PsychTests.com Reveals The Traits That Can Help Get You That Promotion

Climbing the Ladder: PsychTests.com Reveals The Traits That Can Help Get You That Promotion

PsychTests.com's latest research reveals the personality traits and skills that can help employees improve their chances of getting promoted.

MONTREAL, CANADA (MARKETWIRE) -- May 22, 2012

PsychTests.com, a pioneer in online personality, career, and IQ assessments has released its newest research on the type of traits that can be an asset for employees who are looking to move up in their company. PsychTests' research reveals that those who are actively eyeing a promotion are going to need to do more than just cross their fingers and hope to be picked.

Not everyone gets in at the bottom floor of a company and immediately sets their sights on the top. Some people are sufficiently challenged in their current position, and have no desire to move up in the ranks. Others, however, always have their eyes on the horizon...or on that corner office with the personal assistant. These are the people who always have the bigger picture in mind, and an underlying motivation behind their hard work. The question is, do they really know what they're getting into when they ask for a promotion, and if they do, do they have the traits and skills needed to handle it - traits, according to PsychTests, such as the desire for growth and a stimulating work environment, a willingness to take on additional responsibility, leadership potential, confidence, initiative, adaptability, and the ability to cope with stress.

Collecting data from nearly 2,000 people who took their Career Advancement Profile, PsychTests' statistics reveal that those who are ready for a career change tend to have a proactive "edge" to their attitude and behavior. PsychTests analysis showed that those who are ready for a promotion are more likely to:

Thrive on change
Want to be a part of the decision-making process in the company
Be challenge-seekers
Be on the constant lookout for opportunities to develop their potential
Be active networkers (e.g. looking for business contacts at social gatherings)
Be willing to accept that with career advancement comes the potential for additional stress - as long as it's not too intense
Not only find it easy to learn a new task, but also show a willingness to learn even the most difficult of skills
Confidently share their ideas with their boss - and even assertively disagree with their boss' ideas if they don't think they have merit
Consistently put in the effort to make their work more efficient

Gender differences indicate that PsychTests' male sample show more of an edge in terms of reaching for that brass ring. They are much more willing than women to take on more responsibility and a leadership position, and have slightly higher levels of both confidence and initiative. In addition, PsychTests' sample of newly-promoted employees indicates that of all the traits assessed on the test, it was the desire to be a leader that propelled them to the top.

"Employees seeking a higher-level position, like supervisor or manager, need to fully understand what being promoted entails - they need to be prepared, or they risk being totally overwhelmed," explains Dr. Ilona Jerabek, president of the company. "Being promoted means being responsible for your own work as well as other people's. It means dealing with employee grievances, firing unproductive employees, and making major decisions that could have a huge impact on the company. This is what catches a lot of people off-guard. They think moving up the ladder means status and power - what they don't anticipate is huge amount of stress and responsibility that comes with it."

"One big unappreciated stumbling block is also the fact that when people are promoted from within, they are often required to manage their former peers," adds Dr. Jerabek. "This brings about an inevitable shift in interpersonal dynamics. Suddenly, as unfair as it may seem, your former friends might distance themselves, stop sharing personal details, feel uncomfortable around you, even resent you. It takes a lot of social finesse to be able to maneuver through such an emotional minefield."

Employees from PsychTests' sample who indicated that they have been working really hard toward a promotion stood quite a way apart from their less proactive and less industrious counterparts. Those who have been putting in a lot of effort to get promoted showed a much stronger desire for growth (90 vs. 66 on a scale from 0 to 100), a greater willingness to take on more responsibility (70 vs. 43), stronger leadership potential (81 vs. 54), stronger desire for change and stimulation (87 vs. 67), more initiative (93 vs. 66), more confidence (86 vs. 59), better adaptability (83 vs. 66), and were also better at dealing with stress (80 vs. 54).

So for employees who have been eyeing that top rung of the corporate ladder and feel that they are truly prepared, PsychTests' offers some helpful tips:

Rethink what you really want. Take time to consider what you really want to achieve in your career. Don't assume that just because a promotion brings a bigger paycheck or more prestige, it will be a better deal for you. Will you actually like the day-to-day duties and challenges that come along with the new position? Are you willing to accept any of the possible drawbacks, like longer hours, bigger responsibilities or more stress? Do you want to help people, mentor people, or make corporate decisions? Do you want creative freedom or to work with other people? Sometimes, a lateral move in the company may be a better fit for what you really want. Take some time to ponder what matters to you and it will be easier to determine whether a particular promotion is really right for you.
Ask yourself what the company has to gain by giving you a promotion. In order to move up, don't focus on your own need for a promotion but rather, on how the organization will benefit if they promote you. Approach it as though you were applying for a new job in a new company - you need to show them why you're the best candidate for the job. Clearly define what you have to offer and you will be better prepared to sell yourself.
Document your success. Keep a file with a timeline of your accomplishments, new skills you have acquired, training you've undergone and initiative you've taken. When a client gives you positive feedback, for example, ask if they could put it in writing. This file will come in handy when it comes time to request that promotion.
Let your employer know about your intentions. If you ask for a promotion out of the blue when your employer has no idea that you're interested in moving up, you probably won't get very far. Mention your intentions to move up ahead of time, perhaps during an evaluation or one-on-one meeting. Don't be arrogant or overly aggressive, but show genuine initiative to get ahead. The process of planting the seeds should begin with asking what your boss is looking for in a promotion candidate, then determining whether you're well-equipped and suited for such a position. Remember, timing is critical. Don't ask for a promotion in the middle of a financial crunch or when your boss is overwhelmed with demands. If you choose the right time to approach the issue, you increase your chances of being heard.
Don't take things personally - and keep trying! If you don't move up as quickly as you want, don't throw in the towel. Revise your plan, talk to your boss, and keep working at it. Perhaps you haven't yet shown you are ready for a major move, or the timing is off financially. "No" in business may often mean "not now."

"Don't walk into a doctor's office and simply say 'I (or my child) have such-and-such a problem ... what can you prescribe to fix it'?" concludes Dr. Jerabek. "We want to make it clear that we're not completely condemning drugs - they can be very helpful in some cases. What we're advising is knowledge. Don't opt for a quick fix when it comes to your mental health. Learn about the proposed medication, its common as well as rare side effects, see what other patients who are taking it have to say about their experience, and consider the withdrawal syndrome. Keep in mind that some information you find on the internet may be biased or untrue, but researching the drug, you will be able to make an informed discussion with your doctor, and be an active partner in your quest for a good mental health."

Those who wish to learn more about their promotion potential can go to: http://testyourself.psychtests.com/testid/3082

HR managers interested in using the Career Advancement Profile or other pre-employment tests can visit : http://www.archprofile.com/corporate/solutions

About Psychtests AIM Inc.

Psychtests AIM Inc. originally appeared on the internet scene in 1996. Since its inception, it has become a pre-eminent provider of psychological assessment products and services to human resource personnel, therapists, academics, researchers and a host of other professionals around the world. Psychtests AIM Inc. staff is comprised of a dedicated team of psychologists, test developers, researchers, statisticians, writers, and artificial intelligence experts. The company's research division, Plumeus Inc., is supported in part by Research and Development Tax Credit awarded by Industry Canada.

Contact:
Ilona Jerabek, Ph.D., President
Psychtests AIM Inc.
http://testyourself.psychtests.com/
ilona@psychtests.com