Help me prepare a fact-based case for promotion from [CURRENT ROLE] to [TARGET ROLE] at [COMPANY]. Use only the evidence I provide in [ACHIEVEMENTS AND EVIDENCE], plus the expectations in [TARGET ROLE EXPECTATIONS]. My goal and timing are [PROMOTION GOAL AND TIMING]. First, identify the 3–5 strongest promotion themes. Distinguish between doing my current job well and already operating at the next level. For each theme, connect a specific result, behavior, or decision to a stated expectation for the target role. Prioritize scope, sustained ownership, judgment, cross-functional influence, measurable business or customer impact, and work that raised the performance of others. Then produce: 1. A one-page promotion case with a direct opening recommendation, three evidence-backed sections, and a concise closing ask. 2. A table with columns: target-role expectation, supporting evidence, outcome, and any gap or weak evidence. 3. A 90-second spoken version for a meeting with my manager. 4. Five likely manager questions or objections, with grounded responses and a suggested next step where evidence is incomplete. Do not inflate titles, assign credit I did not earn, convert correlation into causation, or claim numbers not in my notes. Keep the tone confident and collaborative, not entitled or adversarial. If promotion criteria are vague, say exactly what evidence would make the case stronger. Before answering, check that every claim traces to my supplied material and flag claims that are unsupported. Also check that each major section explains why the work demonstrates the target level, not merely that it was completed. Ask up to 3 clarifying questions only if a required input is missing.
Fill in
| Placeholder | What to enter | Example |
|---|---|---|
| [CURRENT ROLE] | Your title, level, team, and main responsibilities today. | Product Manager II on the checkout team; own conversion experiments and roadmap delivery. |
| [TARGET ROLE] | The role or level you are seeking. | Senior Product Manager. |
| [COMPANY] | Your company name and any relevant team context. | Northstar Commerce, a 140-person ecommerce software company. |
| [ACHIEVEMENTS AND EVIDENCE] | Specific projects, outcomes, metrics, feedback, decisions, and examples of leadership. | Led guest checkout redesign, raising completed checkout 7.8%; coordinated design, engineering, support, and analytics; mentored a new PM; director wrote that I resolved a launch-risk decision independently. |
| [TARGET ROLE EXPECTATIONS] | The written rubric, job description, manager guidance, or known expectations for the next level. | Senior PMs lead ambiguous cross-team initiatives, set product strategy for a problem area, and develop others. |
| [PROMOTION GOAL AND TIMING] | The review cycle or conversation date and what you want to ask for. | Prepare for my October performance review and ask for promotion in that cycle. |
How to use
- Paste the next-level rubric or job description before listing achievements.
- Include dates, baselines, collaborators, and your exact role for every major project.
- Check the evidence table for weak claims and replace vague praise with examples.
- Follow up with: “Rewrite the spoken version for a manager who is concerned about consistency at the next level.”
Variations
Manager promotion memo
Use when your manager needs a written nomination or calibration summary.
Draft a manager-ready promotion memo for [EMPLOYEE NAME] from [CURRENT LEVEL] to [TARGET LEVEL]. Use only [EVIDENCE] and evaluate it against [PROMOTION RUBRIC]. Write 500–700 words: recommendation, three criteria-based evidence sections, risks or remaining gaps, and a calibration-ready conclusion. Separate sustained next-level behavior from one-off achievements. Do not invent outcomes, feedback, or scope. Before answering, flag any rubric criterion with insufficient evidence and verify that each example states the employee’s individual contribution.
Promotion development plan
Use when you are not ready to ask yet and need a concrete path to the next level.
Create a 90-day promotion-readiness plan for my move from [CURRENT ROLE] to [TARGET ROLE]. Use [CURRENT EVIDENCE] and [ROLE RUBRIC]. Identify the two highest-value gaps, then give 3–5 observable actions, a project or scope opportunity for each, proof to collect, and a monthly manager check-in question. Avoid generic leadership advice. Do not assume projects or authority I do not have. Check that every action maps to a named target-role expectation.
Promotion follow-up email
Use after a promotion conversation to document alignment without sounding confrontational.
Write a concise follow-up email to my manager after our promotion discussion. My current role is [CURRENT ROLE], my target is [TARGET ROLE], and we agreed on [DISCUSSION NOTES]. Include appreciation, the agreed criteria or milestones, the evidence I will bring, the review date, and one clear request for feedback. Keep it under 220 words. Do not imply a promotion was promised. Check that every commitment reflects my notes and that the requested next step is unambiguous.
Tips
- Use the actual leveling rubric whenever possible; a promotion case is strongest when it maps evidence to the company’s stated bar.
- Show repeated judgment at larger scope, not one unusually successful launch.
- Name your contribution precisely when results were shared across a team; “I led” and “I supported” are materially different.
- If evidence is thin, ask your manager for a scoped opportunity and success measures rather than trying to argue around the gap.
FAQ
Can AI tell me if I deserve a promotion?
It can organize evidence against a known rubric, but it cannot know your company’s calibration decisions, budget, or unseen performance context.
What evidence matters most in a promotion case?
Evidence that you have repeatedly performed the target role’s work: broader scope, sound decisions under ambiguity, impact, and influence beyond your immediate tasks.
Should I include every accomplishment?
No. Use a small number of examples that directly demonstrate the next-level expectations and can withstand follow-up questions.