Under 30? This is why you haven’t been promoted yet

Millennials are still struggling to secure promotions and really are rarely able to work their way up at their workplace compared to their older colleagues.

A recent survey found that 80% of millennials see themselves as leaders, but only 12% actually have a management role. So if millennials are supposed to be the ones to watch out for, why can’t they make it?

You overwork
Younger workers often assume that if you’re willing to work day and night and ditch your social life, you will become a success. But this isn’t necessarily the way of getting a promotion. When your work is measured by the hours you put in, you actually seem cheaper and will only be offered more work, not a promotion. Working until 4am may seem an achievement for you, but your boss can see it differently – as a failure to prioritise, or to notice warning signs of problems or impending deadlines.

You agree with everything
Young people are less likely to speak up if they don’t agree with something as they don’t want to get on the wrong side of their senior management as they are worried it will harm their chances of progression. But by speaking up and expressing your ideas and emotions, you look like you have leadership potential and more likely to score a promotion. Agreeing with everyone all the time doesn’t make you a good employee.

You can’t manage yourself
Are you late to meetings or forget about them completely? Are you under-prepared and miss deadlines? It’s simple – if you can’t manage yourself, you won’t be asked to manage other people.

You think you know much more than you do
Millennials tend to assume that they will only get a job if they know everything about the role and its industry. But the best managers are not the know-it-alls but those who know how to find answers (and not those you can find on Google). If you ask questions, you will look interested and show a desire to improve.

You’re too distant
Millennials often think that asking for help is a sign of weakness, but this could mean that you’re doing the job wrong. Getting help from outside is not a bad thing and there is nothing wrong with having a mentor. Find time to get to know your senior management and ask advice, you will appear more interested and more likely to stay in their mind if a higher position comes up.  

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