8 quiet rules for getting promoted that people often learn way too late.

Hey everyone, I spent 12 years in corporate finance and made a lot of stupid mistakes, but I learned some useful lessons along the way. A few weeks ago, I was talking with a younger colleague about promotions and shared this list with him. I figured it might help people here too.

Your manager's wins matter more than you think
↳ Your promotion is tied to how his team looks in front of others
Move to another team if your manager has no momentum

Your "facetime" is with the wrong faces
↳ Not everyone in the room can help you move up
Build relationships with people two levels above you and outside your direct group

You still haven't built your promotion story
↳ Good work alone is usually not enough
Make sure the right people understand your impact on the business

You write updates like you're still trying to prove you can handle the basics
↳ Long emails make you look like you're drowning in the small details
Send short, easy-to-read notes that include the decision, the risk, and the next step

Your expertise can trap you
↳ Being the "go-to" person for recurring tasks keeps you stuck on the same track
Teach others, hand off parts of the work, and start solving messier, more complex problems

Your visibility in front of people can be a bit fake
↳ Being CC'd on big threads doesn't make you look senior
Take ownership of communication with important stakeholders when it makes sense

Your self-reliance can look strange
↳ Solving everything on your own means no one sees your judgment
Bring people into the picture, show your thinking, and make the solution clear to others

Your timing is probably off
↳ Bringing up promotion only during review season is usually too late
Start the conversation months earlier so your manager can build your case