How to Get Promoted in 2025 (Even When the Economy Feels Like a Dumpster Fire)

Between the layoff headlines, the ultra-competitive job market, and the general chaos of the Canadian economy, getting a promotion in 2025 might feel like a pipe dream. Cue the 2 a.m. anxiety spirals:

“Is now the right time to ask?”
“What if they say no?”
“How do I even bring it up?”

Totally valid questions.

To help you cut through the noise, we’ve gotten insights from Jessica Lee, our Learning Design Manager and from Erin O’Hanley, our Director of People Operations and Finance. Erin regularly receives promotion and raise requests—and often has to say no—so she knows firsthand what makes a compelling case and why timing and strategy matter. 

In this article we’ll explore how to get promoted in three steps: act like someone who’s worth promoting, being a leader without the title, and actually asking for the promotion by making a case for yourself.

1. Develop a Promotional Mindset

The first step? Shift your mindset from “maybe one day” to “how do I get there?” Promotions are rooted in growth—so start by reflecting on where you want to go and what you need to learn to get there. Think about which skill set you’d like to develop over the next 12 months. Maybe it’s gaining more leadership experience, learning a hard skill like coding or bookkeeping, or collaborating cross-functionally to boost your communication chops.

Hot tip: Even if you’re job hunting, these reflections will set you up for success—and help you make a strong case when negotiating a future offer.

Create a Professional Development Plan

If you want to grow, your manager needs to know. Book time to talk about your 2025 development goals. Be clear about your interest in a promotion—and how you want to get there. Ultimately, they’ll become your mentor, by looking out for opportunities for you, and they’ll be your best advocate along the way. 

Yes, this can feel uncomfortable—especially for introverts, women, and folks from underrepresented groups. But self-advocacy is key. Your manager can’t help you get somewhere if they don’t know where you want to go.

Don’t have a supportive manager? Build your personal board of directors—people who can advise, mentor, or cheer you on. This could include peers, mentors, or someone in another department. (Psst… The Fellowship Academy connects you to a national network of 500+ startup-savvy professionals who can support you with this.) 

Just remember that when it comes to getting promoted and stepping up into a new role, no one expects you to have all of the skills just yet, and that’s exactly what this development plan is for. Once you set this goal, the development plan is here to help you do an assessment on the skills that you currently have and where those gaps are. 

Need a hand getting started? We’ve done the heavy lifting with a ready-to-use professional development plan template. You can thank us later.

Reflection: What is one or two skills you need to work on to help you get to the next level in your career? 

Some examples: 

• Leadership (e.g. managing others, budget management, conflict resolution, and coaching)
• Hard skills (e.g. coding, SEO, languages, and bookkeeping)
• Soft Skills (e.g. pitching, selling, teamwork, prioritization, decision making, and risk management). 

If you’re looking to enhance your leadership skills in team management, here’s how you could develop them:

• Taking on additional responsibilities that would help you build those skills (e.g. onboarding and training new staff).  
• Developing your skills independently through free online courses.
• Through professional development training (something that your company could pay for).

If you could benefit from professional development training and would like to get your work to pay for it, the best thing to do is to create a business case.  

Here’s what goes into a business case: 

• Research: Is this the best possible course? What’s already out there, and is this good value for money? 
• ROI: What’s in it for the company? What leadership role could you step into? What area of business would likely improve? 
• Emotional pull: What have you already done to show your commitment to learning? Erin often finds that proposals lack the “Why now?” and the emotional case for growth. It’s not just about the cost—it’s about showing passion, initiative, and long-term intent.
• Share learnings: Demonstrate a willingness to pay it forward and to share lessons as well.

If you’re committed to growing—whether by taking on more responsibilities, developing skills independently, or through paid training—make sure to write it down in your development plan. This ensures the people who influence your growth and promotion are aware of your efforts.

2. Act Like a Leader Before You Get the Title

Promotions aren’t just about performance. They’re about presence. People who stand out demonstrate leadership before it’s officially recognized. 

Here are a few ways to do that: 

• Make an impact: What does the company need and what can you offer? 
• Mentor others: Formally or informally (e.g. junior member of staff or being a good friend at work). 
• Share your ideas: Vision and feedback (share your ideas and offer feedback). 
• Build relationships: strong bonds go a long way. 
• Be an expert: Let people come to you!
• Seek feedback: And receive it with grace and curiosity. 

Document these in your development plan. Promotions often require work outside your official job description, and you’ll want to track it. And remember: Leadership is about influence and initiative, whether you’re an individual contributor or aspiring people manager.

3. Make the Ask (Yes, Go Ahead and Book the Meeting!)

You don’t have to wait for your annual review to talk about a promotion. Schedule a meeting and be upfront about what you want to discuss—this gives your manager time to prepare. 

Not sure how to approach it? Here’s how to set yourself (and your manager) up for a productive conversation:

• Prepare an agenda and send it in advance so everyone’s aligned.
• Bring your brag book (more on that in a bit) and do some market research on roles similar to yours.
• If your manager suggests revisiting the conversation in a few months, get that follow-up meeting booked right away.

Clarity and preparation are key—both for you and the person receiving your calendar invite. As Erin notes, giving decision makers advance notice allows them to come prepared with the right context. If you’re asking for a raise, for example, she’ll want time to review your last increase, the amount, the rationale, and how your salary compares to others with similar responsibilities. It also gives her a chance to explore upcoming opportunities or low-risk, high-reward projects she could offer you.

Erin also stresses the importance of doing your homework. If you’re asking for a raise, research what professionals with similar roles and experience are earning. Remember, promotions aren’t just about more work—they usually involve a shift in skills, risk, and responsibility. Often, a raise reflects a change in the content and scope of your role. Come in with an open mind and be ready for questions or new information.

Jess recommends bringing a few essentials: a clear sense of your current experience and responsibilities, your professional development plan, and a list of recent wins (aka your brag book).

What’s a Brag Book?

This is somewhere you can document your accomplishments, whether it’s a Google Doc, Notion page or anything else that works for you. Your brag book can include testimonials, from clients and coworkers, and any specific feedback that you’ve ever received from a manager as well. Think of it like a warm fuzzies doc, where you can keep track of all of the great work that you do, even if it’s just for yourself. If you haven’t already thought about some of those achievements in 2024 it’s never too late to document what you achieved then as well.

Even if you don’t tick every box for the next level yet, that’s okay. Let your manager know how you plan to close the gap.

Always remember your business case as well. How are you going to add value? Why should they invest in YOU?

What If, After All of That, the Answer is Still Unfortunately, No? 

It happens. And it sucks.

As someone who often has to deliver tough news, Erin shares this advice: “No” doesn’t always mean never. It might mean:

• Not right now
• Not aligned with company goals
• Not enough demonstrated value—yet

Give yourself a moment to grieve. Then regroup. Ask for feedback. Refocus your energy on growth and the things you can control. 

Keep developing the skills, tracking your wins, and showing up like the leader you want to be. The “yes” may come later, but it’s far more likely to arrive if you stay visible, valuable, and vocal about your growth.

Because when you’re putting in the work—it’s not a matter of if, it’s a matter of when. ❤️

About Venture for Canada’s Fellowship Academy 

Ready for Startup Life? Let’s get you there! Learn the language, tools, and mindset Canada’s innovation economy expects, in just 8 weeks. Taught by 25+ founders, alumni, and industry experts. Get the real talk, guidance, and behind-the-scenes startup tips you won’t find in any textbook. When you join the Fellowship Academy, you get access to a network of 500+ alumni, mentors, and startup leaders who’ll back you up and open doors long after graduation. 

Sound like a fit? Apply by September 5th, 2025.