Overview

Some workers who feel content with their job continue working in the same
job position for many years until they retire. They have no desire to move
further up the career ladder. They've found their niche, and they're
comfortable.
Perhaps you, on the other hand, wish to advance further up the ladder and
achieve a higher goal. Your motivation to move up the ranks might stem from
a desire to have greater responsibility, greater challenge, greater influence,
greater prestige, and/or greater income.
If you fall into this category, you might discover additional steps and planning
will be needed to reach the next stage in your career, unless you happen to
be fortunate and an offer for a promotion simply falls in your lap. In that lucky
case, you might only have the task of deciding whether or not to accept the
offer. But for most people, moving up the career ladder requires thoughtful
consideration and planning, and devising an advancement strategy based on
a number of key factors. The strategy that will work best for you will largely
depend on your career, your profile, and your company.
The following activity guide is designed to help you assess your opportunities
and potential for advancement, and assist you toward developing a working
plan tailored to fit your personal needs.
The guide will also help you address these important personal questions:

What is my career goal?

Which career direction is best?

What opportunities do I have for advancement?

Am I promotable?

What do I need to do to reach the next career step?

What opportunity is there for advancement at my current company?
Knowing precisely where you want to be on the career ladder and what you
need to do to get there will be the focus of this activity. Are you ready? Let's
start!
Back to Job Advancement Contents



Job Advancement Activity Guide

The following activity guide consists of five steps. In each of the steps, fill in
the blanks with short answers.
Activity Guide Contents:

Step 1: Determine Your Career Plan

Step 2: Assess the Next Advancement Step

Step 3: Assess Your Interests

Step 4: Assess your Promotability

Step 5: Assess the Company
Back to Job Advancement Contents



Step 1: Determine Your Career Plan
1. What is your long-term career goal? Where do you eventually want to be
on the
career ladder?
My career goal is: ___________________________________________
2. What job title steps at your present company will lead to your career
goal? List
the job title steps in order. If there is more than one way to reach your
goal, use
Options 2 and 3 to separately list the steps for each possible way.
These job title steps will lead to my goal:
Option 1: Option 2: Option 3:
________________ ________________ _________________
________________ ________________ _________________
________________ ________________ _________________
________________ ________________ _________________
________________ ________________ _________________
3. What is your present job title?
My present job title is: ____________________________________
4. Looking at your present job, what job title step could you advance to next
that would lead you toward your career goal?
The next job title step that could lead me toward my career goal is:
_____________________________________
If the answer is "none," what lateral job at your present company would
provide
the advancement step you
need? _________________________________
What other companies would offer the advancement step and
opportunities
you
need? __________________________________________________
5. Of the step sequences and opportunities available, which next job title
step will
best lead you toward your career goal?
The next job title step that would be best is: ______________________
Back to Activity Guide Steps



Step 2: Assess the Next Advancement Step
1. Which next job title step did you choose?
The next job title step I wish to pursue is: ________________________
2. What additional training or education will the next job step require?
The next job step will require: __________________________________
3. If applicable, where can you receive the training or education needed?
I can receive training or education I need at: ______________________
4. What specific skills will the next job step
require? (Examples: leadership,
decision-making, computer skills, multi-tasking, coordinating,
supervising,
team-building, scheduling, budget planning, working with the public)
The next position step will require these following skills:
________________________ __________________________
________________________ __________________________
________________________ __________________________
________________________ __________________________
________________________ __________________________
5. Of those skills listed, which skills do you currently possess from actual
experience?
I possess these skills from experience:
________________________ __________________________
________________________ __________________________
________________________ __________________________
6. Which skills would you need to develop?
I would need to develop these skills:
________________________ __________________________
________________________ __________________________
________________________ __________________________
7. How would you develop and acquire these skills? Mentorship (on-the-job
training)? Courses? A degree program? Self-study? A training program?
A volunteer position? Through community work? Other avenues?
I would develop these skills by:
________________________ __________________________
________________________ __________________________
8. What are the essential job functions (job duties) of the advanced position?
Lifting? Using a computer? Using technical equipment? Greeting the
public? Writing reports? List all job duties of the position.
The essential job functions (duties) of the position would include:
________________________ __________________________
________________________ __________________________
________________________ __________________________
________________________ __________________________
________________________ __________________________
9. What accommodation, if any, would you need to perform the essential
job functions (duties) of the advanced position?
I would need the following accommodation(s):
________________________ __________________________
________________________ __________________________
10. Of those accommodations listed, what accommodation training, if any,
would you need?
I would need the following training:
________________________ __________________________
________________________ __________________________
11. Of the accommodations you would need, which accommodations, if any,
might pose an undue hardship for your employer?
The accommodation(s) that might pose an undue hardship:
________________________ __________________________
________________________ __________________________
12. If an accommodation might pose an undue hardship, what alternative
arrangement would be feasible to meet the essential job duty requirements
of the position?
The following alternative arrangement would be feasible:
___________________________________________________________
Back to Activity Guide Steps




Step 3: Assess Your Interests
1. What aspects of the new advanced position would you enjoy?
I would enjoy these aspects: __________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
2. What aspects of the new advanced position would you least enjoy?
I would least enjoy these aspects: _____________________________
__________________________________________________________
3. What aspects of the new position would you find challenging?
I would find these aspects challenging: _________________________
___________________________________________________________
4. How would you overcome the challenges listed?
I would overcome the challenges by: ___________________________
___________________________________________________________
Back to Activity Guide Steps




Step 4: Assess Your Promotability
1. How visible are you within the company? In what ways, and by what
means, do
others have an opportunity to observe your work and performance?
Others are able to observe my work by my involvement in these
activities:
_________________________ __________________________
_________________________ __________________________
_________________________ __________________________
_________________________ __________________________
2. What do you do to further expand your responsibilities beyond your job
description? Beyond your department?
I expand my job responsibilities by:
_________________________ __________________________
_________________________ __________________________
_________________________ __________________________
3. What accomplishments have you made toward reaching the company's
mission?
My accomplishments include: _________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
4. Considering work evaluations you have received, what favorable
perceptions do
supervisors and co-workers have of you as an employee? Do they view
you
as hard-
working? Capable? Likable? Responsible? Professional? Cooperative?
A person who applies good judgment? A leader? A good problem-
solver?
A team-builder? List all favorable perceptions that come to mind.
Favorable perceptions
include: ______________________________________________________
_____
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
5. Of these favorable perceptions listed, which ones would help your
promotability
to the advanced position desired?
Favorable perceptions that would help my promotability are:
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
6. What less favorable perceptions, if any, do supervisors and co-workers
have of
you as an employee? Do they possibly have stereotypical views about
your
disability?
My supervisors and co-workers might view me less favorably as:
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
7. Of these less favorable perceptions listed, which ones might work
against your
chances for promotion?
The less favorable perceptions that could work against my
promotability would
be: __________________________________________________________
_
___________________________________________________________
8. Of the less favorable perceptions listed, how could those perceptions be
improved?
What could you do to favorably change those perceptions?
I could change less favorable perceptions by:
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
9. To help you gauge your promotability and receive possible guidance,
how do you
plan to communicate your interest in being promoted? Check the plan
that you
feel would work best.
___ I plan to use the subtle approach by asking questions, such as:

What is the next career step at the company?

What are the career step options for employees in my job position?

What are the qualification requirements for advancing to the next
career position?

What are the chances for someone with my experience and
background of being able to advance to the next career step?

Over the years, how many people from this department have gotten
promoted?
___ I plan to use the more forward approach by:

Discussing my interests with my supervisor;

Discussing my interests with my co-workers.
___ I plan to use the quiet approach by:

Submitting my resume and application without mentioning my
interest and plan to others;

Waiting to see if the supervisor brings up my name or approaches
me about being a possible candidate for the promotion.
(This wait-and-see approach is very risky! The supervisor might
have a false impression you aren't interested).

Back to Activity Guide Steps




Step 5: Assess the Company
1. What is the size of your company? Small? Mid-size? Large?
My company is: _______________________________
2. Approximately how long would it take you to reach your career goal at
your
present company? How long would it take at a smaller or larger
company?
At my present company, it might take this long: _______________
At a smaller company, it might take this long: _______________
At a larger company, it might take this long: _______________
3. On average, how often does the job title step you desire have openings
at
your company?
Openings are available approximately every: _________________
4. When is a job opening expected?
An opening is expected: __________________________________
5. If no job opening is expected for a long period of time, what other
companies
might have openings in the near future?
Other companies with possible openings would include:
_________________________ __________________________
_________________________ __________________________
6. Of these companies listed, which would provide the advancement steps
you
need to reach your goal?
Advancement steps I need would be possible at these companies:
_________________________ __________________________
_________________________ __________________________

That's it! As you look back at your answers, hopefully you'll have a good idea
where you're heading and what you need to do!
Back to Job Advancement Contents




Overcoming Job Advancement Obstacles
Don't let yourself get discouraged if you find job advancement a
challenge. Advancement can be challenging during periods of economic
recession, company downsizing, and company restructuring. Advancement
can be challenging when there's keen competition for jobs in the
field. Advancement can be challenging if your employer tends to hire from
outside the company.
Advancement can be challenging when workplace issues are involved, such
as:

Office politics;

Company politics;

Workplace attitudes;

Personality differences;

Resistance to change;

Myths and stereotypes about disabilities
Advancement can be challenging if your personal presentation at an interview
isn't balanced just right. The presentation might give the impression of your
having:

too little self-confidence;

too much self-confidence.

too little self-esteem;

too much self-esteem (arrogance).

too little sensitivity;

too much sensitivity.

too little friendliness;

too much friendliness.

too little formality;

too much formality...and so on.

Even if you are doing an excellent job, many factors can slow your progress
forward. In some cases, time will make a difference. In other cases, it might
require making a change to get where you want to go.
If you sense advancement challenges relate to your disability, try to assess
and determine what's causing the challenge. Be prepared to help educate the
employer and work toward raising the employer's awareness and comfort
level. Be prepared to coach.
It's important to keep in mind the employer is not a disability expert, and the
employer may lack experience interacting with a person who has your type of
disability. The employer may feel uncomfortable not knowing what is proper
or politically (and legally) correct to say or do, for example. The employer
may be baffled and wonder how you could possibly perform required tasks
with your disability due to his or her lack of knowledge about accommodation
options.

Consider the following:

Does the employer lack experience and knowledge about hiring
and providing accommodations to a person with a disability? Is it
a new, unfamiliar experience for the employer? Does the employer
seem at a loss or nervous about what to do?
Positive approach: Be a coach. Help educate the employer about
accommodations and provide the employer with helpful resources and
information.


Does the employer seem concerned about accommodation costs?
Would the accommodation pose an undue hardship for the employer?
Positive approach: Help educate the employer about available tax credits
and deductions. If the accommodation would pose an undue hardship, you
can offer to pay the portion of the accommodation that constitutes an undue
hardship to the business. Many employers and employees do not know this.


Does the employer seem skeptical or concerned about your ability
to do the essential job duties and functions?
Positive approach: Inform the employer how you would perform and
accomplish the essential job duties and requirements -- with or without
accommodations. If applicable, a demonstration may be helpful.


Does the employer seem worried or nervous about unknowingly
violating the ADA?
Positive approach: Show you are a good team player by coaching the
employer. Be prepared to offer the employer with helpful resources that
provide information and guidance the employer needs on hiring and
accommodating employees with disabilities.


If applicable, does the employer seem uncomfortable from your lack of eye
contact while conversing?
Positive approach: Acknowledge to the employer that it may initially feel
uncomfortable conversing without direct eye contact, but assure the employer
you are paying careful and close attention to every word. Show the employer
you are listening and engaged in the conversation by occasionally following
up the employer's comments with a related question or by repeating back
what the employer said in brief summary form. You can use phrases like --
"I hear you saying that...."
"Let me repeat the steps I heard you say...."
"If I understand correctly, you said...."
"I agree with what you said about...."

These are just a few examples. Your circumstances might be quite different
depending on the nature of your disability and how visible your disability is to
the employer. Much will also depend on whether or not you choose to
disclose your disability to the employer, and how much information you
choose to share.
Advancement can be challenging for everyone, but every effort you make and
every step forward you take is one step closer toward reaching your
goal. Keep motivated, keep trying, and keep going!