Are you ready for that promotion?

IN THIS ARTICLE ...

Explore 10 steps you can take to help improve your chances for a promotion.

The only promotion 1 ever received was in academic rank at my medical school alma mater. Staying in acadenfia, however, didn't supercharge my career. I advanced my career by changing jobs every few years, eventually achieving vice president of a managed care organization.

The concept of staying with one employer (organization) for the long haul and seeking promotion from within never really held much promise for me, perhaps because opportunities for promotion were limited and I was impatient. Another possibility is that I didn't signal my intentions to the appropriate decision makers, or if I did, I wasn't deemed ready for a promotion.

Regardless of the reason, I've learned that promotions must be planned. Orlando Ceaser, an experienced pharmaceutical sales director, observed, "The decision to pursue a promotion should not be a random, spontaneous example of seizing the moment. Nor should it be done as a herd, in which jobs are sought because everyone is applying for them. Instead, decisions to seek advancement should be the logical result of a well-executed career development strategy." (1)

Bouncing from job to job in search of higher status and pay is hardly an example of good planning. Yet I continue to see this happen, especially in younger physician executives, and it even plagued my own career at times. The need to attain a state of promotional readiness and carefully plan your next move cannot bc overstated.

Career tracks for physician executives are not as fully developed as they are for other types of executives. And if you're gunning for CEO, remember, although there has been a trend for physician executives to be appointed CEOs of hospitals, physician CEOs are very much in the minority. (2)

10 tips to remember

When seeking a job promotion, here are a few points to keep in mind:

1. Ask yourself if there's room at the inn.

Career tracks for physician executives barely exist in some organizations. There may on]y be one spot--medical director, or the equivalent--and nowhere to go from there but down and out.

If you avoid dead-end positions like those you won't have to change jobs to be promoted. Menlo Park, Calif.-based Robert Half Finance & Accounting[R] advises that, in addition to compensation, company stability and career advancement opportunities are what to look for in a job. (3)

The best strategy for promotion is to work in an organization or industry with numerous, well-defined pathways of increasing responsibility designed for physicians. The pharmaceutical industry is a great example where only physicians can qualify for certain positions that require medical training and management know-how.

By promoting physicians from director to senior director to vice president and higher--while also creating leadership roles within any given level such as team leader and group leader--opportunities for advancement are abundant.

2. Don't wait for opportunity to knock.

A passive posture and wishful thinking won't result in a promotion. You must telegraph your intentions to those with hiring authority. This could be your boss, someone in human resources or a key individual in another department.

Specifically discuss your goals with that person and let him or her know that you're primed for a promotion. This is not the time to be bashful or secretive. Be confident and don't worry about the potential embarrassment caused by being passed over for the job.

The strength of your conviction alone will signify that you are a rising star. And if you're turned down, you may receive valuable feedback from those who inter view you. Turn this feedback into developmental homework.

3. Do your current job extraordinarily well.

It is naive to think you can be promoted without demonstrating excellence in your current role. The mistake I've seen some physician executives make, and one I've made myself, is believing you can be promoted into a position that is a better match for your abilities even though you may have only been an average performer in your current job.

It doesn't matter that your present job may be boring or beneath you, or that your current work cannot sustain your full attention. You still need to excel in order to be promoted. Your track record and reputation pave the way for future opportunities. Poor work ethic can destroy any chance of being promoted.

4. Tenure counts.

The amount of time employed in your current role may count as much as your performance. This is especially true in large organizations, where it may take several years to develop relationships with key internal stakeholders and understand how to navigate the system.

Make sure you become acquainted with executives who hold key business roles in finance, sales and marketing, including those based in the field. Understand their issues and business perspective and ask how you can support their goals. Also ask your boss to create opportunities for you to interact with those stakeholders and work on mutual projects.

5. Use the "X-factor" to advance your career.

Author and syndicated columnist Jeff Magee frequently asks how much do you spend annually on your head--the knowledge and education you seek, including training courses, certifications, degrees, non-fiction books and journals?

The amount, known as the X-factor, should surpass the sum spent on your hair, face and clothing. A commitment to making small changes in the way you spend your money, time and energy can pay huge dividends in your career.

In fact, investing in yourself may have the highest overall rate of return. University of Rochester business school professor Ronald N. Yeaple revealed a 10-point plan to manage careers to successful new heights.

The plan is based on personal self-development and is modeled after the careers of over 450 successful men and women. In his book The Success Principle, Yeaple writes, "Your investment in mastering strategic skills demanded in today's marketplace will give you more bargaining power to get what you want if you stay [in your current organization], and it will give you more employment options if you decide to leave." (4)

6. Polish your professional image.

The X-factor doesn't negate the importance of your appearance. Professional image does count. Social skills matter, too, including your ability to prepare conversations ahead of time, mingle and project a positive attitude.

Dining etiquette really says a lot about you. The worst outcome of many business meals isn't just indigestion. Jobs are lost, careers are stalled, and clients go south because of business meal blunders. If you can't handle yourself at lunch or dinner, why should your superiors think you could handle a bigger job?

7. Conduct a personal SWOT analysis.

While you're evaluating whether you project the proper image, also evaluate your personal strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, otherwise known as a SWOT analysis.

Examine your core competencies and deficiencies in relation to your work environment and industry trends. What specific opportunities or special assignments can you seek to prove your worth? Who or what stands in the way of your promotion, and how can you overcome that obstacle?

Self-awareness is critical as you climb the organizational ladder and interact with people at different levels. It is also vital when working in teams.

8. Consider consultation.

Your self-analysis is not likely to be objective. Therefore, it is important to obtain feedback about your performance from your boss, colleagues, friends, family and customers.

Undergoing a 360-degree performance evaluation, in which feedback is obtained from your superiors, peers and subordinates may be useful, but it still may leave you with a few blind spots.

A mentor or professional coach may be necessary to produce the best outcome, assuming you receive truly expert advice and suggestions on how to manage your career and professional relationships.

Coaching may also help you prepare for job interviews, which are bound to be rigorous when seeking a promotion.

9. Give thanks.

You can never be too kind to people who have helped you prepare for success. Otto Van Isch said, "I have yet to be bored by someone paying me a compliment." Remember to thank your boss, a colleague, or someone who was a role model or simply went out of their way for you. But don't be overly gratuitous and don't lick your boss's boots just to get ahead.

Immediately after your job interview, write a letter of appreciation to the interviewers. Convey your thanks, briefly restate your qualifications and note some thing special about the interview or interviewer.

A paragraph as short as the following may suffice:

"I enjoyed our discussion of the (medical director, research, technology, disease management,) position you want to fill. I especially appreciated your insight (as an experienced leader, physician executive) or (regarding the differences between clinical practice and medical management, customer versus product marketing). I was pleased to know that my background and experience in health care management is definitely an asset. Thanks so much for your time and for the congenial interview."

10. (Re)think relocation.

The one factor most out of your control is a job promotion predicated on relocation. Sure, relocating is always an "option," but it's probably resisted more than anything else.

Ceaser' suggests that you operate under the two-year rule. Basically, you ought to be able to live anywhere for two years as long as you give the location some serious thought first.

Many of us went away to college and/or medical school far much longer and survived. If being far away from home proves to be too much for you, have faith that your company will help get you back home as long as your performance is steady.

With the prevalence of downsizing, mergers, layoffs and outright self-serving unethical behavior by leaders in business today, taking active control of your career is a must. Are you en route to seizing a promotion or do your actions show that you place your career in the hands of others, leaving it to fate?

The choice is yours.

References

(1.) Ceaser, O., "Planning Your Next Move." Pharmaceutical Representative. 2003, 33(1):30-31, 37.

(2.) Weber, D., "Twenty Five Health Care Trends." The Physician Executive. 2003, 29(1):6-14.

(3.) "Show Me the Stability." Robert Half Finance company press release accessed February 1, 2003, at: http://www.roberthalffinance.com/Press Room?LOBName=RH&releaseid=214

(4.) Yeaple, RN., The Success Principle. New York, Macmillan/Spectrum, 1997.

Arthur Lazarus, MD, MBA, CPE, FACPE issenior director of clinical research at AstraZeneca in Wilmington, Del. He is a frequent contributor to The Physician Executive and editor of MD/MBA: Physicians on the New Frontier of Medical Management (American College of Physician Executives, 1998). He can be reached by phone at 302-886-3000 or by e-mail at [e-mail]. His opinions are not necessarily those of AstraZeneca, its management or employees.