Congratulations! You’ve landed the big promotion you’ve been going for. But what happens after the dust settles and you’ve farewelled your old work mates? If you want to thrive in your brand new role there are a few important things you need to add to your to-do list from the moment you start…

Set Yourself Clear Goals​

Your number one step? Make sure you have a clear idea of the direction that you are heading in your new role. Schedule some time to have a discussion with your new manager to discuss what they want you to achieve in the short and long term and what their expectations in this new position are for you.

You will be better equipped to make the right decisions by having an overview of your boss’ vision for you and your team within the wider business. Don’t forget to raise your own ideas too. Hopefully you brought these up in your interview so make sure that you can present them to your new manager with a clear plan of how you will actually implement them.

Be sure to map what you want to accomplish in the next few weeks, the next few months and first year when setting targets. Take the time to intermittently review these goals to ensure that you are still on track to achieve them or revise them where necessary.

What to do when you get the promotion

Understand Your New Environment

It’s tempting to jump in when you first step into a new role, and make a crazy amount of changes. It is important to ensure, however, that you have a strong understanding of your new environment before you make any big decisions.

Talk to your team and any major stakeholders in the broader business about current processes as well as any changes that they would like to see happening. This will allow you to get a better idea of what you need to improve, and what you need to completely change. Getting input from people who have worked for a longer period of time in their position will help you make better strategic decisions.

Set Yourself Up For Success

Just because you were promoted, that doesn’t mean you have got to the finish line. Your career will keep changing and growing, so it’s important that your skill set do the same. Once you get a better idea of the skills and qualifications you will need to advance in your new position (and also the position above) start looking into potential further study.

Need to enhance the management skills? A Management and Leadership course could give you the edge you need. Waiting for your next promotion already? Signing up for a postgraduate degree such as an MBA will provide you with the advanced business training you need to thrive in your current role and the senior leadership roles that follow. Broadening your knowledge through postgraduate study will not only help you in your current role, it will also be a real asset as you advance the career ladder and show that you are serious about this business to your company.

Delegate and Define Your New Role

When you take the next step up in your career, some of your old responsibilities can be difficult to let go of. It ‘s important to get an idea of what you need to delegate now so you can free up your time to focus on other areas. If resources are available to help you out such as an assistant or other team members then don’t be afraid to use them. In the end, you need to be able to allocate more time to perform your new duties.

Keep Up Your Relationships

Don’t forget about your old colleagues! A great network of contacts throughout your working life is valuable so be sure to maintain any professional relationship. Even if it’s just for a quick coffee, take the time to catch up with old colleagues. Also, remember to be humble about your big promotion, as there may have been others who have been fighting for the same role. It’s wise not to burn bridges because in the near future you just never know who you might end up working with.