7 Reasons Why You Haven´t Gotten That Promotion
Being passed over for the promotion you have been waiting for is not pleasant. It can leave you confused, hurt and wondering what you did wrong. The follow-up talk with your employer only makes you more nervous and asking yourself what to do. Your boss is probably not feeling any better about the situation than you are. Supervisors and managers often know how it feels to be passed up for a promotion and come to dread the act of having to do it to others.
Here are 7 reasons why you possibly haven’t gotten that promotion:
1. You Lack Certain Necessary Technical Skills
A persistent misconception that employees have when attempting to get a promotion is that they will be judged on their performance in the position they are in. That is only part of the equation. There are many factors that are taken into consideration, including skills that you may not be currently using. Outstanding skills in data entry are good but if you want to become a data analyst, you will need additional training and education. Analyzing data requires quality problem solving skills and strategic thinking that is not required for data entry.
Before you go for that desired promotion, check out what is required first. Do you need to study up and learn some additional skill sets? If so, take the initiative to do so. Talk to your employer, as well. Let them know you are seeking a promotion and ask them what advice they have that would make you more qualified for the chosen position.
2. You Lack Needed Soft Skills
You’ve looked into the position and have seen that all the technical skills required are on your resume. However, you haven’t been a manager before and have occasionally heard you can be abrasive.
Your employers are looking for leadership skills and the ability to handle personality conflicts and coworker situations with understanding and logic. Managers and supervisors are required to deal with customers (who can be unruly), other businesses (where negotiations may be necessary) and employees (who may be experiencing conflict with one another). If you have not dealt with people as a manager, you should take teamwork and leadership courses so that you know what to do when a messy situation arises. As you learn and develop the skills you need, make them known to your bosses. Become a mentor or volunteer to assist in training new employees to signal that you are ready.
3. You Don’t Listen To or Follow Advice Given
We all struggle with criticism, whether it is meant to be constructive or not. But in reality, feedback is a good thing. If you are consistently doing something wrong that could cost you your job or that promotion you are seeking, you need to be told so that you can begin doing that task correctly. It is not a time to get upset and say that your way is better. It is a time to listen and understand that you need to do the task as it should be done and as you are told to do it.
Your boss is not trying to break you down when he is giving you feedback. He is trying to help you improve progress and reach the success you seek by being promoted. Take a step back when receiving feedback, do not defend yourself but try to understand that many people do it wrong a few times before they get it right.
4. You Are Not Professional
As you move up the corporate ladder, you will notice that people around you are behaving more professionally. That’s a sign that you should be, too. Workplace professionalism is very important. It is disrespectful to the company to be seen gossiping, wasting company time or revealing company information to the public. This problem was identified as the number one challenge for employers.
This is not to say that you will have no complaints about the company or problems within your department. However, spreading rumors, gossiping and complaining constantly will not do you any favors. Go to the appropriate people to voice your concerns and keep the gossip out of your office.
5. You Need to Take Initiative
If you see a problem within your department, think first about what might be done to resolve the situation. When you look for solutions, it shows that you care about fixing the issue, not just to help out your own career, but to make sure things are running smoothly in the office – even after you stop working there. Analyze the situations and present management with a solution along with the complaint.
6. You Are Not Thinking Like a Manager
Those in power want to promote future leaders. They want to get the impression that you love your job and you want the company to succeed just as much as you want to succeed. You don’t need to be a workaholic. You just need to show your bosses that you are interested in finishing the tasks presented to you.
7. You Think You Deserve It
These days, it doesn’t matter how long you have been on the job. If you aren’t doing it as well as other employees, you will not get the promotion. It’s more about the contribution you make to the company than how long you have been there.
If you have been passed over for a promotion, just remember that you can keep trying. Follow this list and keep trying to improve yourself. With the proper work and determination, you will find the success you are seeking.
