We all want to get ahead in our careers. Salary increases and bonuses are fine, but the ultimate satisfaction comes from having higher responsibilities and power, which usually happens when you get promoted.
To no one's surprise, the difficulty of getting promoted depends greatly on the type of job you have. In some fields, it is just inherently more difficult to progress.
In this article, we will explore careers where moving up the ranks is easier compared to others and also jobs where progress is relatively very hard.
The data comes from a recent survey by SalaryExplorer that involved 200,000+ professionals from more than 100 countries. One of the questions asked was "How easy was it for you to get promoted?". There were five possible answers to the question ranging from very easy to very difficult.
The data was aggregated, grouped, and rated by job category/specialty and by individual job titles.
A word of caution: all ratings are relative. This means that when we say that a job has a "Very Easy" rating, it doesn't mean that it is very easy to get promoted, it is just easier relative to other jobs.
= Very slow career progress
= Slow progress
= Normal / Average
= Promotions are frequent
= Very easy career progression
Getting a Promotion Difficulty By Job Category or Field of Specialization
| Administration and Reception | |
| Courier, Delivery, and Transport | |
| Law Enforcement and Security | |
| Counseling | |
| Public Relations | |
| Facilities and Maintenance | |
| Translation | |
| Customer Service and Call Center | |
| Real Estate | |
| Fashion and Apparel | |
| Publishing and Printing | |
| Care Giving and Child Care | |
| Advertising and Grapic Design | |
| Import and Export | |
| Automotive | |
| Purchasing and Inventory | |
| Electrical and Electronics Trades | |
| Gardening, Farming, and Fishing | |
| Healthcare and Medical | |
| Teaching and Education | |
| Fundraising and Non Profit | |
| Telecommunication | |
| Environmental | |
| Legal | |
| Information Technology | |
| Accounting and Finance | |
| Cleaning and Housekeeping | |
| Quality Control | |
| Sales | |
| Architecture | |
| Banking | |
| Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology | |
| Factory and Manufacturing | |
| Hospitality and Tourism | |
| Energy | |
| Pet Care | |
| Science and Technical Services | |
| Human Resources | |
| Construction | |
| Recreation and Sports | |
| Marketing | |
| Insurance | |
| Engineering | |
| Media, Broadcasting, and Arts | |
| Aviation | |
| Fitness and Lifestyle | |
| Business Planning | |
| Government and Defence | |
| Executive and Management | |
Getting a Promotion Difficulty By Specific Careers
| Delivery Driver | |
| Security Guard | |
| Clerk | |
| Computer Teacher | |
| Data Entry Operator | |
| Payroll Supervisor | |
| Computer Technician | |
| Personal Assistant / Secretary | |
| Receptionist | |
| Cashier | |
| IT Project Coordinator | |
| Cleaner | |
| Automotive Technician | |
| Warehouse Supervisor | |
| Store Keeper | |
| Graphic Designer | |
| Call Center Representative | |
| Data Analyst | |
| IT Support | |
| Aircraft Mechanic | |
| Tax Manager | |
| Telecommunications Analyst | |
| System Administrator | |
| Purchasing Assistant | |
| Driver | |
| Translator | |
| Administrative Manager | |
| Editor | |
| Facilities Manager | |
| Laboratory Technician | |
| Sales Representative | |
| Office Manager | |
| CopyWriter | |
| Bookkeeper | |
| Staff Nurse | |
| Waiter / Waitress | |
| Transportation Supervisor | |
| Customer Care Representative | |
| Document Controller | |
| Software Support Engineer | |
| Construction Supervisor | |
| Pharmacist | |
| Legal Assistant | |
| Teacher | |
| Accountant | |
| Telecommunications Manager | |
| Mechanic | |
| Health Safety Officer | |
| HVAC Engineer | |
| Web Developer | |
| HR Officer | |
| Production Engineer | |
| Security Manager | |
| Marketing Assistant | |
| Lecturer | |
| Field Engineer | |
| Interior Designer | |
| Sales Manager | |
| Environmental Engineer | |
| Import and Export Manager | |
| Travel Agent | |
| CAD Drafter | |
| Nurse | |
| Electronics Technician | |
| Attorney | |
| Quality Assurance Engineer | |
| Safety Engineer | |
| Photographer | |
| Mechanical Engineer | |
| Quantity Surveyor | |
| Elementary School Teacher | |
| Risk Analyst | |
| Art Director | |
| Electrical Engineer | |
| Design Engineer | |
| Financial Assistant | |
| Insurance Underwriter | |
| Auditor | |
| Call Center Manager | |
| Bank Auditor | |
| Developer / Programmer | |
| Business Analyst | |
| Market Development Manager | |
| Retail Store Sales Person | |
| HR Manager | |
| Architect | |
| Chef / Cook | |
| Engineer | |
| Purchasing Manager | |
| Telecommunications Engineer | |
| Industrial Engineer | |
| Software Engineer | |
| Financial Analyst | |
| Creative Director | |
| Legal Advisor | |
| Recruiter | |
| Manufacturing Engineer | |
| HR Consultant | |
| IT Manager | |
| Recruiting Manager | |
| Hotel Manager | |
| Software Architect | |
| Quality Manager | |
| Banking Business Analyst | |
| Credit Analyst | |
| Business Development Manager | |
| Electrician | |
| Engineering Project Manager | |
| Restaurant Manager | |
| Financial Manager | |
| Marketing Specialist | |
| Auditing Manager | |
| Marine Engineer | |
| Aerospace Engineer | |
| Manufacturing Manager | |
| Civil Engineer | |
| Chartered Accountant | |
| Electrical Engineering Manager | |
| Marketing Manager | |
| Supply Chain Manager | |
| Bank Manager | |
| Advertising Manager | |
| Actuary | |
| Petrochemical Engineer | |
| Systems Architect | |
| Insurance Analyst | |
| IT Consultant | |