Your path to promotion: How to get promotion without starting over

November is National Career Development Month, a time for employees and employers to focus on career planning and professional development.

If you are an intermediate professional, you may face one of three realities:

• You have mastered your current role and want to strengthen.
• You are focusing on promotions or leadership positions but are not sure how to get there.
• You want career growth, but starting over is not an option.

If so, this guide is for you. Whether you are looking for new titles, bigger challenges or a complete hub in your field, this is the way you can strategically advance your career without making a phone button.

Develop your skills

According to the World Economic Forum’s “Future of Work Report 2025”, if the world’s workforce is composed of 100 people, 59 people will need training by 2030. In other words, your existing skills may not be enough to keep you competitive for five years in the next five years.

This is the best time to carefully study your expertise. Identify emerging trends in your industry, such as artificial intelligence or cybersecurity. Position yourself as a subject matter expert that others can rely on – Reputation is usually preceded by promotion.

>>Discover our online collection of artificial intelligence degrees
>>Discover our Cybersecurity Degree Collection

Develop your soft skills

In today’s workforce, soft skills remain crucial. Employers list the most important skills as resilience, flexibility, leadership, social influence, creative thinking, motivation and self-awareness. These highlight the value of adaptability, collaboration and emotional intelligence.

Other key soft skills include empathy, active listening, curiosity, conflict resolution, cross-functional collaboration and effective communication. Mastering these interpersonal abilities is what sets leaders apart because the way you work is as important as yours.

Request for feedback

One of the most effective steps you can take is to seek feedback from your manager or peers. This not only shows initiative, but also opens the door to constructive conversations about your performance, areas of growth and promotional potential.

By actively listening to their opinions and following their advice, you demonstrate your willingness to grow and align with your company’s goals, which are qualities leaders seek when considering someone’s promotion.

Demonstrate your leadership skills

Strong communication is at the heart of effective leadership, and leadership skills are crucial when your goals are promoted. Prove that you can clearly share ideas, inspire others and lead by example, which shows that you are ready to take on greater responsibilities.

Whether supporting colleagues, providing guidance or maintaining stable performance, the ability to communicate clearly and influence others makes future leaders unique. Building these skills not only improves your credibility, but also prepares you for the challenges that a higher character brings.

>>Discover our online leadership degree

Show your value

If your goal is promotion, it is important to understand and communicate how to add value to the company. Employers look for individuals who perform well, align with the company’s goals and contribute to their success. Proactively discussing your contributions and sharing your progress shows that you have participated and invested.

You can increase value by continuously improving your skills, delivering strong results and participating in different areas of your business. The more growth and impact you convey, the more likely it is to be seen as preparing for the next step in your career.

Take the next step towards FutureLearn

If you are ready to advance in your career, we are here to support you. Explore expert-led content, learn at your own pace and gain the skills needed for your industry.

• Sentinel’s Organizational Behavior and Leadership Skills | 9
• Communication and interpersonal skills at the University of Leeds
• Business Etiquette: Main communication and soft skills of CQuniversity in Australia
• The Power, Politics and Influence of the University of Manchester
• Leading strategic innovation: How Deakin and Coventry University achieve goals
• Professional resilience: Build skills to thrive at Deakin University’s job