Americans hoping for a promotion in 2025 should prepare to face stiffer competition.

Economic instability took a bite out of payroll budgets in recent years, and as employers finally find themselves in a position to start dishing out raises and promotions again, they’re expected to have their fair share of worthy candidates to choose from.

According to a recent survey of 2,000 employers by ZipRecruiter, most are anticipating stronger earnings this year, and intend to use some of those funds to increase compensation. Roughly 55% are planning modest pay increases of 1% to 4%, and about a quarter expect to bump up salaries by 5% or more. By comparison, nearly half of employers planned to reduce payroll budgets this time last year.

While that’s good news for employees, the significant swing in employer sentiment means many promotions have been deferred, and more employees are waiting in line for their next career advancement opportunity. At the same time, a weakened economy has resulted in less job-hopping in recent years, meaning there are fewer vacancies to fill.

“We’ve seen overall quit rates drop, and there’s not a lot of turnover within companies, so people are staying in their positions longer, meaning there’s potentially fewer spots available,” says Amy Garefis, ZipRecruiter’s chief people officer. “So, it’s even more important to stand out from a group of people that may be tenured, all vying for the limited promotion positions available.”

Here are a few key steps that employees can take to help their odds of getting one of those coveted promotions in 2025:

1. Don’t be indispensable

Those looking to move up the career ladder this year need to walk the fine line between effective and irreplaceable, says Garefis.

“If you’re too indispensable doing one specific thing, you’re never going to get the opportunity to do anything else, because people are scared to move you off of that,” she says. “It’s about making yourself valuable but not indispensable.”

To be seriously considered for a new position your manager needs to be confident that the whole operation won’t fall apart after you leave your current post. That’s why Garefis says it’s important to find opportunities to pass off some of those skills, like training a temporary replacement to take over during a vacation, or while you’re busy with other internal projects.

“You need to be very good at your job, but you also need to be willing to teach others and not hoard that information, as if you’re the only person on the planet [who] can do it,” she says.

2. Step up to the challenge

As you make it easier for your boss to envision someone else managing your responsibilities, it’s also important to help them see you excelling in a different role. Demonstrating that you’re up to the task, according to Garefis, requires identifying and volunteering for opportunities beyond your usual job description.

“That means stepping up and taking on responsibilities that are at that next level, but also just thinking outside of your immediate box,” she says.

Garefis explains that some opportunities to go above and beyond come about naturally, and it’s important to volunteer for those when they do arise, but most will need to go out of their way to create them. She recommends identifying problems and presenting a plan to address them, or better yet, volunteering to take on some of the responsibilities that otherwise fall to your manager.

“Think about what you can do to support your manager and make their lives easier,” Garefis suggests. “By simplifying your manager’s life it gives you more responsibility and gets your manager firmly on your side as a supporter.”

3. Don’t let your work speak for itself

Though most of us hope that strong work will be recognized for what it is, the squeaky wheel usually gets the grease. If you’re hoping to get promoted in 2025 it’s important to communicate both your ambitions and your qualifications to those who will make the ultimate decision.

“Get very clear on your unique value; how do you set yourself apart from your competition?” says Tabatha Jones, a career advancement and leadership coach, and author of Promotion Ready in 3 Months. “[Consider] what are your skills, your experience, your accomplishments, and start getting really comfortable talking about those.”

Jones advises those seeking a promotion to go on something of a personal marketing campaign, ensuring that decision-makers are familiar with them and their work before a promotion is even on the table.

4. Get out there

Those seeking a promotion are often focussed on impressing their direct superiors or hiring managers, but Jones suggests such decisions are rarely made without the input of others. Therefore, internal networking is vital.

“I have been in the rooms in my past career where I would hear names come up and see the faces go blank because nobody knew who that person was,” she says. “It may be the hiring manager’s final decision, but there are a lot of whispers in that person’s ear.”

Though it may be a challenge for more introverted workers, Jones says it’s vital to make yourself known in the organization. She recommends requesting informational interviews with superiors, following up with fellow meeting participants that you don’t work with regularly, and shaking hands at internal events as much as possible.

“I’ve worked with a lot of clients who are frustrated because they didn’t get a promotion, but when I asked ‘what were you doing while you were preparing? How are you staying visible? Who knew you wanted this promotion?’ It’s usually ‘my boss,’ and that’s it,” she says. “It is critical to get out, get into networking events, and get into conversations with other people.”

5. Understand your own motivations

Before you dedicate the necessary time and energy to seeking a promotion this year, it’s important to take a step back to really consider what you want out of your career, and whether a promotion will help you get it.

Getting promoted can be a great boost to the ego, but the rush will be short-lived if it takes you from a job you enjoy and excel at to one you aren’t well suited for.

“The number-one step is getting really clear on what you want, where you want to go, so that when [an opportunity] gets posted, you recognize it quickly,” says Jones.

“Before vying for a promotion, you have to understand what you really want out of it,” adds Garefis. “Instead of making your New Year’s resolution ‘get a promotion,’ I would really evaluate what you’re actually looking for, and then decide if that’s going to work in this company, if I maybe need to look elsewhere, or reset my expectations.”