THE PLAN ~ Climbing the Ladder

vises Smith. Ask what his or her keygoals for the year are, and make itclear you want to help achieve them..And, of course, find out if there areany gaps in your resume. End themeeting by requesting performancefeedback every month or two.

Step UnYourCareer This YearLean times be damned! Use this plan to positionyourself for a promotion in 2011. byELAINEPOFELDT

IRED OF WAITING forbetter days to arriveso that you can ask fora bump up? Maybe it'stime to quit being sopatient. In this economy,

employers won't be handing outnew titles left and right, "but thegreat news is you can still earn apromotion by demonstrably movingyour company toward strategic andfinancial wins," says Stefanie Smith,principal of New York executivecoaching firm Stratex Consulting.The higher you are on the ladder, the

40 MONEY Jan./Feb. 2011

more responsibility you have to takefor your progression. This plan canhelp you prove yourself promotion-worthy within the next six months.

STEP 1: SECURE YOURSUPERVISOR'S SUPPORTArrange a meeting with your boss tomake sure he or she is aware of yourambition. "If you don't tell people youwant to take on more responsibility,how are they going to know?" notesNew York City career coach Roy Co-hen, author of The Wall Street Profes-sional's Survival Guide. But "ratherthan focus on your aspirations,frame everything in terms of whatyour boss wants to accomplish," ad-

STEP 2: EXECUTE ONE OFYOUR BOSS'S GOALSOver the next few months, step upto lead existing projects-or prnew ideas-relating to the objec .your supervisor laid out. Initiativesthat lead to revenue generation orcost savings present the best prom-ise for promotion in any economy,advises Cohen. But also capitalizeon your unique knowledge: If yourindustry faces potential regula-tory challenges, for example, andyou know that area inside out, bethe first to devise a plan to helpthe company succeed in a changedenvironment. Meanwhile, cultivaterelationships in other depart-ments-and collaborate with yournew contacts-as it will expandsphere of influence, advises CarobCeniza-Levine, a partner in N.Y.C. ea-reel' coaching firm SixFigureStart.

STEP 3: PROMOTE YOURPROMOTABLE EFFORTSSend periodic reports to your man-ager highlighting how you're m.ovil-IIJ[IIthe needle. "When it's time for yourreview," says Smith, "your bosslook through those updates." Also.publicize the victories of your di-rect reports, as this publicizes 'Jown victories, adds Paul Copcuttof Square Peg Solution, an Ontariopersonal-branding firm. One of hisclients created a local-server blogso that her group could report press to higher-ups, for example. Fi-nally, ask colleagues who are hawith your work to e-mail your man-ager, says Ceniza-Levine. Thatyour boss will feel even bettergiving you a boost .•