Build a promotion case
A promotion case translates your work into the responsibilities and results of the next role. Build it before a vacancy appears.
1. Get the actual criteria
Ask your manager for the role description, salary band where available, and examples of successful performance at the next level. Separate qualifications that are mandatory from preferences. If there is no formal framework, collect two recent internal job descriptions and ask how selection decisions are made.
2. Assemble evidence, not adjectives
| Claim | Evidence to collect |
|---|---|
| “I lead complex work” | Project scope, decisions you owned, stakeholders and outcome. |
| “I improve performance” | Before and after measure, period and your contribution. |
| “I can lead people” | Coaching, delegation, hiring or succession results. |
Keep a private record of outcomes, with sensitive business information stored only where your employer permits. Describe team achievements fairly. Your case is stronger when others can confirm it.
3. Ask for a decision and a date
Try: “I would like to be considered for the next senior manager opportunity. Here are three examples against the role criteria. What gaps do you see, and what would I need to demonstrate by our next review?” Record the answer and agree on a review date.
Checklist
- Role criteria and decision maker identified.
- Three relevant outcomes with measures and references.
- One clear gap and a plan to close it.
- Meeting booked and follow-up date agreed.
Use a one-page decision brief
Put the target role and approval process at the top. Use a table with each selection criterion, your strongest evidence, who can corroborate it and the remaining gap. A reviewer should understand the case in five minutes. Claims such as “strong communicator” need an example of a decision or outcome that changed because of your communication.
Know whether a role exists
A good case cannot create an approved vacancy by itself. Ask whether the employer is deciding on a promotion, acting appointment, pay review or competitive recruitment. If the answer is “no budget”, request a date when budget will be reconsidered and decide how long you can wait.
Respond to feedback with a test
When told you need “more strategic experience”, ask for an assignment, the decision you would own and the evidence that would demonstrate readiness. If you deliver it and the criterion changes again, reassess the internal path. A transparent process is more valuable than indefinite reassurance.
Next steps
Use the resources below to turn this topic into a plan suited to your situation.