Climbing the Management Ladder

Getting promoted from a management position to an even higher position can be just like any other promotion, with a key exception: you need to be clear about the fact you're prepared for the increased responsibilities of a new management job, and you need to prove that you are best candidate for this job. You have to fight the competition (of which, in this economy, there will be plenty); additionally, you need to have a trained individual ready to take over the job you are leaving.

Before you're promoted, you need to prove you're qualified for the increased responsibility, since no one will promote you in management if they don't think you have what it takes to be successful or productive in that position. This is why many in the middle-management ranks are doomed to obscurity for the duration of their jobs-they just don't prove that they can stand above the rest.

But you're different. So how do you get your superiors to see that? Can you visualize yourself in a new role, taking charge and earning increased profit for the company? Moreover, can others visualize you succeeding in that role? Then you need to prove you are the best option from among all of the qualified candidates.

Depending on your title within the company, it is possible that there are some candidates who are just as capable for the open management position. In this case, you'll have to prove you are not only capable, but the absolute best candidate. Think about what sets you apart from the rest, and focus on those qualities when pleading your case. Why would hiring you over the others make your boss' job easier? This is the question you should address first, because it will certainly be on their mind.

If you do meet the criteria above, you still need to prove that you can be replaced. Your superior won't promote you if they believe the present position you fill can't be readily taken by another individual. If there's no one at hand ready to step in and take over the current management position, then your chances of being promoted are even slimmer than usual. Thus, if you want that promotion, you must train someone who will thoroughly understand your duties before you leave.

The risk, of course, is that someone else might end up snagging the job before you do. But as a manager you fully understand the necessary cost of calculated risks, and by proving that you (and no one else) are the most qualified individual for the job, the odds are overwhelmingly in your favor.