Before You Say Yes to a Promotion, Ask Yourself These Questions

A bigger title with higher pay can be exciting, but the thrill doesn’t always last. Here’s how to check whether a new role is right for you before you commit.

You may not know it, but if you find yourself being delegated some important tasks like interviewing job candidates, training new hires, or joining higher-level meetings, these are signs you may be in line for a promotion. Nothing is certain unless you get an offer. But if one is on the horizon, it’s the perfect time to think it over and decide if it’s something you even want.

Not Every Promotion is a Perfect fit

It’s tempting to say yes to a promotion right away, but according to executive coach Kelli Thompson, it’s not always the best thing to do. She cites her client Tanya, who had been working for 15 years at a consulting firm. Just a few months after being promoted to director, she felt overwhelmed and exhausted.

“I wish I had slowed down to reflect more deeply on this opportunity before saying yes,” Tanya told Thompson. Tanya realized the role she was promoted into wasn’t a great fit for her skill set and wasn’t going to make use of her greatest strengths, product innovation and process improvement.

The excitement of a promotion is often temporary, too. Thompson notes that research suggests the boost in job satisfaction that comes with a promotion fades once the new role’s demands set in.

Questions to Ask Yourself

So if you’re considering a promotion, here are the questions to ask yourself first.

How does your body react?

How you physically react to a promotion can say a lot about how you really feel about it. Thompson says many of her clients thought they wanted one, only to feel dread once it was offered. She recommends paying close attention to how your body responds to the idea of saying yes. “Does it feel expansive and exciting or heavy and restrictive?” she asks. Try to tell the difference between nervous excitement and a true sense of dread.

How will you feel in a year?

Another way to determine whether you really want that promotion is to imagine yourself a year into the role, after all the excitement and newness of the job wanes. Imagine your workload, the meetings, the decisions you’ll be tasked to make, and the demands on your time. Do you feel more motivated and passionate about it, or tired? And are you using the skills that make you feel most alive?

Whose goal is this, really?

Sometimes, your motivation for wanting that promotion isn’t inherent. It could be because colleagues have been egging you on, your bosses have been talking you into it, or your family members have encouraged you to go for it. Thompson encourages you to be honest about what’s really driving you to take that promotion. If it’s not a personal career goal, then you might want to think twice about it.

Can you shape the role to fit you?

You don’t need to fit into the mold of the previous person who held the role. “So long as you deliver results, how you get there is often yours to define,” Thompson writes. So before accepting a promotion, find out how much room you have to design your own strategies and projects, and ask about what the previous leader did well.

Tanya was upfront with her superiors about the role not being the right fit, and this worked to her advantage, according to Thompson. After she explained the kind of work she enjoyed most and how it could benefit the company, they offered her a new role more suited to her strengths and a better fit.

Trust That Clarity Can Come With Action

You don’t need every answer before moving forward. Thompson points to research by Herminia Ibarra, a professor at London Business School, suggesting that clarity often comes after we take action, not before.

“If this promotion aligns with your values and fills you with nervous excitement, then that is your sign to move forward,” Thompson writes.