Why am I not getting promoted?
If you’re not being promoted, there’s probably a reason. Being introspective and truly understanding what they are is key to helping you move forward with your career. That’s the focus of this article.
Your image is fixed
The leadership of your department or firm will have already developed an idea about you. This will be based on the opinion of others and any glimpses they may have had of you, fleeting though they may be. Once set in their minds, this image will be hard to shift. You’ve been cast in a certain light. This, obviously, can work in your favour if it is favourable. Equally, however, it can work against you if you’re viewed as good, but nothing special, or worse.
It follows, therefore, that the first impression you create upon joining a firm is critical. Building on a positive, perhaps very positive, perception through internal marketing must be maintained and nurtured. This leads us to the next point.
Visibility
When I talk to some of my Foundation Coaching clients about why they’ve not been promoted to the next rank, a reason often given is that they didn’t really know everyone on the promotion board. Whilst you may not want to play the ‘politics’ game or think that it’s enough to build a super strong relationship with your boss, the fact is that you have to be visible. Moreover, you have to be consistently driving home the message of how you’re adding value to the business and how you could add even more value, should you be promoted in title or to a position of responsibility. This needs to be done in a reasonably subtle way, sensitive to the culture of the organisation. Contrast that, if you will, with remaining quiet, unseen and letting your work and results do the talking, hoping you’ll be recognised. As good as that may be, your hard work won’t be recognised if no one knows that it was you who produced the result.
Stay where you are in the value chain - that’s where we need you
If you’re doing a great job in your current role, then some leaders will take the approach of wanting to keep you in that role because you’re affordable and producing the desired outcomes. It’s a hassle for firms to move workers out of a space where they’re serving the business well. This is especially if you’d be difficult or costly to replace. If recruitment is a hassle, no business wants the hassle of going into the market, spending time and money to find replacements.
By the same token, if your firm is going to promote you and thus pay you more, they need to be confident they’ll see a significant return on that investment.
Not indispensable
Should you leave the firm, you’ll possibly cause disruption and take all the knowledge of the firm, how it works, professional relationships and value with you. If, however, the management team feels that you are immediately replaceable and that you’re unlikely to leave anyway, then there’s no real need to promote you and so keep you. If you’re seen as dispensable and or part of the furniture, then there’s equally no need to be concerned about the impact of not promoting you.
If you’ve fallen into this trap, your company may feel confident that in dangling carrots, you’ll stick around: for example, by promising to ‘do everything in their power to promote you next year’, giving you a slightly more generous bonus, flattering you with timely compliments for your hard work and contribution to the firm. This is all jam tomorrow and hollow words. If the leadership genuinely sees you as invaluable to the health and future of their enterprise, the promotion story would be different.
One dimensional
Another reason that you’ve not been promoted is that you’re viewed as one dimensional - meaning you have not much more to offer than the value you’re currently adding. This point goes back to the fixed opinion held by the leadership. On the other hand, should you be able to show that you have capabilities beyond your current role (technical, organisational, management, leadership, etc.), then any well run firm will want to give you the opportunity to contribute more to its success.
Lack of a sponsor
Having a sponsor has a number of advantages, not least helping to spread the word about you and advocating on your behalf. This way, it’s not just you. The sponsor’s word may also carry more weight, and be able to shift and correct the perspective that is held about you. They can also inform people of your achievements and future potential.
So, how can you change this situation? Well, in my experience, the answers lie in the issues:
Create a great first impression.
Promote yourself internally and let people know who you are, what you do and the results that you get (without being too much of a peacock)
Achieve great results in your space and find ways to have impact beyond it, demonstrating potential to do much more.
Market yourself externally and occasionally entertain conversations with other firms.
Maybe follow through and leave for another firm where you’ll be able to drive a stronger, more compelling narrative about how you can contribute at a higher level for them. If your route to promotion is truly blocked, find somewhere that aligns with your career goals and will value you.
I hope you’ve found this useful. If you’d like to have a conversation about why you’re not being promoted and whether it’s time to move on, let’s talk.