在这个背景下，到底是往上走还是另谋高就，博伊森提出了四点意见：

    1. 跟着钱走。如今，你离公司的战略核心还有多远？博伊森说：“目前，得到晋升的人员往往处于公司最重要的战略领域，或处在这个领域的边缘，而且这个领域是公司最赚钱的领域。就算你是一个非常知名的主题专家，如果你无法直接为公司最重要的战略目标做出贡献，那么你的专长对晋升也不会有什么帮助。”

    如果你并不处于公司的战略目标的中心区域，博伊森建议，你可以寻求平级调动，向中心地带靠拢，也可以要求参加有助于你接近中心区域的跨职能团队项目。博伊森说：“必须向赚钱的业务部门靠拢，要么帮公司赚钱，要么帮公司省钱。”博伊森还说，很多急切盼望晋升的人都“忽视了这一点”。

    2. 制定具体的职业规划。你应该具体和你的直接上司讨论这件事，包括你晋升或离职之后的替代人选。博伊森说：“你需要和老板讨论你的目标，然后再看看你能不能培训或指导那位替代人选。如今，这种对话已变得越来越平常，因为人们有必要这样做。”

    她还说，她很多客户公司中，人们会花几天或几周的时间，变成某个人的影子，观察这些人接下来会采取哪些行动。 “试试你是否能够变成某人的影子，然后借此进一步了解你所心仪的岗位，掌握更多的具体信息，” 博伊森建议。“日常的工作可能会和你的想象有出入。”——而这也给了你对自身规划进行相应调整的机会。

    3. 想想除了升职之外，还有什么是你真正想要的。如果目前晋升的希望不大，博伊森建议，在晋升希望来临之前，你可以想想公司还有什么是值得你留恋的。她指出，很多公司“非常重视一视同仁的做法，因此，处于同一级别的所有人都会获得同样天数的假期和其他待遇”——但是不可避免的是，这样做的公司在减少。她说：“要发掘公司的弹性所在。”

    然后列一个愿望清单。每个人都有不同的想法，但是博伊森表示，灵活的日程，更多出差参加重要行业会议的机会和更多的培训——“尤其是自身现有专长之外领域的培训，例如非数据分析师参加大数据培训”——都是很受欢迎的机遇，而且通常也会获得高层的首肯，因为他们都盼望藉此留住重要雇员。

    4. 认真考虑留下来的原因。你说过，现在的公司是个好公司，但是博伊森认为，“好公司到处都是，你可能会发现，在别的公司你能得到更好的待遇。”她还说：“长期缺乏进步的的确确会侵蚀个人的信心”，因为人的天性就是如此。“在意志还未消沉之前做出改变能够极大地鼓舞你的士气。”

    如果在别处面试时发现了极具吸引力的机遇，那是件好事情——“或者，你会发现留在当前公司的一些真正优势，”她说。“这样，不管怎么样，你都能做出理性的决定。”祝你好运。

反馈：在你工作的地方，与过去相比，晋升是不是变得越来越困难？你是不是找到了解决这个问题的方法？请在下面留言评论。（财富中文网）

    译者：翔    

    Against that backdrop, Poisson has four tips for you on moving up -- or moving on:

    1. Follow the money. How close are you right now to your company's strategic center? "The promotions now are happening at or near companies' most important strategic areas, and that's also where the money is," notes Poisson. "You can be a highly accomplished subject-matter expert, but if you're not contributing directly to the company's biggest strategic goals, it won't help."

    If you're not at the center of your company's strategic aims, Poisson recommends asking for either a lateral move closer, or else an assignment to a cross-functional team project that will get you there. "You have to be close to where the money is made, and either make money or save money for the business," Poisson says, adding that many people anxious to move up "lose sight of that."

    2. Make a specific career plan. This should be something you discuss in detail with your immediate boss -- including who's going to replace you if you move up or out. "You need to discuss your goals with your boss, and see if you can train or mentor the person who would replace you," Poisson says. "A lot more of these conversations are happening these days, because they need to."

    At several of her client companies, she adds, people "shadow" someone for a couple of days or a week to see what their next move is all about. "See if you can shadow someone to find out more details about the job you think you want," Poisson suggests. "The day-to-day may not be what you think it is" -- which gives you a chance to adjust your plan accordingly.

    3. Decide what else, aside from a promotion, you really want. If a move up the ladder isn't possible right now, Poisson recommends giving some thought to what else would keep you around until it is. She notes that many outfits "really value treating everybody the same, so everyone at a given level gets the same amount of vacation and so on" -- but that number is, by necessity, shrinking. "Find out where the flexibility is," she says.

    Then make a wish list. No two are the same, but Poisson says that flexible schedules, more travel to important industry conferences, and more training -- "especially training somewhat outside your current area, like big data training for non-data-analysts, for instance" -- are popular choices, and usually get the green light from higher-ups eager to keep key people from quitting.

    4. Think hard about why you're staying. You mention that your current employer is a good place to work, but "there are good companies everywhere," Poisson observes. "You might find you'd get a better deal somewhere else." Human nature is such that "a lack of progress for a long time really erodes people's confidence," she adds. "Making a change before you get to that point can give you a big burst of energy."

    If interviewing elsewhere turns up some appealing opportunities out there, then great -- "or you may find some real advantages to staying where you are," she says. "Either way, you'll be making a reasoned decision." Good luck.

Talkback: Is it harder to get promoted, where you work, than it used to be? Have you found ways around that? Leave a comment below.