Asking your manager for a promotion can be one of the most stressful moments of your life. It can cause many sleepless nights and completely change the dynamic of the relationship. And not to mention that it can lead to a very awkward and tense moment if they say no.

But at the same time, sitting down with your manager could be one of the most important things you do to advance your career. Although the workplace is a competitive environment, it can be very rewarding if you approach it with the right mindset. Besides, how will you ever know if you’re ready for a promotion if you don’t ask?

Ready to pop the question? Here is what you need to do, especially if you work in a grocery store:

1.     Prepare ahead of time. Before you sit down with you manager and ask for a promotion, you need to first identify why you’re integral to the team, what you’ve accomplished and how you’re going to go above and beyond in the future. If you work in a grocery store, consider how many extra shifts you’ve picked up, if you’ve won any employee-recognition awards or if you have more than one role (cashier, stocker, etc.). You’ll have a much stronger case if you go into the meeting with a game plan.

2.     Wait for the right time. While there’s technically no “right” time to ask for a promotion, you should wait for a time in your favour, specifically a mid-year or end-year review. During a review process, your manager expects to discuss your progress and where your career is headed, so asking for a promotion is in the cards. If you hold biweekly or monthly meetings with your grocery store manager, you could ask the question during that time as well.

3.     Request the meeting. When you’ve done your homework and are comfortable with the time, it’s time to request a meeting. You can either request a meeting directly with your manager by sending him/her an email, or reach out to their secretary. In either case, make sure you make it clear beforehand what the meeting will be about. If you work in a grocery store, try to schedule the meeting around your shift so you don’t fall behind at work.

4.    Be confident. Remember step one? This is where your talking points come into play. Present your argument, be polite but most of all, remain confident. If you don’t believe that you deserve a promotion, why should your manager?

5.    Follow up. If your manager offers you the promotion, great! If they say they need some time to think about it, thank them for the meeting and shake their hand. Give them a week to mull things over and follow up in person.

Of course, not everyone gets what they ask for. If you don’t get the promotion, ask your manager what you can do to improve and when it would be appropriate to revisit the topic. Doing so should motivate you for the next round to obtain that promotion you’ve been striving for.

We have tidied up all the valuable information above into a single infographic on how to ask for a promotion. Stick this onto your wall and memorize the steps by heart. Share this with your friends who are aiming for a promotion.

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Poundy

Old-fashioned in nature but sophisticated in thinking, Poundy is happy to offer his words of wisdom to anybody interested in Pounds to Pocket — behind the shapely moustache lies an abundance of knowledge.

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