating groups of colleagues you are working with. Ensure that you perform your best at this level as a show of commitment,” she says.
4. Job security
Job security is a twisted issue when it comes to job promotions. Much as it shows a high measure of confidence by the company management in you, a job promotion can lead to your downfall.
“There are situations that you could be offered a job promotion, only to be fired in a short while. The main reason here is when the management realizes that you are unable to execute your duties at the new role,” Ms Ndegwa says.
When you are offered a job promotion, always look out for ways to survive in your new position as much as possible and to grow with the company.
This includes knowing your new job description and performing well.
In conclusion,
You are working that job because you want to grow in your careers. You are eyeing that promotion in two or three years. Whatever the case, ensure that you go in with an open mind. And above everything, always look at a job promotion as an opportunity to grow in your career, more than anything else.