He would then work his way up through the ranks of officials.
But the chief had come up through the ranks by way of administration.
He had come up the hard way, through the ranks.
He worked his way up through the ranks and became president in 1960.
He has to work his way up through the ranks.
He rose quickly through the ranks, especially between 2003 and 2008.
It used to be that the head of the school system came up through the ranks.
Maybe if you'd come up through the ranks as a woman - even looking like that.
"Coming up through the ranks, you get to know all the pressure points."
"I want to work my way up through the ranks."