Everything in life is a negotiation. Sometimes, if not most times, we only get what we want only if we speak up. 

As an employee, you may trust in your strengths and feel ready for a job promotion; however your employer may seem to be overlooking that or taking his or her time to see it.

What do you do in this case as a worker? Do you sit on your will and leave everything to chance?

Harvard Business Review quotes Sabina Nawaz, a global CEO coach, leadership keynote speaker, and writer noting that asking for a promotion makes you feel vulnerable.

You’re not in control; you’re putting yourself in the hands of your manager to be judged-and you might be judged not worthy.” You may fret that you’ll be "bugging your boss” or come across as greedy and "self-serving.” 

Asking for a promotion can be nerve-wracking. But when you think you’re ready for the next step, it’s important to say so. How do you prepare for that conversation with your boss? What information should you have at the ready? And how exactly do you make your case?

To advance in your career, you’ll need to learn to advocate for yourself.

Here are some of the ways you can go about it;

Know what you want

First, consider if want you really want is more responsibility (because a promotion normally comes with that), or if all you want is simply climbing up the ranks. After contemplating this, identify what position you want and the responsibilities that come with it. Making enough research matters a lot in positioning and making yourself ready for the promotion you’re vying for.

Prepare 

When asking for a promotion, it’s important to be prepared with facts that will back your request. For your boss to understand what you have brought to the table so far, present all of your achievements and milestones taken so far. And let this be the basis for your appeal.

Plant the seed

Asking for a promotion is not a one and done discussion; rather, it’s a series of continuing conversations, says Nawaz. Using your memo as a guide, she recommends that "your early words should be something along the lines of: ‘I am excited to be here and to make an impact. Here is the impact I’ve already made. I would like to have ongoing discussions with you about what it would take for me to get to the next level.’

Nurture the seed

Once you’ve planted the seed, "nurture it over time,” says Nawaz. She recommends asking your manager for feedback "not so often that it becomes an irritant, but, say, every month or every quarter.” Be specific. If, for instance, your promotion involves more client-facing responsibilities, she suggests saying something like: "I’ve spent the past month talking with our key enterprise clients and here’s what I’ve learned. What feedback do you have for me?”

As you wait

It is recommended to remain the good employee who works to achieve their best for the company. Experts say that promotions rarely happen overnight. This means that your request may not be immediately granted, it may take some time and hence, your attitude matters a lot at this point.