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Advancement or Promotion

Definition, Explanation

Tips, Checklist

Definition, Explanation

An advancement confers a higher rank to an employee in a private or public company (public), respectively given evaluated higher, and given more responsibility. It includes a salary increase. Clear regulations govern advancements in the military and for clerks. They are called “Soldatenlaufbahnverordnung” respective “Laufbahnverordnungen” (career decrees). Advancements in private companies usually depend on executives evaluations. In public service, despite a performance principle (Art. 33 Abs 2 GG and § Abs 1 BBG: aptitude, qualification, professional performance), what the advancements are based on usually is the years spent in service.

Clerks are assigned a new service title, by advancement. The advancement is preceded by a promotive administrative act in which the clerk participates and which is executed in the nomination by the advancement office.

In public service, there is no entitlement to being advanced, even though common practise of advancement according to years in service seems otherwise. Jurisdiction so far intends to prefer the profession-related evaluation of a candidate instead. For assessing whether the criteria for the position to fill are met, methods of recruiting are used: Here, the selection takes more than just a single interview. Therefore, increasingly, assessment centers are involved. Before the actual nomination, an applicant can even work in a probation period in the position to fill, in order to prove his/her aptitude. The requirements such as exams, probation periods, interviews are regulated by the career decrees.

Like in private companies, also clerks can apply for a free position.

A transition is the advancement to a position with new requirements and necessary competences.

Tips, Checklist

• If you go for career, advancements are necessary. You should however clarify whether you are willing to take the obligations such as longer working hours, travelling activity, greater responsibility, danger for work-life-balance etc. that come with a higher position. Moreover, you must assure that you have the required competences
• Perform well and make others talk about it
• Market yourself
• Performance should indicate that you are able to take executive positions (e.g. thinking like employers, rather than employees)
• Write gratitude letters
• Commend others, you will soon be commended back
• Take over, voluntarily, new tasks with confidence to show your abilities
• Be enthusiastic, interested, committed and actively participate by good preparation for topics in your department, by presentations, improvement suggestions
• Build yourself a network, including also decision makers of advancements
• Use opportunities of Christmas parties, farewells and project completions to make contact to others and make yourself be known
• Take over tasks of mentoring in the company, and/or executive tasks in your free time
• Show leadership abilities by moderating and arbitrating
• Not only be good in performance but also in your appearance. This includes clothing, being in command of business etiquette, social competences and last but not least the right partner
• If you are not advanced, this is not necessarily your own fault. There can also be organisational or expense reasons (keeping hierarchy flat) for failing advancements
• Seek recognition also in the form of a fair payment, incentives, a company car and the like
• If you do not see change prospects in the company you are in, you should look for alternatives and consider changing your job
• Prepare well for your new task and possibly acquire required competences
• If you have difficulties, turn to your personnel department
• The Don'ts:
  • Do not insist on labour-law entitlement
  • Do not interact pally

Last update: 12/04/2009