How to ask for a promotion
Show that you're already doing part of the next role, then ask your boss what's missing and by when. Promotions are usually decided before the meeting where they're announced, so the conversation that matters happens months earlier.
Lauren is a real coach. You're texting an AI trained on her coaching.
The moment
Your boss has said "you're close" twice now. Someone who joined after you just got the title you've been working toward, and you're starting to wonder if you're invisible or if nobody told you the rules.
Usually it's the second. Promotions run on a calendar and a level guide most people never see, and on whether your boss can argue for you in a room you're not in. This script gets you into that room, in their words.
Get these straight first
- Know what the next level actually is. Get the written level guide or job description if your company has one. If not, ask: "What separates a senior from a lead here?"
- Map your evidence to it. For each expectation of the next role, one example of you already doing it, with a result.
- Know the calendar. Find out when promotion decisions are made and who's in the room. At many companies it's a calibration meeting your boss attends without you.
- Make your boss's job easy. They have to argue for you. Give them a short written case they can repeat.
The script
I'd like to talk about my next step here. I want to be considered for [title] in the next cycle.
Over the last [period], I've been doing parts of that role: [example one], [example two], and [result with a number].
I'd like your honest read. What would you need to see from me to put me forward, and is there anything that would hold it up?
If we agree on what that is, I'd like to check in on it every month until the decision.
The script ends with a question on purpose. You learn the real bar, and your boss shifts from judging you to sponsoring you.
If you've already been passed over once
Last cycle the answer was not yet. Since then I've [closed the gap they named]. Does that change the picture? What, specifically, still stands between me and [title]?
If they push back
| If they say | You can say |
|---|---|
| You're not quite ready. | That's helpful to hear. What's the one thing that would make you say I'm ready? Can we agree on how we'd both know I've done it? |
| There's no headcount at that level. | Understood. Is the title tied to headcount, or can I be promoted in my current seat? If it's headcount, what's the plan when a spot opens? |
| Let's talk about it at review time. | I'd like to start now so neither of us is surprised then. Can we agree on three things I should show by the review? |
| You're too valuable where you are. | I appreciate that. I want to stay valuable here, at the next level. Who could take on part of what I do now so I can grow? |
Your one-page case, by email
Send it a day or two before the meeting so your boss walks in with your evidence in front of them.
Subject: My case for [title]
Hi [name], ahead of our conversation on [day], here's a short summary of the work I've done that maps to the [title] role:
- [Expectation from the level guide]: [what you did, with a result]
- [Expectation]: [what you did, with a result]
- [Expectation]: [what you did, with a result]
I'd love your read on where the gaps are. Thanks, [your name]
Mistakes to skip
- Asking for the title without the evidence. "I've been here three years" is tenure, not a case.
- Waiting for the review. By then the decision is usually made.
- Making it about fairness. Even if a peer was promoted first, argue from your own work.
- Treating "not yet" as no. Not yet is an opening. Get the gap in writing, with a date.
- Keeping it in your boss's head. If your boss leaves or forgets, your case leaves with them. Write it down.
After the conversation
Send a recap of the gaps you agreed on and the next check-in date. Then work on the gap they named, not the one you'd rather work on. Bring one new piece of evidence to each monthly check-in.
By decision time, your boss should be able to make your case without you in the room. That's the whole game.
Prep it with Lauren
Here's what it looks like to rehearse this by text the night before. Lauren asks a couple of sharp questions, tightens your words, and checks in after.
my boss said I'm "almost ready" for senior manager. third time she's said it
ugh. "almost ready" with no list attached is the most frustrating feedback there is
let's turn it into something you can act on. what did she say was missing last time? word for word if you remember
something about executive presence and owning the room with the partners
vague but workable. ask her: "what would I be doing differently in partner meetings if I were ready?" get two examples then ask to run the update in one partner meeting next month. that's your evidence
that's actually doable
it is. want me to check in after you talk to her friday?
Build the case before the meeting.
Text Lauren the role you want and what you've done. She'll help you write a case your boss can carry into the room, and check in monthly until the decision.
Hi Lauren! I want to ask for a promotion and need help making my case.
Lauren is a real coach. You're texting an AI trained on her coaching. Your first week is free. Cancel anytime from your account or by texting Lauren.
Frequently asked questions
How do you ask for a promotion without sounding entitled?
Make it about the role and your evidence, and ask for feedback in the same breath: "I want to be considered for X. Here's what I've been doing that fits. What would you need to see?" That's confident, not entitled.
When should I ask for a promotion?
Three to six months before promotion decisions are made, so there's time to close a gap. If you don't know when that is, ask your boss.
Should I ask for a raise and a promotion at the same time?
They're different decisions: a promotion is about level, a raise is about pay. If you're asking for the promotion, ask what the pay range is for the new level, and negotiate the number when the offer comes. Here's the raise script.
What if I'm passed over for a promotion?
Ask for the specific reasons and what would change the decision next time, then decide whether you trust that path. If the bar keeps moving, that's information too.