Navigating your path to your next promotion

Your biggest hurdle is that you've never done the job you're interviewing for—this will be your first promotion into people-leadership. How do you compare to the external candidates being interviewed? How can you possibly land the job?

Companies with strong cultures love to promote internally if the person is truly ready for the role. You've been auditioning since the day you started at the company, and a spotlight has been on you since you expressed your interest in leading a team one day.

However, you're up against thought leaders who have possibly been in people leadership roles for decades. How can you level up and convey your strengths in the best, most concise way during the interview process? Let's dig in.

Learn: If you haven’t done so already, seek a mentor inside or outside of your company that you respect and ask them to spend some time with you as often as they have available. Regularly work with them to glean best practices, understand their leadership journey, and learn about the literature and methodologies that have shaped their approach. Read, or listen to audiobooks and podcasts that align with what kind of leader you want to become.

Present: Even if not explicitly requested, create a 30/60/90 plan or a leadership presentation and rehearse it. I once had an external candidate with 20+ years of leadership experience ask me to rehearse the his plan with me - timed and live. It led to identified improvements and he ultimately landing the job. Be humble and embrace constructive criticism.

What to include in your presentation:

1) Gaps: Identify potential shortcomings compared to your competition: think ahead and identify the gaps you’re going to be facing. If you’ve never led a team, you’ve never been responsible for hiring or firing. What are your philosophies around recruiting? Diversity and Inclusion? Leadership? How are you going to fill those gaps? Talk through these with a friend, colleague, or mentor, and include these topics in your presentation. Clearly articulate how you plan to bridge these gaps.

2) Performance: Highlight what you’ve done as an individual contributor, and don’t only focus on the numbers. Think about your team dynamic - have you mentored anyone without realizing it? What have you done, even if it seems small? Write a list, and refine it into a story of your career at the company so far. Show your impact through your team’s lens.

3) Your Why: Why do you want to lead a team? More stress, more responsibility, possibly less money if you’re a a top performer with a strong commission plan? Have this down as succinctly as you do your product’s elevator pitch.

4) Missed opportunities: If you’re on a team that consistently runs forecast meetings, and you’re aware of missed deals, dig into one or two and come up with clear examples of what could have been done differently. Remember to be humble.

5) Thought Leadership: Go beyond the buzzword. Showcase your ability to think strategically about the future and identify areas where you can bring unique insights. Consider developing a mini training session for your team, illustrating your commitment to continuous improvement. Remember, your tenure in the company provides a unique advantage over external candidates. Leverage your deep understanding of the company's culture and values.

In summary, be proactive in identifying and addressing your gaps. Showcase your solutions and approach to potential challenges. Lean on mentors and seek assistance whenever needed.

That’s all for this week.
Happy Hunting!

How to Work With Me:

🚀 Learn: guides and courses for any stage of the job hunt that you’re in:

• Job Search: Strategize Your Job Search

  • Approach your job search systematically and strategically. Say goodbye to applying to submitting hundreds of applications 👋

• Interviewing: IMPROView

  • Learn to be unforgettable in interviews to land the job you want.

• Offer Negotiations: Culture Shock: Salary Negotiations

  • Check out this☝🏼 newsletter about negotiating your salary, and learn strategies to get recruiters to fight for you.

👩🏽‍💻1:1 coaching: I’ll work with you on interview prep, job search strategy, and interview role play. Book time with me here. 

⭐️ Audits: Tired of applying to jobs and want hiring teams to come to you? Grab your LinkedIn Audit here. 

❤️ Ashley

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