There are few things more disheartening than getting passed over for a promotion.
A whirlwind of thoughts is likely racing through your mind. One of the first questions that may arise is whether you should start updating your resume and looking for a new job. You might also wonder who got leveled up and what they did differently to stand out.
Keep reading to find answers to your questions about being overlooked for a promotion. I will also share practical strategies to boost your chances of climbing the ladder in the next performance cycle.
Why Did I Get Passed Over For A Promotion?
Getting passed over for a promotion can be a blow to your self-esteem and make you feel as if there is something wrong with you. Before you start questioning your entire career, let’s break down some of the reasons why this might have happened:
- You’re flying under the radar: You might be excelling in your role, but if your higher-ups are unaware of your contributions to the team and organization, it can become a problem when performance reviews come around. Visibility is critical for career growth.
- Your networking game needs work: Similarly, if you’re failing to network with key decision-makers (AKA the ones who decide who gets promoted), you might be overlooked when promotion time comes around. Don’t underestimate the power of building relationships at work.
- Your soft skills are lacking. As a tech career coach, I can’t stress this enough: technical skills alone aren’t enough to be successful in climbing the career ladder. You need a combination of technical aptitude and emotional intelligence to continue climbing the career ladder.
- You struggle with feedback: If you find it difficult to take constructive criticism and actually apply it, you might be getting in the way of your own growth. You must be willing to receive and adjust appropriately to feedback, even if it stings at first.
- You haven’t been in your current role long enough: Sometimes, you simply haven’t been in your current position long enough. Patience is key.
- You’re banking on your tenure: Conversely, just because you’ve been in your role for years doesn’t automatically qualify you for a promotion. It’s about impact, not just showing up.
- You were outperformed: In the hyper-competitive tech industry, someone else might just have outperformed you during this performance cycle. It happens.
Getting passed over for a promotion isn’t always personal, and it can often be out of your control. Company priorities can shift, financial limitations can put a freeze on promotions (regardless of how hard you worked), and office politics can come into play.
That said, understanding why you were passed over can provide an opportunity to engage in self-reflection, identify areas for improvement, and develop a strategic plan of action moving forward.
How Long Is Too Long Without A Promotion?
There’s no one-size-fits-all answer to how long you should remain in a role before being promoted, as it largely depends on your career goals. Additionally, typical promotion timelines can vary dramatically depending on your company, functional area, and seniority level.
In many tech companies, performance reviews and promotion conversations only happen once or twice per year, within specific timelines and parameters. That said, larger organizations tend to have more formal processes, while smaller companies and startups tend to be less structured.
How Long Should You Stay At A Job Without Being Promoted?
Whether you stay at a job without being promoted will depend entirely on your personal career aspirations.
Some professionals are highly motivated by career progression and feel antsy if they haven’t been promoted after a year or two, while others are less driven by titles and may be content in the same position for many years. It really depends on your career goals.
Here are a few questions to consider as you decide whether you want to stay in your current role without being promoted:
- What’s the typical promotion timeline for someone at your level?
- How do your career goals align with a potential title change?
- How will your work change if you receive a promotion, and how excited are you about that?
- Have you consistently exceeded expectations in your current role?
At the end of the day, there’s no right answer to the question of how long you should stay in a role without a promotion. You must decide what’s best for you and your career trajectory.
Why Do Overachievers Not Get Promoted?
It may sound surprising, but a common reason high performers and overachievers don’t get promoted is that their managers are simply unaware of their interest in advancement. These types of individuals can sometimes be so laser-focused on delivering good work that they forget to advocate for their career goals, which can lead them to be passed up for promotions.
Moreover, many overachievers, especially in the tech industry, struggle to intentionally market their career accomplishments. They often believe the work should speak for itself, but it won’t. Great performance in your current role often isn’t enough to get a promotion to the next level.
Why Do Bad Employees Get Promoted?
While it’s important to deliver high-quality work, promotions are often conferred upon the employees who most effectively market the value of their work and contributions. It’s often not about who does the best work, but who sells themselves the best.
Bad employees who are skilled at self-promotion can often leapfrog over good employees who struggle to toot their own horn. It’s not just what you do; it’s how you market it.
Put another way, you typically need to learn to play the “office politics” game if you want to climb the ladder. This is especially true in tech, where many promotions are heavily influenced by who you know, the strength of your relationships, and how well you nurtured them leading up to the performance review cycle.
Should I Leave My Job If I Don’t Get Promoted?
Not receiving the promotion that you were hoping for can be a real bummer. Before you start updating your resume and applying for open roles, you’ll want to take a step back and look at the bigger picture.
Reasons To Look For A New Job
There are times when seeking a new opportunity might be the right move. Here are some reasons you may choose to look externally for your next gig:
- You don’t foresee yourself getting promoted during the next performance cycle either.
- You’ve hit a ceiling at your current organization and no longer see growth opportunities in your current role, regardless of whether you get a promotion.
- Your company culture no longer aligns with your values.
- You’re feeling stuck in a rut and need a change of scenery.
- You want to gain experience that you’re unable to get at your current company (e.g., a different industry or a specific skill set).
Reasons To Stay With Your Current Employer
Conversely, there are several reasons you may choose to stay with your current organization, even if you don’t secure a promotion, including:
- You see the possibility of advancement in the near future.
- You’re continuing to learn and grow in your current role.
- You have opportunities to take on new responsibilities that align with your interests and career goals.
- Your employer offers great compensation or work-life balance that may be difficult to find elsewhere.
- You genuinely enjoy your job and the people you work with.
Ultimately, whether you stay or go is a personal decision that depends on your career goals, values, and unique situation. Spend ample time reflecting on what’s important to you before making a decision either way.
How To Get Promoted After You’ve Been Passed Over
Although getting passed over for a promotion can really sting, it’s not the end of the world! Here are 8 steps you can take to bounce back and set yourself up for success next time:
1. Understand why you didn’t get promoted.
First things first. You want to understand why you didn’t get promoted. Was it something in your control that you can begin to address, or was it beyond your influence? You’ll want to ask your manager for specific feedback on areas where you can improve.
2. Get a clear picture of what success looks like for your manager.
Next, take time to really understand your manager’s expectations and align your goals accordingly. Then, start to operate at that new level. If you’re currently a senior manager and want to be promoted to director, what’s stopping you from showing up like a director now? Are there opportunities to perhaps take on more strategic initiatives, lead a cross-functional project, or mentor junior team members?
3. Be honest with yourself.
This can be tough, but ask yourself, were you truly ready for the promotion? While it’s not always the case, perhaps being passed up for a promotion was a sign that you weren’t quite prepared for the opportunity. Reflect on your experience, knowledge, and skills and how they stack up against those operating at the next level.
4. Gather feedback consistently.
You want to gather feedback year-round rather than waiting until your performance review cycle. One of my coaching clients implemented a simple yet highly effective feedback process in which they ask these two questions during all one-on-one meetings, whether with their manager, peers, or direct reports:
- What am I doing well that you want me to keep up?
- Where am I underperforming, and what would you like me to do differently?
These questions allowed them to regularly gather feedback throughout the year and make adjustments along the way.
5. Find a role model of success.
It can be helpful to have a leader you look up to for inspiration, preferably someone inside your company, who has successfully secured a promotion and navigated the path before you. Notably, you’re not copying their exact career trajectory but rather gaining ideas and insights from their journey. Pay special attention to how they communicate with others, socialize their ideas, and market their successes.
6. Seek mentorship.
Speaking of role models, mentorship is an invaluable resource as you continue to level up in your career. As you invest in mentors, be sure to seek out a few who balance out your strengths and areas of opportunity. Personally speaking, I’m a recovering perfectionist and workaholic, so I intentionally seek out mentors who prioritize work-life balance and make time for their hobbies outside of work.
7. Secure sponsorship.
While mentors are fabulous, it’s also helpful to have a sponsor (or several) within your company who can advocate for you. Hopefully, this will include your manager, but consider other people who are a level (or two or three) above you who can support you in growing your career. Don’t be afraid to request a conversation to learn about potential opportunities to collaborate.
8. Consider investing in coaching.
Investing in an executive coach can be a powerful tool to support you in identifying areas of opportunity and fast-tracking your promotion. Your organization might even allow you to use your professional development funds to pay for coaching. A coach can help you pinpoint any weaknesses that might be standing in the way of you securing a promotion and help you craft a plan to reach your career aspirations.
Conclusion: Being Passed Over For A Promotion
Remember that getting promoted is a journey that requires strategy, intention, and a bit of patience. You want to stay proactive in seeking out opportunities for growth and development while also being open to feedback and self-reflection. Mentorship, sponsorship, and coaching can serve as powerful catalysts to help you reach the next level in your career, whether that’s internally or somewhere else.
If you’re feeling frustrated or disappointed after getting passed over for a promotion, or you want to prepare for what’s next for your career, I invite you to reach out or schedule a consultation. I’m here for you! You’ve got this!
