Promotion Timeline
| Phase | When | Action |
|---|
| Plant Seeds | 6-12 months before | Tell manager: "I want to reach [next level] — what would it take?" |
| Do the Work | 3-9 months before | Operate at next level — scope, impact, leadership |
| Build Case | 2-3 months before | Gather evidence, get peer endorsements, draft packet |
| Make the Ask | Review cycle | Present promotion packet, reference prior conversations |
The Promotion Packet
| Section | Contents |
|---|
| Level Expectations | Copy-paste next level job description — map your work to each bullet |
| Evidence Grid | Table: expectation → your evidence → impact metric |
| Peer Endorsements | 3-5 quotes from peers, cross-functional partners, skip-level |
| Future Impact | What you'll deliver in first 6 months at next level |
Managing Up
| Action | Frequency |
|---|
| 1:1 career check-ins | Monthly — explicit: "What's the gap between me and next level?" |
| Skip-level relationship | Quarterly coffee — they're often in promo committee |
| Visibility | Present at all-hands, write design docs, share wins broadly |
Pro Tip: Promotions are not rewards for past work — they are bets on future impact. Build your case around what you'll do at the next level, not just what you've done at this one.