In the busy world of politics, there’s never enough time, let alone enough time to focus on your professional development and career trajectory. However, the key to advancing in your career is advocating for yourself; securing a promotion is a great way to do that. 

We’re going to break down this process into three simple steps:

1. Make the case: you need to take some time to self-reflect and construct an argument as to why you should be promoted.
2. Make the ask: after you’ve assessed why you should be promoted, we need to identify who to ask and what to say.
3. Share the news: after you’ve completed the ask, it’s time to let the people know. Share on LinkedIn that you’ve been promoted (and upgrade your resume while you’re at it!)

But before we continue, let’s get real. If you come from a working-class background, you were likely told you shouldn’t ask for a promotion. Perhaps your parents instilled in you the idea that you should keep your nose to the grindstone, and people will recognize your potential. Maybe you are anxious about rocking the boat, or you’ve had a bad experience with a supervisor who didn’t recognize your worth. 

But if working in politics teaches us anything, it’s this: you don’t get anything you don’t ask for.

We don’t leave volunteers to their own devices, hoping they will decide to come down to the field office; instead, we make the calls to recruit them. We don’t cross our fingers and pray that donors will realize your campaign is correct; we find them and make the pitch. Getting promoted is no different. Remember, it’s completely normal to talk about promotions and raises at work—even if it feels intimidating. These conversations are a standard part of professional growth and development.

Make the Case

Before convincing anyone that you need a promotion, you must convince yourself. This doesn’t mean coming up with reasons as to why you want more money or why you want a better title. While these details are essential to your life and career, they may not be as important to your employer. Instead, we need to demonstrate the value that we bring to the table. Not sure what value you bring? We’ve got you covered: let’s take some inventory.

Taking Inventory

By taking inventory, we mean reflecting on three topics. Read below for the specific topics and what questions you should ask yourself when taking your inventory.

Your skills

• Why were you hired for your current position?
• What skills have you developed during your employment?
• What skills does the job description demand for your current role?
• What skills does the job description for the job you want demand?

Your adaptability

• Have you performed duties that are outside of your original job description? If yes, list them out.
• What new programs have you helped create during your employment?
• What ideas have you brought to the organization? These don’t necessarily have to be formal programs or projects. If you started a tradition of passing a card around for someone’s birthday, that counts!
• How have you adjusted during busy periods at your workplace?

Your contributions

• What projects have you completed during your employment?
• Have you started any new practices or programs at your workplace?
• What are you most proud of having achieved in your last role?
• What do you uniquely bring to the role that helps the organization meet its objectives?

However, taking an inventory doesn’t just mean examining our case; we also need to understand the context in which we’re making this request.

Make sure you consider the following:

• Are you in the middle of the busy season at work? Is there time to schedule a meeting for your promotion? If your manager doesn’t have enough time to consider your request fully, you’re less likely to move at the pace you might want.
• What organizational blockers could there be to your potential promotion? Are they solvable?
• Is your manager a decision-maker when it comes to promotions? Who is, and how can you equip your manager with the information they need to best make the case for you?
• What is a core organizational focus right now beyond just your team, and how can you demonstrate your efforts to move those objectives forward?

Once you answer these questions, you’ll have an abundance of materials to build your ask. That leads us to…

Make the Ask

When we ask for a promotion, we want to be as specific as possible. An ask for promotion should consist of two parts: Evidence and Target. 

The Evidence is the information we gathered when we made our case. We want to compose a compelling argument with that evidence. 

The Target is the specific changes we want to accompany the promotion. Whether it’s a title change, a pay raise, or additional perks (such as professional development funds), we want to ensure our Target is as specific as possible. You don’t want a general raise, you want a raise of X% to a total of $Y.

Once we have our evidence and our target, we compile it and make our request. Here is an example of an organizer asking for a meeting to discuss a promotion to ROD:

Promotion Meeting Request Template

Hi [manager name], [Present the Target] I’d like to meet to discuss a potential promotion. [Present the Evidence] Due to the expansion of my responsibilities at the organization, specifically onboarding new organizers, I believe this promotion is the right step to help me bring more value to the campaign. I know we are hiring for Region Organizing Directors, and I would love to be considered for this position. Can we meet on X day at X time to discuss this further? Sincerely,  [Your name]

Remember: It may take longer if you are a manager looking to advance, and shorter if you are an individual contributor seeking to expand your contributions and financial opportunities.

Notice how we have planted an ask to discuss the promotion further. Once you have secured the meeting, take the lead in planning and facilitating the conversation. The agenda for that meeting should resemble the following, although it may vary in length depending on your role. 

Agenda Template

1. Quickly, your argument for promotion.
2. Present your target, then present your evidence. 
3. Ask what would be necessary to make the promotion happen. Follow the 20/80 rule, where you spend 20% of the meeting making your case and asking clarifying questions, and spend 80% of the meeting listening to the manager. They’re your partner in this, after all.
4. As you discuss, take notes and outline specific criteria for the promotion. 
5. If the promotion does not go through today, schedule a specific date to revisit the promotion.
6. Send the meeting notes, including promotion criteria and follow-up dates, to your manager after the meeting.

Making the Ask: Do’s and Don’ts

Do

• Focus on the value you’ve added to the organization. 
• Demonstrate what you’ve been able to achieve or how you are integral to the organization’s success.
• Present to your manager the additional responsibilities you’ve taken on and those you would like to take on. 
• Share a clear vision for your professional development and how you want to grow in your career.

Don’t

• Solely argue that you need or want more money because of the cost of living. By this logic, everyone in the organization would need a promotion and/or raise, which is not always possible.
• Base your case on how long you have been with the campaign or organization.
• Don’t just focus on money, even if it’s your primary motivator.
• Make any ultimatums.

One last thing: if you are struggling to determine who is responsible for approving your promotion, the easiest way to find out is to ask your supervisor, as they will either be the one responsible or be able to direct you to the right person. 

If you are on a campaign or a similar temporary work structure, the person responsible for your promotion is likely in the hands of the campaign manager, not your direct manager. This is because there is a limited budget for the campaign, which is why your direct manager needs a strong case to advocate for you. This doesn’t make promotion impossible; it just means changing our tactics. In many cases with tight campaign budgets, you should only ask for a pay increase if you genuinely need it to continue working on the campaign. Otherwise, you should negotiate for a title change and a win bonus if the budget allows for it. This will show your commitment to the campaign while still advocating for yourself. If you are working on a campaign or temporarily with a large budget or find yourself overseeing many more tasks than you were initially hired for, you could consider a conversation about a raise.

If you are in a more permanent organization, the pathway for promotion may still not be clear. You can start the conversation by asking your manager, “I’m curious to talk about the pathways for growth and promotion at our organization. In the next six months, what would I need to do to be considered for a promotion?” If you are reading this thinking, “It surely won’t take me six months to get a promotion,” think again. It can take around 6 months to a year to build a pathway to promotion. To those used to a campaign timeline, six months to a year can seem like an eternity. Still, more permanent positions have longer time horizons and more chains of command for approval, meaning that the more preparation you can make for the long game, the more likely you are to succeed.

Share the news

If your ask goes well, that means it’s time to celebrate! While it’s great to go out with loved ones to celebrate a promotion, there’s another place you should celebrate: LinkedIn. Promotions are a great opportunity to remind your network of your progress and celebrate others as well. When you see a promotion, celebrate a promotion! 

Unsure of how to post on LinkedIn? Learn how to and more with our LinkedIn guide >>>

Getting promoted can seem intimidating, but it’s a natural step that many people take in their careers. Now it’s your turn! Use these steps to get promoted and let us know how it goes. We’d love to celebrate your new title on the Campaign Confidential >>>