Ask the Business Coach Joyce K. Reynolds is an expert Business Coach who works with CEOs, Sr. Execs, entrepreneurs and countless others providing knowledge, solutions, motivation and support that assist her clientele in successfully meeting workplace challenges. Find out more about Joyce's coaching practice. Getting a Promotion Question: How do I convince my employer to promote me to a supervisor's position that is usually only available to someone with a Nursing background? Darlene Answer: Absent of any information about the compensating factors that might help you make the case that you are duly qualified for a position without the commonly desired background, I can not answer you with specifics. So, let's look some generic tactics you might try. Ask for and approach this as a new job interview. Have your resume and supporting documents prepared to demonstrate your ability to fill the job you are seeking, e.g. write your profile or summary with words and facts that underpin your credentials in the required areas of expertise. Build a strong presentation around the fact that you are qualified for the position in light of compensating expertise, experience or education. Be prepared to offer point-on examples of how your background translates well to the needs of the job. Since you use the word 'usually,' I'm going to assume that there is some precedent for hiring outside the stated guideline. If that is the case and any such prior situation was positive and worked out well, you will be able to use this history in a role supportive to your interview. If you would be the first exception, you'll simply have to demonstrate a stronger case. If you cannot overcome the background restrictions, ask if there is some other way you can qualify for or earn the promotion. Be willing to take a lateral, interim move if that might improve your suitability. Remember that other positions may offer opportunities to acquire the skills and professional credentials you are absent of along with broadening your networking base. You might also consider taking educational courses to further satisfy the job requirements. If you find that you are trying to break down a brick wall that won't budge, rethink your current position and see where other opportunities might exist. Just keep in mind that you are asking the company to significantly work outside their written guidelines and they simply may not able to do that. If that's the case, the least that will happen is that you'll go on record as being seriously interested in advancing your career. If you can't live with that, it might be time to move on instead of up where you could qualify for the promotion via a new company. Also see: • Ask Joyce your workplace questions • More questions • One-on-one business coaching Disclaimer: The information in this column is intended to provide the reader with general ideas or concepts to be used as part of a broader base of knowledge they collect to determine their own best course of action and solutions most suitable for solving their workplace challenges. The information in this column is not guaranteed to be the appropriate solution for each individual.