I really enjoy working for my company and have been focused on earning a promotion for over a year (after being denied the same promotion a year earlier). I have checked all the boxes. However, I recently learned that I did NOT receive the promotion despite my manager assuring me it was a sure thing. I am angry and unmotivated to keep pouring my heart and soul into this company. Should I find another job? Ursula, 36
A. Being denied a promotion after doing all the hard work to earn it AND being told it’s a sure thing is disappointing. 😔
Even if a manager is highly confident about your promotion, they should never convey it’s “a sure thing” to you. There are many reasons why promotions get denied or delayed – and often, they have nothing to do with you. The company could have missed its targets, received pressure from investors or analysts, or become aware of inequity in other parts of the company that required budgets to shift, to name a few examples.
Earlier this month, I shared 10 tips for this situation, so check out that post.
Ask if your promotion was denied or simply delayed and the rationale. Identify any performance gaps you may have and align with your manager to address those. Commit to a timetable for management to revisit your promotion. The conversation could go like this: 🗣️
“I am disappointed by this promotion not being approved. I would like to know what the barrier is given I met all of the performance criteria. I am open to addressing any gaps if I have your support and management’s commitment to revisit in 3 months.”
Follow up with an email to document the conversation highlights. If you feel a renewed sense of commitment by the leadership, you’re on a good path. Before asking, “Should I stay or should I go?” it’s useful to ask yourself, “Why am I here, and how can I grow?” Watch my interview with Talent and Culture expert Jeff Tritt about finding the best fit within a company.
If you don’t feel valued or see a clear path to a promotion in the next 6 months, then you’ve found your answer. 🚪
I’ve worked at my company in marketing for 5 years and followed my manager here from another company where she was also my manager for multiple years. I am eager to move up in the company, although my manager says I can have her job after she is promoted. I don’t want her job! I feel trapped in a narrow career path. I don’t want to upset my boss because she needs me and has been good to me. What can I do? Alycia, 31
A. After working together for many years, your manager has assumed you want to follow in her footsteps. Further, she has come to rely on you and might not know what she’d do without your support. She may have lost perspective on supporting YOUR career goals.
So, let’s fix that! 🔧
Ask her for a meeting to talk about your aspirations. The conversation could go something like this:
“I enjoy working with you and appreciate your support for so many years. You mentioned that I could potentially get your job someday, but that is not something I want to work toward. Instead, I aspire to expand my skill set by working in other areas of the company in the future. I’m particularly interested in [events, operations, sales, talent management] and would love your support in exploring those alternative paths. Can you help me identify people in the organization with whom I could speak to discuss this further?”
She might be a little taken aback at first if she focuses on her needs – losing you. Be patient with that. Reassure her that you would never leave her high and dry; this is not an immediate change, and ultimately, when you find another path, you can help interview or train your replacement.
I’ve been working at my agency for almost two years now. My company does promotions around when you’re doing the role above you. I’ve been given positive feedback that I’m almost there, but not yet. However, there is so much gray area in making this decision. I’ve also been told that my mid-size company moves extremely slowly for promotions. What would you suggest I do to feel more confident about getting promoted shortly? Is it too much to ask my boss for a timeline? Anonymous
A. The feedback you’re receiving is inadequate. It’s hard to take action with something this vague. 🤨 Ask for and align on 2-3 specific growth areas you need to work on to be promotion-ready. It is completely reasonable to ask for a timeline. In your case, I suggest requesting a review in 3 months to assess your progress. If you get pushback, ask for 6 months and put a reminder on your calendar to set the follow-up review meeting. 📅
It’s common to perform some aspects of the role above you before being promoted, but certainly not all of it. Regardless of company size, most employers think of every employee as 1) developing, 2) performing, or 3) mastering a role. 📊 You are deemed promotion-ready once you’ve mastered a role for at least 6-12 months. The caveat is that there has to be an open role (approved and budgeted). Many medium (and especially small) companies struggle to promote people at the rate of larger organizations because there aren’t enough senior positions.
