Still, many people make a big mistake by agreeing to a promotion right away. In this article, we will discuss some points you need to mull over before you jump at this opportunity.

- Are you ready for it? Without doubt, this is the most important question you need to ask yourself before you take that promotion. Most of us lack the maturity to really analyze ourselves and determine if we are in fact ready for something as big as a promotion.

You need to be confident that even if you do not understand the job thoroughly right now, you will be able to pick everything up in a few months.

- Is your family ready for it? If you do have a family, you need to be sure that they are also ready for you to receive that promotion.

This is particularly true if it involves relocation; how will a move affect your kids and your spouse?

- Do you have the time? Make no mistake about it – all higher positions mean you need to put more time in than you did at your previous position. If you are salaried, this can lead to some incredibly long days and weeks, no matter what industry you are in.

You will probably find that work begins to intrude on your daily life more than it used to; are you ready to take home work and to spend ten or more hours at the office on a regular basis?

- How will it affect your relationships? One unfortunate fact about promotions is that there will always be one or more people who were passed over, and who know it. This can lead to a really big stress on a new manager, or whatever position you were promoted to.

Make sure you know the lay of the land before taking that position, including where trouble is likely to occur and exactly what kind of authority you have to deal with it.

- Know your role! The worst kind of promotion is one into a position where things are vaguely defined. Make sure that you and your boss go through a contract specifically detailing what you need to get done and how you are allowed to go about doing that.

Don’t just jump at the smell of extra money. There are reasons for upper level positions, and one of the biggest reasons is that not everyone can put in the time or deal with the stress. Be honest with yourself before saying yes, because you need to be sure that it is the right move.

Tony Jacowski is a quality analyst for The MBA Journal. Aveta Solutions – Six Sigma Online ( http://www.sixsigmaonline.org ) offers online six sigma training and certification classes for lean six sigma, black belts, green belts, and yellow belts.

Similar Posts:

• Top 5 Employment Trends for 2012
• Staying Motivated at a Dead-End Job
• Why The Workplace Office Is Becoming Arbitrary
• Using LunchMeet to Advance Your Career