4 Reasons Why You’re Not Getting Promoted This Year
November 12, 2008 by Phil Gerbyshak
Filed under Business
I get a fair number of e-mails and have quite a few conversations with co-workers and the occasional direct report about why they don’t aren’t getting promoted. If you’ve been passed over for a promotion, here are a few reasons why that might have happened.
- You’re not consistent enough – If your performance has been great for less than 2 years, you’re probably NOT getting a promotion this year. 1 year of greatness can be written off as a fluke. Do it for at least 2 years, and you’re setting yourself up for greatness.
- You haven’t had any “wow moments” – When is the last time someone you serve sent an e-mail to your manager, or better yet, your manager’s manager, letting them know what a great job you did? If it’s just a generic “Phil is great,” it’s not enough. Specific feedback pointing out your going above and beyond is MUCH more helpful. “Phil’s performance on the XYZ project was instrumental in getting the project rolled out on time. He offered new insights nobody else had thought of and kept everyone on track with his requests for updates and his willingness to ask the hard questions” is powerful.
- You frequently do things that annoy your manager (especially if you’ve been asked to stop) – Managers are human beings, and they have pet peeves. I know I do. If I’ve asked you to stop doing something, and you keep doing it, this probably won’t be the year you’ve been promoted.
- You can’t spell overtime – Every job has a little overtime every now and then. I want you to be balanced, but now and then, I need you to come in early or stay late on short notice. And would it kill you to notice the team has a need for you to stick around late BEFORE I have to ask you?
What reasons have you seen for not getting promoted this year?
Inspired by 10 Reasons Why You’re Not Getting Promoted, with a hat tip to Management Issues for pointing out this article.
One reason is that they (management) just doesn’t like you!
As an example, my supervisor has recieved many positive e-mails from customers. I only find out later when the customer contacts me directly asking about the ‘at-a-boy’ e-mail they sent. The real kicker is when your supervisor tells you that you need to improve your customer skills knowing that he is receiving all these e-mails praising your work!
Even though we don’t get paid OT, I work over lunch hours at time to make sure my tasks are complete in a timely manor. I volunteered during emergencies without complaint and gone above and beyond requirments.
I still receive e-mails from customers STILL! I even recieve offers from the customers wondering where I am and to stop by sometime to say ‘hi!’
I also worked hard by going BACK to school on my own to improve my standing. This does not include any certifications – all paid out of my own pocket! And what do I get out of all this effort? They basically show me the door!!!
Another reason: you suck at self-promotion.
Managers are busy running the business and dealing with all of the other employees, too. They may not have overheard the compliment your client gave you. They may not have realized that repeat customer keeps coming in because of you. They might have been sick or swamped or in a foul mood when you did whatever incredible thing you did, and they missed it (or just plain forgot).
Keep an “above and beyond” file, and bring it with you to your next performance review. I bet your manager will be surprised with all that you’ve accomplished that he missed.
This, of course, presumes that you are going above and beyond…
No, they didn’t “miss” anything! Or should I rephrase it to they “SELECTIVELY” chose to miss it – because they sure have no problems in remembering their faves! In one case I had to repeatedly reminded my supervisor how to do something simple on a few occasions and he STILL “forgot!”
And as far an “above and beyond” file, been there, don’t that! All I get for my efforts is “Duh, whattcha going to do with that?” (and I mean DUH!)
I tell you that I work at Bazzarro World! When something breaks it is considered good because it generates high numbers. But if everything is running good, it doesn’t generate the high numbers management wants. So if someone messes up and causes an outage – that’s good! I tell you that management here measures the WRONG matrix!
Management promotes the bad and punish the good. Management is self-serving and disregards the customer. Half our staff are contractors and leave after a few months. Then we have issues hiring new contractors because ‘the word’ is out about how we mishandle everything and potential contactors refuse working for us.
PS – One supervisor (mine) was demoted due to abuse of employees. This supervisor also received a $20,000 pay cut along with a note never to give her direct reports.
Of copurse the abuse never really stopped – it became more covert than anything! But I ask you why employees are hiring lawyers to protect themselves for their employer if nothing is seriously wrong?
I added up that I have a new supervisor about every 14 months average.
I believe economic downturn and the departure of Zinger is definitely resulting in a decidedly different tone at ye olde Slacker Manager blog. I’ll give it a few more weeks before I unsubscribe just to see where things are going.
Another reason for not getting promoted – the downturn in the economy! You promote you and let you go later?
Just yesterday there was a job fair in town. Over 8,000 people attended – there were sooo many that they were turning people away … all for just a few jobs. How sad.
I saw a book (yea, another one) that I’m thinking of reading … “Bad Bosses, Crazy Coworkers and Other Office Idiots : 201 Smart Ways to Handle the Toughest People Issues”
Ahhhh, sooo many books to read – so little time! People – stop writing so I can catch up with my reading!!! LOL!!!
Phil, Hi.
How you are well.
Other reasons for not getting promoted:
You’re not working on high profiles tasks / projects
You’re not networking enough
Andrew
It could also be that your management are failures. If they say that they retain talent, develop talend and provide growth to talent and there is no action, maybe their performance reviews need to be adjusted accordingly so that they feel the same pain as you. It takes talent to see talent.
Christopher – you make a good point: some of the reason folks don’t get promoted is because of the failings of their manager. I would encourage anyone who feels this way to let their manager know how they feel in a constructive way…or quit and find a manager who will be more supportive.