Promotions and career growth rarely happen by accident. The people who move faster usually do two things well: they make their impact visible and they build the right skills on purpose. If you’re feeling stuck, try creating a simple (but powerful) 90‑day growth plan that turns “I want to advance” into clear actions your manager can support.

Step 1: Pick a target (not a title)

Instead of “I want to be Senior,” define what you want to be known for in the next 3 months:

• Owning a business-critical workflow end-to-end
• Reducing cycle time (shipping faster, fewer handoffs)
• Raising quality (fewer defects, better customer outcomes)
• Becoming the go-to person for a specific domain (analytics, onboarding, client success, etc.)

Tip: Promotions follow evidence. Choose a target that naturally produces measurable evidence.

Step 2: Write your “promotion proof” in advance

Create a short list of outcomes that would make a strong case for advancement:

• A metric you can move (revenue, retention, SLA, accuracy)
• A recurring problem you can eliminate
• A process you can standardize
• A cross-team initiative you can lead

Then translate it into a one-liner you can share: “In 90 days, I will deliver X by doing Y, measured by Z.”

Step 3: Focus your skill-building on leverage

Not all skills are equal. Choose one core skill and one visibility skill:

• Core skill examples: data storytelling, system design, stakeholder management, negotiation
• Visibility skill examples: presenting updates, writing decision docs, running meetings

Actionable idea: Spend 30–45 minutes, 3x/week on structured practice (course, mock interview, deliberate reps), and apply it immediately in your current role.

Step 4: Make your work easy to recognize

High performers sometimes get overlooked because their impact is hidden. Try:

• A weekly 5-bullet update to your manager: wins, metrics, risks, decisions needed, next steps
• Documenting decisions and tradeoffs (helps leadership trust your judgment)
• Asking for stretch tasks that show scope: “Can I lead the next rollout?”

Step 5: Schedule the conversation early

Don’t wait for annual reviews. Book a 20-minute chat:

• Ask: “What would you need to see from me in the next 90 days to support a promotion/level-up?”
• Align on expectations and checkpoints
• Confirm how progress will be evaluated

If you created a 90-day plan today, what specific outcome would you choose that would be undeniable evidence of growth?