Beyond the Exams: Climbing the Corporate Ladder

A department email arrives in your inbox. Among a list of other news, one of your co-workers is being promoted. Why them? How close are you? What could you have done—what should you be doing—to be next? These questions naturally run through our minds throughout our careers.

Getting promoted, ascending the corporate ladder, being recognized by our peers, and taking on more responsibility within our organization are all common goals. So, how do we accomplish this?

Doing Good Work Isn’t Enough

The obvious first step is to do good work. Everyone knows this. But how do we differentiate our work (and its expected reward) from others?

There isn’t a single, consistent answer. Each company has its own culture, each department has its own priorities, and each manager has their own expectations. Promotions are determined by our peers and leaders—so this is a good place to start.

Aside from being a kind human to your fellow working humans, pre-defining expectations with your manager is essential. In goal setting (which you should do at least annually), specifically ask what their expectation is for you to be worthy of a promotion.

Remember, promotions are a team decision that involves multiple factors. Your goal with your boss is to build an ally—an advocate who believes in you and fights for you if you fulfill their expectations. While this isn’t a guarantee, failing to clearly define expectations ahead of time can make future conversations more difficult.

Finding a Sponsor Is the Key to Advocacy

Having a boss on your side is crucial, but often, you want multiple advocates for your career. This is where finding a “sponsor” comes in.

A sponsor is like a mentor—but one who actively advocates for you and your career goals. To find a sponsor, you’ll need to do good work, but you’ll also need a long-term target for your career and a strong reason for choosing that goal.

• Do you want to be a subject matter expert?
• Do you want to be a project manager, helping to build innovative processes and tools?
• Do you want to be a leader who trains the next generation and implements executive strategies?

Once you can describe your aspirational long-term career goal, seek out a leader in your department or an executive who has achieved something similar. Ask them to be a mentor. A good sponsor understands your passion and will guide and advocate for you along your path.

Finding the right sponsor may take time—you might need to speak with multiple potential mentors before finding a strong fit. Once you do, meet with them quarterly to showcase your high-quality work and receive guidance on how to move to the next level.

And Career Growth Isn’t Always Linear

Ideally, career progression would be a straightforward path from one role to the next.

However, in reality, promotions don’t always follow a linear trajectory. While you should actively work toward your next planned step, it’s also crucial to remain open to unexpected opportunities.

Promotions are influenced by factors beyond your control—company budgets, department needs, and leadership changes, to name a few. Being adaptable and willing to explore new roles, whether within or outside your current team, can accelerate your growth. Some of the most valuable experiences come from roles that weren’t initially part of your plan.

Higher-level positions often require diverse skills and perspectives, so seizing unexpected opportunities can make you a more well-rounded and competitive candidate in the long run.

The Path to Success

If you want to successfully navigate the corporate ladder, start by:

• Setting clear expectations with your manager.
• Securing a mentor or sponsor within senior leadership.
• Staying open to new opportunities.

Most importantly, consistently deliver high-quality work that makes it easy for decision-makers to see your potential. By combining preparation with adaptability, you’ll position yourself for long-term success in your actuarial career.