Hi Guys,I'd appreciate some constructive advice from yourselves.I'm currently working for IBM as a Managing Consultant for over two & half years now. My last performance review was very good and it will play a vital role in setting me up to put a promotion business case for Senior Managing Consultant for next year early January subject to a good performance review this year in December.The question is should I work my a**e off this year to get that promotion knowing that the pay rise may not be very good (I may be wrong, however it would be good to get a view on this). Or should I start putting my efforts looking to land a role at a higher grade with a potential higher payrise than the promotion?Any advice would be much appreciated as I am in two minds about this.Mr T

You shouldn't need to be working your butt off. If you work your butt off, then you have nowhere left to go; people will come to expect the "working your butt off" level of output as your norm, and then when they expect more from you, you won't be able to deliver.I say just carry on as you are, and check how the land lies at the end of the summer. Take a health check on it and ask yourself "how likely am I to get promoted". Then stay or go accordingly.Remember, if you're good then the onus is on the employer to proactively give you reasons to stay. That includes communicating with you and giving you pats on the back and reassurance that good things are coming your way. In the absence of such assurances and appreciation, good employees will seek out better employers who leave less to speculation and their imagination.