Winning a promotion in the Australian Public Service can be a challenge, particularly as you move into more senior positions where there is more competition. It can be particularly difficult as you transition into executive level positions and your focus changes from being a subject matter expert to a leader. While there is no exact route that promises you will achieve what you’re looking for, if you put the time and effort into the right areas, your chances of success will significantly improve. Here are five key tips that will help you get there faster.
1. Build Relationships and Engage with Others
Communication is one of the most important things to focus on when you’re trying to move into a more senior role, particularly as your responsibilities will start to focus more on leading people and influencing internal and external stakeholders. One of the people you’ll want to be talking to is your direct manager, letting them know what you’re looking for and asking for any opportunities they could offer to you. You need to work toward convincing your manager that you are capable of taking on those extra responsibilities and that you have the skills and mindset to work through the more complex challenges. Similarly, having a preference for working alone can have a negative impact on your chances if you can’t engage with others at the same time. Leaders need to be approachable and to act as the strategic connection between the team and upper management, so it is crucial to be able to communicate effectively both upwards and downwards, no matter where you are in your career.
2. Upskill Yourself
Building up your skills and education can provide you with strong foundations and convey that you are willing to put in the extra work to benefit your team and career. It is important that you show you want to learn more and are interested in your work and industry. Having that ability to learn more will convey how you can better your team and workplace. As you learn more about your role, you will begin to master it. Doing some leadership-related study also looks great on your CV, shows you’re ambitious, and can help you work with others more effectively.
3. Take on Opportunities
You might be seeing openings appearing within your team to lead or manage projects. Taking the initiative to grasp the opportunities in front of you can give you the boost of experience you need to convince your manager that you can do something bigger. At the same time, you can start to keep evidence of your achievements, working to understand your mistakes and reflect on them to inform your actions later on. Working in a taskforce, or having some acting experience looks great on your CV and will give you some excellent examples you can draw upon in your application or during your interview. It’s a great way to be able to demonstrate your competence at a particular level.
4. Start Working Strategically
Those who are looking to become successful managers have to understand how to identify trends that could have an impact on their team and be able to plan how to move past them. You need to understand the goals of your organization, division or section and to be able to convey these to others. Leaders are often very skilled at translating the strategic vision to the practical objectives of the team and are also usually very good at “horizon scanning” for potential issues which could impact the organization, division or section in the future.
5. Never Assume
Most importantly, when you are applying for, and interviewing for a promotion, one of the traps is to assume that the people interviewing you have an understanding of you or your work. During an interview, be sure not to rely on any assumed knowledge, give full and well-rounded examples and if you are applying for a promotion be sure to provide examples with the right level of complexity to demonstrate your competence at that level. Remember, your interview is your time to shine so be sure to put your best foot forward.
Winning a promotion can be a long and complicated process, often with the occasional setback, but if you utilize these tips you are certainly well on your way!
