Answer by Jae Alexis Lee on Quora.
Most important, best, and easiest way to increase your chances 1,000%: talk to your boss about what it would take to get promoted.
Seriously. Engage in a meaningful discussion about where you currently are with your work, your career goals with the company, and what options are available for advancement.
I watch people who sit in their cubes and watch internal job postings, then apply when they see something they want. These people are often surprised when they don’t get the job and don’t get far in the selection process. There are some big reasons why, but not engaging their boss sets all of them up.
In the end, if you want to advance, engaging your direct manager in a conversation about how to advance will improve your chances more than any other single action you can take. That doesn’t mean bow and scrape to your boss, or fawn over them to gain their favor. It means have a genuine conversation about your goals, interests and how you can best benefit the company.
This question originally appeared on Quora: How can I increase my chances of getting a promotion at my job?
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