How to Position Yourself for Mid-Year Promotions & Career Moves
(And the overlooked strategies most professionals miss.)
Mid-year reviews are around the corner. Promotions are being discussed. And budgets for back-half hiring are being decided now.
If you want to land your next big opportunity, this is the moment to make your move.
Here's the uncomfortable truth: You don't get promoted when you deserve it. You get promoted when decision-makers can see your next-level potential and trust you're ready.
And that visibility? It's rarely built in the room where the decision gets made. It's built months before…in meetings, updates, emails, and moments you might overlook.
But First, Let's Expand How You Think About "Advancement"
Before diving into positioning strategies, recognize that career progression isn't just about climbing the traditional ladder. Title changes and promotions can be limited and often aren't within your leadership's immediate control due to budget constraints, organizational restructuring, or headcount freezes.
Smart professionals think bigger about advancement:
Expanded scope and influence within your current role
Cross-functional leadership opportunities that build your reputation
Strategic project ownership that positions you as indispensable
Skill development and expertise that makes you promotion-ready when opportunities arise
Internal mobility to roles that better align with your growth trajectory
External visibility that creates options beyond your current organization
The key is positioning yourself so that when traditional promotion opportunities do open up, you're the obvious choice. And when they don't, you've still accelerated your professional growth in measurable ways.
If you're aiming for advancement this summer, ask yourself these 5 questions:
1. What narrative is being told about me when I'm not in the room?
→ Are you seen as a doer…or a driver?
→ Do others talk about your outcomes or just your effort?
→ When your name comes up in leadership discussions, what's the story they tell?
2. Have I made my ambitions clear to the right people?
→ Hoping they notice isn't a strategy.
→ If your manager or sponsor doesn't know what you're aiming for, they won't advocate when it counts.
→ Have you articulated not just what you want, but why you're ready and how it aligns with business needs?
3. Am I known for solving high-impact problems?
→ Promotions go to people who reduce risk or unlock growth.
→ Position your work in terms of what it enabled, not just what you delivered.
→ Can you quantify the business impact of your contributions in the last 6 months?
4. Do I show up like a leader now, not later?
→ Executive presence isn't about title.
→ It's about how you communicate, contribute, and carry yourself.
→ Are you already operating at the level you want to be promoted to?
5. Have I asked for feedback to close my gaps?
→ If you haven't received actionable feedback in the last 30 days, ask for it.
→ People promote potential, but only when they believe it's coachable.
→ What specific development areas are you actively working to improve?
The Strategic Reality Check
Remember: The people making promotion and hiring decisions this summer are already watching. They're evaluating not just your current performance, but your readiness for the next level.
This means:
Every interaction matters (from how you present in meetings to how you respond under pressure)
Your reputation is being built daily (through the questions you ask, the solutions you propose, and the way you support others)
Visibility requires intention (Great work in isolation doesn't drive advancement)
Your Next Move
Start positioning yourself today. Whether that leads to a traditional promotion, an expanded role, or new opportunities elsewhere, the foundation you build now determines your trajectory.
The professionals who accelerate fastest understand that advancement is about becoming someone others can't imagine succeeding without, regardless of what's on your business card.
Ready to accelerate your professional growth? This is the work I do with high-performing professionals every day, refining your narrative, elevating your presence, and making your next move inevitable. Start with a complimentary Next Level Discovery™ Session to explore your path forward.
