Mid-career people in their 30s and 40s who have changed jobs to international companies and are starting to demonstrate their abilities in their new workplaces. After being placed in a challenging environment, many people may be thinking, “I want to aim for a higher position” or “I want to hone my management and leadership skills and get promoted.” In fact, promotions at international companies have many different factors than at Japanese-affiliated companies, and are greatly influenced by performance-based systems and global personnel systems.
In this article, we will explain career strategies to seize opportunities for promotion at international companies and points to ensure that your achievements are evaluated correctly. We will also focus on the GCI (Global Career Incubator) coaching program that will help you put these strategies into practice. If you are looking to advance your career in a new environment, please read this book.
1. Characteristics of promotion in international companies
1-1. Evaluation system based on meritocracy
A characteristic of international companies is that they often use “clear performance indicators” to determine promotions compared to Japanese companies. There are many cases where promotions are directly linked to numbers and specific achievements, such as sales target achievement rate, number of completed projects, and team performance. Especially if you are aiming for a senior position such as a manager or director, a major prerequisite is to continue to consistently produce results in your area of responsibility.
1-2. Evaluation cycle and HR process
Many international companies use an annual or quarterly evaluation cycle, and the frequency of personnel interviews is relatively high. Self-goals and results are managed through regular 1on1, goal setting and review sessions with managers and HR. This process often evaluates not only results but also work attitude, cultural fit, and leadership.
1-3. There is a possibility of promotion if a position opens up.
Unlike Japanese companies, there is no system based on seniority and lifetime employment, so in international companies, promotions may be decided at once when a position becomes available. Your attitude of seizing opportunities on your own, such as applying through in-house recruitment, self-recommending yourself to higher-ups, or being recommended by your manager, will have a big impact on whether you get promoted or not.
2. Three factors that determine promotion
2-1. Achievements and skill sets
It is essential for getting promoted in a foreign-affiliated company to obtain specialized skills that will enable you to reliably produce results in your assigned tasks and projects and differentiate yourself from others. It is important to quantify deliverables and KPIs and accumulate them in a way that can be objectively discussed.
2-2. Leadership and team management ability
When you are promoted to manager level, you are not only looking at your individual contributions, but also your ability to motivate your team to maximize results. Communication skills, problem-solving ability, and decision-making ability that bring together diverse human resources will be evaluated. In the environment of a foreign-affiliated company, there are many situations where you collaborate not only with your subordinates, but also with staff at overseas bases and leaders from other departments.
2-3. Communication skills and culture fit
Although we are performance-based, communication skills and ability to adapt to the corporate culture also have a significant impact on whether or not you will be promoted. Since you will need to negotiate not only with your superiors and co-workers, but also with business partners and overseas bases, your English proficiency and cross-cultural understanding, as well as presentation skills that allow you to logically convey your ideas, will be highly valued.
3. What kind of leadership is required in international companies?
3-1. Ability to present a vision and lead to results
Leaders of international companies are required to have the ability to clearly present their vision for their teams and projects, and to create and execute concrete plans to achieve their goals. It is necessary to share not only sales numbers but also the mission and strategic goals, and to communicate to convince the entire team.
3-2. Management that utilizes diverse human resources
In a global environment, there are more opportunities to work with members of different ages, nationalities, and job fields. Managing team members with diverse backgrounds so that they can leverage each other's strengths is the best chance to demonstrate your skills as a leader.
3-3. Agility without fear of change
international companies often undergo organizational changes and business restructuring quickly. The ability to flexibly change strategies to suit the situation and redefine one's roles and tasks as appropriate is an important criterion for determining leadership. People who take change positively and see risks as opportunities are more likely to be evaluated highly.
4. A practical approach to increasing your chances of advancement
4-1. Internal recruitment and job rotation
international companies often use job rotation between departments and internal recruitment systems to flexibly allocate human resources. Even if it's outside your area of expertise, it's worth trying if a position opens up. By clearly demonstrating that you have the skills necessary for this position, you will be able to more easily open up a new career path.
4-2. Find a mentor or sponsor
The presence of mentors and sponsors within the company is a major factor in promoting promotion. Find someone who will accurately communicate your work performance and achievements to upper management, someone who will point out problems harshly and encourage your growth, and proactively build relationships with them. By connecting with key people at overseas bases, different career opportunities may come your way.
4-3. Stimulation and learning from external networks
You can also look outside of your company and participate in industry seminars and online communities. By learning about other companies' leadership stories, success stories, and the latest industry trends, you can gain perspectives and information that you wouldn't be able to get by just staying in-house. Broadening your horizons will help you develop a mindset suitable for higher-level positions.
5. Steps to build a career strategy
5-1. Goal setting and roadmap creation
In order to achieve promotion at a foreign company, it is important to clarify which position you are aiming for and draw a roadmap to get there. For example, if you set a goal of “promoting to manager within three years,” work backwards to plan for the skills, achievements, and network formation you'll need.
5-2. Specification of skills and results
Once you have determined your goals, identify what results you need to achieve in your current job that will directly lead to promotion, and what skills you lack, and incorporate them into behavioral goals in your daily work. The gap between self-evaluation and evaluation by others can be reduced by reaching a consensus with superiors about the outcomes to be evaluated and checking progress regularly through review interviews.
5-3. Utilize leadership development programs
Many international companies have in-house leadership development programs and training. If there is a program or training that interests you, you can actively request to participate. Another option is to take advantage of external business schools or online courses. Since you can systematically acquire the knowledge and skills required for leadership positions, you can efficiently pave the way to promotion.
6. Points to learn from failure stories related to promotion
6-1. Focusing only on numbers when presenting your achievements
It is important to show sales and results in numbers, but that alone may not lead to evaluations of "management ability" or "team contribution." If you're aiming for a promotion, it's important to show how your accomplishments have impacted the entire organization and how you've involved your team.
6-2. Lack of communication with those around you
Even if you think you're producing good results, those around you may find that you don't know what you're doing. Failure to regularly report, share results, and provide support to team members increases the risk that evaluators will not evaluate you correctly.
6-3. Swayed by politics
international companies also have certain internal politics. There are cases where conflicts of interest and factionalism affect the team and the promotion process, but if you get too caught up in them, you may not be able to achieve essential results and may have a negative impact on your own career. While assessing internal relationships, always remember to stay focused on your own goals and creating results.
7. Responsibilities and career vision after promotion
7-1. Promotion is a passing point
Being promoted to manager or director is not the goal; it is the real starting point. Because you are in a position with broader authority and responsibility, you will have greater influence on the organization, and you will have more opportunities to gain first-hand experience with the management and global strategies of international companies. Having a clear career vision for the next stage will help you stay motivated.
7-2. It is your responsibility to achieve the goals of the entire organization
When you are promoted, you need to move beyond your area of responsibility to achieve company-wide goals. At international companies, there are more opportunities to be involved in multifaceted operations, such as cooperation with overseas bases and participation in new businesses. The process of making decisions from a broad perspective and producing results while managing risks will bring great rewards and opportunities for growth.
7-3. Effect of expanding career options
Once you achieve results as a manager, you may be able to step up to a position at another foreign company or overseas. One of the great appeals of promotion at a foreign-affiliated company is that you can not only get promoted within the company, but also have a wider range of options, such as changing your career outside the company or starting your own business.
8. Why GCI’s coaching program is helpful
When aiming for a promotion at a foreign company, many people face challenges such as how to appeal, what skills to strengthen, and what kind of leadership is required for a higher position. At GCI (Global Career Incubator), our coaches, who are well versed in performance-based systems and multinational team management, provide one-on-one support and provide effective advice to those who have these concerns.
In particular, it is a great advantage to be able to consult with an expert who understands the details, such as evaluation systems unique to international companies, organizational culture, and impression management in English interviews. A coaching program is a great option for those who want to quickly redefine their strengths and create a concrete plan for leadership within and outside the company.
9. Mental attitude to win a promotion
9-1. Take action yourself
In international companies, promotion opportunities do not always come naturally even if you wait. Proactive behavior is the key to career advancement, such as expressing your intentions to your superiors, reporting your results in an easy-to-understand manner, and considering applying for internal job openings.
9-2. View issues and troubles positively
In the process of seeking promotion, you will encounter various challenges and troubles. However, the ability to see these as “opportunities for growth” and find solutions while working with those around you is the perfect opportunity to demonstrate your qualities as a leader. It will also help you get better evaluations from your team members and superiors.
9-3. Always continue learning and self-improvement
international companies operate quickly, and market and technology trends change every moment. An attitude of actively incorporating new skills and knowledge will directly lead to success after promotion. By continuing to learn through business school online courses, industry seminars, and improving your English skills, you will be able to continue to meet the expectations of those around you.
10. Summary: Achieve career advancement in a global environment
In order to be promoted at a foreign company, you must not only steadily improve performance and results, but also have comprehensive abilities such as leadership, communication skills, and the flexibility to bring together diverse human resources. Even when you are busy with your daily work, you must always ask yourself, “What do I need to take to the next step?” and be willing to act strategically.
The challenging environment and sense of speed provided by international companies are also great opportunities to greatly advance your career. Since we are now on a global stage where diverse cultures and ways of thinking are mixed, it is a good idea to actively demonstrate leadership and reach your goal position. In a results-based system, the more results you produce, the greater the return to yourself.
If you are unsure of how to proceed on your own, or if you feel that your current methods are reaching their limits, one option is to consult with an expert or an experienced coach. By finding someone who can objectively review your strengths and weaknesses and work with you to come up with specific strategies to get promoted in the shortest possible way, you can efficiently advance your career while focusing on your current job.
Author
Global Career Incubator Co., Ltd. CEO Shinichi Ikawa
Biography: Entered the business world after working for the Ministry of Defense (National Class I) and the Australian Ministry of Defence. After working at a major real estate company, he started a real estate venture and experienced management and recruitment at a domestic fund, domestic business company, and overseas tech company before founding our company.
Developed a career accelerator program based on my experience as a corporate manager and hiring manager. We specialize in foreign-affiliated, bilingual, and senior talent, and support individual career advancement and corporate organizational strength and efficiency.