How to Ask Your Manager for a Promotion (With Exact Scripts)

The promotion conversation is not about asking for a favor. It is about aligning with your manager on a concrete plan to get you to the next level.

Most people get this wrong. They wait until two weeks before the cycle deadline, sit down in a 1:1, and say something like "I think I deserve a promotion." That puts your manager in a defensive position. They have to respond in the moment, without preparation, to a request they may not be able to grant on the spot.

The people who get promoted consistently approach this differently. They have multiple conversations over 6 months, each with a specific purpose. By the time the cycle arrives, the promotion is not a surprise request - it is the obvious next step in a plan both parties have been working toward.

Here are the exact scripts for every stage of that conversation - plus what to avoid saying no matter how tempted you are.

When to Have the Conversation (Hint: 6 Months Before, Not 2 Weeks)

According to HR experts at USC, the most effective time to start promotion conversations is 3 to 6 months before your performance review - not during the review itself. Career platform Coursera echoes this: your goal should be to plant seeds for a future promotion well ahead of the formal window.

Here is why timing matters so much:

• 6 months out - your manager can steer high-visibility projects your way, create stretch opportunities, and start building the narrative.
• 2 months out - your manager is already building their calibration list. If you are not on it, catching up is nearly impossible.
• 2 weeks out - your manager's hands are tied. Calibration materials are drafted, nominations are locked in, and the committee review is imminent. You are too late.

The ideal timeline involves four distinct conversations, each with a different purpose. Think of it as a campaign, not a single pitch. For the complete cycle calendar at Google, Meta, Amazon, and Microsoft, see our timing guide.

Conversation 1: The Alignment Meeting (6 Months Before the Cycle)

Purpose: signal your intent, align on criteria, and identify gaps early enough to close them.

The Script

"I want to be intentional about my career growth. I am targeting [specific level] in the [spring/fall] cycle. I have been reviewing the promotion criteria, and I would love your input on where I am strong and where I have gaps. Can we spend 15 minutes mapping that out?"

Why This Works

• It frames the conversation as a collaborative exercise, not a demand.
• It shows you have already done your homework by mentioning the criteria.
• It gives your manager a specific, low-pressure role: advisor, not decision-maker.
• The 15-minute ask respects their time. Managers are juggling 6 to 10 direct reports and their own deliverables.

What to Listen For

Pay close attention to how your manager responds. If they immediately start listing specific gaps or projects that would help, that is a green light - they are invested. If they deflect with "let's see how things go," that is a signal you need to create more urgency or build a stronger evidence base first.

Write down every piece of feedback word-for-word. This becomes your gap map for the next 6 months.

Conversation 2: The Progress Check (3 Months Before)

Purpose: validate that you are on track, surface any new gaps, and reinforce your manager's commitment.

The Script

"I wanted to check in on the promotion criteria we discussed. Here is where I think I am: I feel strong on [scope/impact criteria] based on [specific project and outcome]. I am still building evidence for [gap area] and plan to address that through [specific action]. Does this match your assessment? Is there anything else I should be focusing on?"

Why This Works

• You are presenting a self-assessment, not asking your manager to evaluate you from scratch. That makes the conversation faster and more productive.
• Mentioning specific projects and outcomes demonstrates you are taking this seriously.
• Naming your own gaps shows self-awareness - a quality committees value highly.

If There Is a Disconnect

If your manager says you are not as far along as you think, resist the urge to argue. Instead, ask: "Can you give me a specific example of what the next level looks like for [gap area]? I want to make sure I am aiming at the right target."

Three months is still enough time to course-correct. Two weeks is not. This is exactly why the early conversation matters.

Conversation 3: The Packet Review (6 Weeks Before)

Purpose: give your manager a finished document they can react to, instead of expecting them to build your case from scratch.

The Script

"I have drafted my promotion packet based on the criteria we discussed. I would love your feedback on what is strongest and where I need more evidence before the submission deadline. Can I share it with you this week?"

Why This Is the Most Important Conversation

This is the move that separates people who get promoted from people who get deferred. Here is why:

• Your manager probably has 6 to 10 direct reports. They physically do not have time to write detailed promotion cases for everyone from scratch. By giving them a polished draft, you make their job dramatically easier.
• At companies like Amazon, the promotion document can run 5 to 15+ pages. At Google, the packet needs specific evidence mapped to criteria. Giving your manager a head start is not just helpful - it is necessary.
• Your manager starts internalizing your case 6 weeks early. By calibration time, they know your evidence inside and out and can pitch it fluently.

For the exact structure of what goes into this document, read how to write a promotion packet that actually gets you promoted.

Conversation 4: The Pre-Calibration Prep (1 Week Before)

Purpose: arm your manager with answers to the tough questions the committee will ask.

The Script

"Calibration is coming up next week. Is there anything else you need from me to make the strongest possible case? Any questions the committee might ask that I should prepare evidence for?"

Anticipate the Pushback

Promo committees are designed to be skeptical. They ask hard questions. At Google, committee members who have never worked with you are evaluating your packet cold. At Meta, managers have to defend your case in calibration against other managers advocating for their own reports.

The most common committee questions are:

• "What was the measurable business impact?"
• "Was this person driving the work or executing someone else's plan?"
• "Where is the evidence of influence beyond their immediate team?"
• "How does this scope compare to what we expect at the next level?"

For every question your manager can answer with a specific data point, your odds go up. For every question they have to shrug at, your odds go down. Give them the data before they walk into the room.

What NOT to Say (These Kill Your Chances)

There are specific phrases that, no matter how justified they feel, will hurt your promotion case. Avoid these in every conversation with your manager:

1. "I deserve this promotion."

Entitlement framing puts your manager on the defensive. It shifts the conversation from evidence to emotion. Instead of "I deserve it," try: "Based on the criteria, here is where I am meeting or exceeding the bar." Let the evidence speak.

2. "[Person] got promoted and I am just as qualified."

Comparing yourself to peers is the fastest way to undermine your case. Your manager cannot discuss someone else's promotion with you, so you are putting them in an impossible position. Worse, it signals that you are focused on fairness rather than evidence - and committees do not promote based on fairness. They promote based on documented impact.

3. "If I do not get promoted, I am going to start looking."

Ultimatums destroy trust. Even if you are genuinely considering leaving, making it a threat changes the dynamic from collaborative to adversarial. Your manager may decide you are a flight risk regardless and stop investing in your growth. If you have leverage, let your work demonstrate it. Save the job market conversation for after the cycle results.

4. "I have been at this level for X years."

Time served is not a promotion criterion at any major tech company. Committees evaluate impact and scope, not tenure. Framing your case around years spent signals that you do not understand what the committee actually evaluates. Frame it around what you delivered instead.

5. "Can you just promote me?"

At most large tech companies, your manager cannot unilaterally promote you. Google uses independent committees. Meta requires calibration across the org. Amazon runs formal promo doc reviews. Asking your manager to "just do it" shows you do not understand the process - and that lack of understanding is itself a signal. Learn how the process works at what committees actually look for.

The After-Rejection Script (If You Did Not Get It)

Getting passed over stings. According to HBR research, the most commonly cited reason for promotion rejection is a perceived "lack of leadership potential" - reported by 53% of HR leaders in one study. But that broad label usually hides something more specific and fixable.

Here is how to have the post-rejection conversation productively:

The Script (Within 2 Weeks of the Decision)

"I appreciate you supporting my case. I want to understand the committee's feedback so I can build the strongest possible case for next cycle. Can we walk through what happened? Specifically, I would like to know: which criteria did I fall short on, and was the issue the quality of my work or the quality of my evidence?"

Why This Works

• Acknowledging your manager's effort keeps the relationship healthy. They likely did advocate for you.
• The work-vs-evidence distinction is critical. If the issue is your work, you need to change what you are doing. If the issue is evidence, you need to change how you document what you are already doing. The fix is completely different.
• Asking within 2 weeks ensures the feedback is fresh. Wait 2 months and your manager will not remember the details.

For a deeper dive into recovering from rejection, read what actually happens when you get passed over.

The Follow-Up Script (After a "Not Yet")

Sometimes your manager will not say no outright. They will say "not yet" or "let's wait until next cycle." This is actually the most dangerous response because it feels positive while stalling your progress.

The Script

"I understand the timing may not be right yet. I want to make sure I am fully ready when the time comes. Can we build a specific plan? I would like to know: what are the 2-3 things that, if I demonstrated them clearly over the next 6 months, would make you confident putting my name forward?"

Why This Works

• It converts a vague "not yet" into a concrete, measurable plan. Your manager has to name specific criteria, which gives you a target.
• The "2-3 things" framing keeps it focused. You are not asking for a complete career overhaul - you are asking for the critical gaps.
• The "confident putting my name forward" language subtly commits your manager to action. If you deliver on those 2-3 things, they have already agreed to nominate you.

How to Frame It as Alignment, Not Asking

The key mindset shift: you are not asking for permission. You are asking for alignment.

When you ask for permission, the dynamic is: "Can I have this thing?" Your manager holds all the power. They can say yes or no, and you are at their mercy.

When you ask for alignment, the dynamic is: "I am heading toward this goal. Let's make sure we are on the same page about what it takes." You hold agency. Your manager becomes a collaborator, not a gatekeeper.

Here is how that shows up in language:

• Instead of "Can I get promoted?" say "I am targeting [level]. What does the path look like?"
• Instead of "Do you think I am ready?" say "Here is my self-assessment against the criteria. Where do you see gaps?"
• Instead of "Will you nominate me?" say "I have drafted my promotion packet. Can you review it and tell me what would make it stronger?"

This is not wordsmithing. It is a fundamentally different approach. Permission-based conversations feel passive. Alignment-based conversations signal ownership, initiative, and self-awareness - exactly the qualities committees evaluate at every level.

The Complete Timeline: Every Conversation Mapped Out

Here is the full sequence from first conversation to calibration:

1. 6 months before the cycle: The Alignment Meeting - signal intent, identify gaps, create a plan.
2. Monthly for the next 4 months: Brief check-ins during 1:1s. Share updates on gap-closing progress. 2-3 minutes per check-in is enough.
3. 3 months before: The Progress Check - validate your self-assessment, surface any new gaps.
4. 6 weeks before: Share your draft promotion packet. This is the most impactful single action you can take.
5. 4 weeks before: Incorporate feedback, request targeted peer reviews.
6. 1 week before: Final prep conversation. Arm your manager for the committee.

If the next promo cycle is less than 6 months away, start today. If it is less than 6 weeks away, start your packet today. Every week you wait narrows your options.

Most companies run promo cycles in Q1 and Q3. Do not miss this window.

You Have the Scripts. Now Build the Packet.

The conversation gets your manager aligned. The packet gets the committee to say yes. Without a structured document - executive summary, quantified accomplishments, evidence mapped to promotion criteria - your manager walks into calibration empty-handed.

GetPromoted builds that packet for you in 10 minutes. Answer a few questions about your work, get a structured promotion case in the same format used at Google, Meta, Amazon, and Microsoft. Preview it free. Pay $99 $79 only if you are happy with what you see. 100% money-back guarantee.

A career coach charges $500+ and takes 3-4 weeks to build the same document. Your promotion is worth $15,000-50,000+ per year. The packet costs $79.