You know this moment.
Your self-review reads like a task list. Your VP nodded last cycle but you didn't move tiers.
You've been told you 'need to articulate impact better' with zero specifics on what that means.
Comp calibration is in 6 weeks. You have wins. You don't have a memo that survives the room when you're not in it.
What is inside.
- One-page promotion memo template. DOCX, Notion, and Google Docs versions.
- Pre-filled worked example: AE to Senior AE. Real metrics structure.
- Pre-filled worked example: AE to Sales Manager
- Pre-filled worked example: SE to Sr SE / Staff SE
- 20-question self-audit to surface promotion evidence buried in your last 4 quarters
- Stakeholder pre-wire script. How to talk to your skip and peers before submitting.
- Comp-band research checklist. What to know before walking in.
The curriculum.
- 01The 20-question self-auditSurface evidence from your last 4 quarters
- 02The promotion memo structureOutcome, leadership signal, forward scope
- 03Three pre-filled worked examplesAE to Sr AE, AE to Manager, SE to Sr SE
- 04Stakeholder pre-wire scriptSkip + peers + cross-functional
- 05Comp-band research checklistKnow the number before walking in
- 06Calibration day prep + scriptWhat to say. What not to say.
Who this is for.
Good fit
- Senior ICs targeting promotion in the next 6 months
- Operators who've been told 'you need to articulate impact better'
- Anyone whose self-review reads like a task list, not a leadership story
- First-time promotion candidates who don't have a mentor inside the company
Not for you if
- Operators in companies without a formal calibration process. This template assumes one exists.
- Anyone looking for negotiation coaching. This is the artifact, not the call.
- First-90-days hires. Wait until you have 3+ quarters of receipts.
By Anthony Day
Marine veteran. Sales Engineer to Architect Leader. Senior leader at a major CRM vendor. 15 years in the operator seat: discovery, multi-thread mapping, executive briefs, panel architecture interviews, calibration rounds. This is the playbook I built along the way.
Common questions.
Will this work for SE / engineering tracks?+
Yes. There's a worked example for SE to Sr SE. The structure (outcome, leadership signal, forward scope) is the same for any IC ladder.
What if my company doesn't have formal calibration?+
The template still works as a 'forwardable case' for your manager to bring to their boss. The pre-wire script becomes more important.
Can I use this for an off-cycle ask?+
Yes. The pre-wire script has an off-cycle variant.
What about salary negotiation after the title?+
Not in this pack. Salary negotiation is a separate craft. This is purely the promotion case.
The guarantee
If after using the template you don't have a finished memo you'd hand your VP, reply to the receipt email. Full refund.
Make it forwardable. The memo is the meeting.