Career coach Melody Wilding, who has worked with professionals at Google, Amazon, and Microsoft, stresses that promotion and raise decisions are typically finalized long before performance reviews—a concept she calls the "performance review paradox."
Instead of waiting for appraisal season, she advises taking consistent, proactive steps throughout the year.
Wilding suggests three key strategies: practice pre-suasion by subtly shaping how colleagues and superiors perceive your contributions; secure clear expectations by discussing added responsibilities and involving managers in your progress; and request a justifiable raise by aligning compensation with your increased role.