Empowering women to success: A Guide to Career Progression by Janice Gordan

Setting Up for Success:

Focus on continuous self-development along with awareness of tech and sales trends.

Establish a strong network within and outside your organisation, such as Making Movements.

Seek sponsorship within your organisation and mentorship opportunities within or out. First, be clear on your ask and outcome before actively engaging with busy people.

Asking for a Promotion:

Prior to the promotion period, schedule a meeting to discuss career growth and express your ambitions, career goals, or next move.

Highlight specific achievements and contributions to the team.

Agree on an improvement plan and emphasise your commitment to ongoing learning and professional development.

Preparing for a Promotion & Review:

Create a portfolio highlighting your (not your team's) successful projects and outcomes. Collect everything: testimonials, wins, feedback.

Clearly articulate your impact on revenue growth or customer satisfaction. It is not time to be timid.

Align your achievements with the company's strategic goals.

Practice what you are asking for, why, and how you are justifying with evidence, the ask.

Conducting Yourself in a Review:

Use metrics to quantify your achievements and demonstrate your impact.

Communicate confidently, using assertive yet constructive language.

Emphasise how your contributions align with the company's objectives.

Use the STAR method to structure your answers.

Ask your reviewer to structure their answers using STAR and keep a record.

Understanding Internal Progression:

Familiarise yourself with the company's career paths and expectations.

Seek feedback regularly to understand areas of improvement. Record and communicate your progression in your plan.

Be proactive in identifying opportunities for growth within and outside the organisation.

Open communication, knowing your worth and showcasing your value, are crucial in achieving career success in tech sales. Above all trust your instincts if it smells like a fish – it is a fish! Make your own luck.

Janice B Gordon is the Founder of Scale Your Sales working to improve sales and buyer enablement of strategic accounts. As well as a professional speaker, educator and trainer with previous experience delivering a TEDx talk that discusses tapping into inner wisdom.

It’s a huge honour to hear from such an insightful voice in the industry; listed in the Top 50 Global Thought Leaders and Influencers on Customer Experience and 15 LinkedIn Sales Innovating Sales Influencers to Follow. Author of Business Evolution: Creating Growth in a Rapidly Changing World and co-author of Heels to Deals: How Women are Dominating Business to Business Sales.