Career Path: Would You Rather Win the Silver or Bronze Medal?

That may seem overly harsh, but the reality of life is that salary is often a big motivator for our work. Yet asking for raises and promotions sometimes feels taboo or awkward. I get that. These conversations have never come naturally to many of us, but they should.

This article will provide you with some tips and tricks you can use to make that conversation a bit easier and maximize your chances of a favorable outcome. I’ll also explain some ways you can navigate the change from peer to supervisor if you get that coveted promotion.

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Do you want the promotion?

First, identify what you actually want. Are you purely interested in a higher salary? If so, maybe you just want a raise.

Do you want to be titled higher? Do you want more responsibility? Do you want direct reports? Do you want a combination of the foregoing? Do you want to mentor or be a leader in some other way? Perhaps you can do the latter without the promotion.

Consider whether the role you’re targeting would be a good fit for you. For example, do you want to devote the additional time and effort the new position would require? Do you like the work that the job entails?

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Laying the foundation

If you determine that you do want a promotion, build a strong case that you have earned the promotion. Most often, managers consider promotions on an annual basis, so accomplish tangible goals for about a year leading up to your ask for a promotion.

In that year, take initiative. Tackle projects that add value to the legal department and your company. Make processes within your organization better. Jump in to help when needed, even if it’s not your area of expertise. Learn new concepts. Prove you can handle a promotion and show management that you can continue to excel in a new role with a higher title.

Keep track of what you’ve done in an organized, easily accessible, and easily presentable way. Some companies use third-party vendor software (like Lattice, Betterworks, or SAP SuccessFactors) to track goals, which can make this easier. If your company does not do that, keep your own list.

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Making the ask

Now that you’ve done everything you can to justify that promotion, it’s time to ask for it. Many of us assume that, if we do a good enough job in our roles, our bosses will reward us for that hard work without us having to ask. That’s a lovely thought, but it’s often not how the workplace works.

This can apply to raises as well. Your boss has a budget and, if you think of that budget as a pie, a portion of that pie is allocated to salaries/raises/promotions. It may be easiest for your boss to allocate budget to the noisier, more demanding employees. “The squeaky wheel gets the grease” is a well-known saying for a reason. Ask for what you deserve.