Being chosen for this role has been a financial bo-m for me. Increased bonuses, a salary I never dreamed of and more stock options than I ever imagined. I used to be an L2 like most of you, so how did I get here? I took advantage of the incompetence above me by being the helping hand that saved my VP’s a$$.
We have all seen it and we all complain about it because the incompetence is real. The problem is that the tables are often reversed as your supervisor takes advantage of your skillset and pawns your hard work off as their own. You need to turn the tables ack around like I did.
Pick a problem or pet project to volunteer for. Your supervisor will usually present the opportunity to you during a status calls in the form of a struggle or pressure they are experiencing. Take on the task but make sure it is something where the solution will not be easy to explain. This way you will become his tag-a-long when he presents the solution to his superiors. Example: They will present a set of guidelines for the organization to reduce cloud costs. After they kick off the presentation they will turn it over to you because they will not be able to go into the required details or field questions.
Remember that for each level above you the incompetence is greater and the delegation opportunities are more abundant. If you don’t land a promotion, keep trying with another activity. In the very least you will be given additional connection rewards and higher raises. Also remember that they are old and looking for someone to do their job on a regular basis to make their remaining time here easier. It’s like taking candy from a baby.