At some point in our lives, if you are an employee, a worker for pay, you will miss out on a promotion in view of someone else. This other person may be a current coworker or someone from outside the company. In either case, it will leave you wondering, why. Especially if you believe that the person receiving the promotion is less experienced and/or less qualified.
Be Graceful
Once a promotion has been given to another, congratulate that person. Rise above your feelings of disappointment and be professional. No matter how you may be feeling, your reputation matters. Do not come off as unprofessional or as someone who do not know how to deal with disappointment. By not being graceful or lashing out because you were passed over for a promotion, you may be confirming that you are not mature enough for the role. Be graceful, even if it is difficult.
Evaluate Why You Did Not Get The Promotion
If you missed out on a promotion, you will be hurt. This feeling is normal. It does not matter whether or not you really wanted the position or not. Just being rejected will have an effect. While you may be hurt, you must try to be objective. Was the chosen person better for the role? Where you misled about what is required for the role? Do you think that you were treated unfairly in any way?
If in the end you were objectively not the best person for the position, if you really want this position, it is time for you to add to your skillset. Work toward a direction that will get you where you need to be.
On the other hand, if you were truly the better person, find out why you did not get the role. Is there a bit of favoritism or some other isms at play? Did you have the credentials, but others did not believe that you were qualified or ready? If this is the situation, it may be time to begin advocating for yourself. Begin to show who you really are and what you know. At times, the most qualified person may not get the position. The role typically goes to those who promote themselves. Lots of idiots have been promoted because they know how to play the game.
Ask For Feedback
Ask for feedback. If you did not get a role that you believe that you are qualified for, ask for feedback. Note that most managers are terrible at giving feedback, so try to read between the lines. At times, when you ask for feedback, your manager may justify the case for the other person being promoted, without actually giving you the feedback you asked for. So read between the lines.
Some managers will provide adequate feedback and provide a roadmap to being promoted. This rarely occurs, but it does. When you have such a manager, you are very lucky. You are more so lucky if the roadmap provided actually leads to a promotion.
Some managers will flat out tell you that you did not get the promotion because you are needed in your current role. If this happens to you, it may be time to leave. It essentially means that you are too good at your job. The company is not incline to promote you and train two people to do your work, when they can simply keep you at that position.
Some managers may even say that you will be up next or there was a business need for a specific skillset or there will be more opportunities in the near future. It will really be up to you to believe if this is truly the case or not. Many employees have been strung along in the past with the promise of a position opening up or an opportunity that is just on the horizon. Be careful in how you approach these promises. Many times, these promises are only lip service for you to calm down and to move beyond your disappointment.
Review The Landscape
In your evaluation of why you did not receive the promotion, review the landscape. Were you best placed for the role? For example, were you told not to apply, encourage not to apply or told that there are certain requirements but then the chosen individual did not fit the announced requirements? There could be more at play here.
Take a step back and look at the individuals in the role that you did not receive. The requirements posted about the role may just be a preference but not really a requirement. The most important characteristics may not actually be posted. By looking at who previously occupied the role, or who currently occupies that role, you can gain a lot of information.
Some corporations have a certain type that is elevated to certain positions. That may be education level, select schooling, sex, race or demeanor. When you look at the role you missed out on, do you fit? This is a real question and you must be honest with yourself? If you do not fit the role, it may be time to leave as it is unlikely that you will ever be elevated to that position.
Improve Yourself
If you received a road map that will lead to a promotion, if you believe that the recommended action would lead to a promotion, follow that path. Also, seek to improve yourself for the job you want with your current company but also for another company. Work to improve yourself not only for a promotion but also to better yourself. Take additional classes in an area. Volunteer for new assignments. Work across departments. Make your resume the best it can be for your future role or new job that you may be interviewing for in the near future.
Didn’t Get The Promotion, Leave!
If you believe that you were wronged, or you see your non promotion as a pattern of activities, begin your task of leaving. Many times when we work for a company, we may hear stories and rumblings of who is being promoted. It may not bother you at first because it was not affecting you, but once it affects you directly, you may see things a bit differently. If you are in this situation, know that this is how your company works, and they will likely not change. As such, it may be time for you to leave.
This does not mean announcing that you will leave or making an ultimatum. Simply prepare your resume and improve yourself. Over the next few months, keep an eye on job openings and apply. When the time is appropriate give your two weeks notice and move on. There is no reason for you to stay in a toxic environment. Especially if your non promotion begins to impact your mental health.
At times, once you give your two weeks notice, you may be offered a higher salary, you may even be offered a new role. Whether or not you stay at your current company or leave is up to you. But note and keep in mind what it took for the company to come up on your salary or offer you the new role. You had to threaten to leave. Will this be required going forward? This also does not bode well for you when times are hard and the company performs a reorganization to cut headcount, it is highly likely that you will be cut.
Conclusion
At some point in our lives, if you are an employee, a worker for pay, you will miss out on a promotion in view of someone else. This other person may be a current coworker or someone from outside the company. In either case, it will leave you wondering, why. Especially if you believe that the person receiving the promotion is less experienced and/or less qualified. In these situations, be graceful, evaluate why you did not receive the promotion, ask for feedback, improve yourself and if necessary, leave.
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