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Hi there, it’s Jill!
Today, let’s talk about something many of us aim for on our career journey: a promotion.
Promotions often bring a bigger title, higher pay, and recognition of your value. All wonderful things! But after observing people with different career paths navigate promotions, I want to share a few reflections to help you make informed, intentional decisions before accepting one.
✨ This will help align your expectations with reality—early and clearly.
Let’s dive in.
01
The Different Kinds of Promotion
In general, there are three types of promotion:
1. From individual contributor to senior individual contributor
The most straightforward and lowest risk. Here, you continue to use skills you’ve already demonstrated, taking on larger, more complex projects. You may manage interns or junior team members, but you are still primarily responsible for your own output.
2. From individual contributor to team lead (with direct reports)
For many, this is the most challenging shift. You transition from doing the work yourself to achieving results through others.
Common challenges include:
Letting go of your personal standards of “how it should be done” to allow others to learn.
Developing coaching skills and giving constructive, digestible feedback.
Resisting the urge to take back work to meet deadlines, which can lead to burnout.
The skills that made you a star as an individual contributor don’t automatically translate to managing a team. It requires a mindset shift, patience, and the ability to build trust.
3. From leading a small team to leading a larger team
Here, the challenge shifts to communication and feedback loops. As teams grow, it becomes harder to build close relationships with each member. If perspectives from those closest to the work are not heard by those making decisions, misalignment and inefficiency can follow.
The key becomes setting up clear structures so information flows upward and alignment flows downward, enabling the team to execute effectively.
02
Before You Say Yes to a Promotion
Promotions are worth celebrating. They recognize your value and show your organization wants to see you grow into leadership. However, not all promotions align with every season of your career or your long-term vision.
Here are three things to consider:
1. Will you enjoy the work?
Promotions often change the nature of your work. For example, moving from a technical, hands-on role to a people-management role may not align with your interests. Some realize after taking a promotion that they miss the satisfaction of directly building and problem-solving.
Things to reflect on:
What parts of your current work bring you energy?
Does the new role amplify or replace those activities?
2. Are you ready for the additional responsibility and time commitment?
Promotions nearly always come with increased responsibility, which can disrupt your current work-life balance. You may need to re-establish new boundaries and routines, and the first few months often require extra effort as you learn new dynamics.
3. Does it align with your long-term career vision?
Promotions can sometimes lock you into a specialized path. If you are still exploring different functions, taking a promotion may limit flexibility to pivot later.
Ask yourself:
Where do you want to be in 5–10 years?
Does this promotion align with that direction, or would expand skillset first be wiser?
03
A Promotion Is an Opportunity, Not a Requirement
I want to emphasize: Promotions are worth celebrating. At the same time, it’s important to understand what saying “yes” truly means.
Does it align with your long-term goals?
Will it expand your future choices or limit them?
Is it the right move for you, right now?
Career progression is a long game. There will be seasons when you feel ahead of your peers, and seasons when you feel behind. Please don’t let comparison drive your decisions.
Everything that happens in life carries a reason—some experiences reward us, while others guide us toward deeper truths about ourselves. As long as you remain purposeful, you will achieve what you want from life.
Final Thoughts
It’s easy to assume that a promotion is always the right next step—but intentional growth means pausing to reflect before saying yes.
Take time to:
Align the opportunity with your long-term vision.
Understand how it will change your day-to-day work.
Ensure it’s a path you want to walk, not just a box to check.
You deserve a career that aligns with your values, your energy, and vision for your life—and that’s the best rewards you can give yourself.
— Jill
Founder of Anchor Growth Newsletter
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