I could not agree with this quote more:
Don't promote the person to test them. Test the person to earn the promotion.
I had an argument with a past developer when I wouldn't promote them on a 'I'll show you what I can do' basis. If you're not currently passing the tests in your current job, don't expect a promotion.
In order to get promoted, you need to:
- Exceed the expectations of your current job,
- Show drive and passion, and
- Do the work of your next job before you actually get it.
I've found through experience that if you have somebody that should be promoted, you usually don't need to tell them about these three steps. They're already doing them.
That's twice in a couple of weeks that I've quoted the Management Skills Blog. Definitely a good one to add to your feed list.