Once you’ve begun working on you Individual development plan, follow these simple steps to get promoted.

No job hopping: The golden rule is: the longer you stick around in a company, the better your growth. It might seem very attractive in the short term to change jobs for more money, but remember that in a new company, you start at the bottom of the ladder with a lot of people ahead of you as far as seniority and tenure are concerned and they will be considered for promotion over you. Also, job hopping implies that your stability is suspect hence in the long term, your employability loses value.

Consistent performance: Growth is directly proportional to consistent performance in a BPO. You might have excellent management or training skills but unless you are able to consistently perform in the job role you’ve been recruited for, chances are that you might not be allowed to apply for an IJP. After all, how can the organization be sure that you will be able to meet your targets in the new role if you were unable to do so previously?

Performance is a sum of various skills and parameters which differ for each job role. Check out the various job roles here to see the assessment parameters. Remember that consistent performance is the key to getting promoted.

Network with people: More often than not, who you know is just as important as what you know. Be cordial if not friendly with all your peers. Remember that your behaviour is being watched constantly for the first few months so be careful. Be yourself but be professional. You might not get along with certain people; just stay out of their way and don’t get into a battle of egos. Greet everyone with a smile. Make an effort to get to know all the managers in your department. Also try and get to know people in support functions and other departments so you can talk to them about their respective job functions, pros and cons of the job, their interview experience etc when the time comes for you to apply. The goodwill you carry in the organisation goes a long way in ensuring your success when it comes to getting through an IJP and progressing in your career.

While applying for an IJP, do not apply for more than two different roles: As much as possible, stick to one role that you would like to get promoted to. While discussing your Individual Development Plan with your manager, he will probably identify 1 or 2 roles that suit your aptitude and prerequisite skills. While applying for IJPs, stick to the ones that have been identified by your manager. DO NOT apply for any and every role/IJP that comes along. This negatively implies that you have no career path mapped out and also that you’re applying just for the heck of it.

Learn relevant skills for the new role: It’s not enough if you just identify the roles that you would like to move into. You will need to start learning as much as you can about the job role. Some companies have their own internal knowledgebase where this information is available. This will also put a positive impression on your managers because they will realize that you are serious about getting promoted. Start by reading the articles in the BPO Sutra knowledgebase. Connect with people within your company and outside who are already working in the area that you’re interested in. They will be able to give you first hand knowledge about the job description and what you need to do to get there. Remember: Knowledge is power!