Passed Over for Promotion: What to Do Next

READ TIME - 5 MINUTES

You were declined for a promotion you wanted so badly—now what?

I know how you feel because I’ve been in your shoes a few times in my career, and it sucked.

Promotion has never been a fair game all the time, in my opinion.

Sometimes, the wrong people get promoted over those who should. However, when we look at it from the outside, we often don’t know enough about the decision and the rationale behind it, so we think it’s unfair.

Most of us struggle when we get declined for promotions.

Outside the obvious reasons, it’s just not cool to be told, “You’re not good enough.” Especially when the folks who got promoted weren’t that great, either.

What’s interesting is that every time I was declined for a promotion, there was always one thing I needed to know or learn—if I was just being honest with myself.

There were times when I wasn’t qualified; I went up against folks who had more to offer than me, and I didn’t know that on the surface.

There were also times when the leadership team didn’t see me as strategic enough for the role I applied for.

In this newsletter, I’m going to highlight the steps you can take after you get declined, especially if you’re really interested in advancing your career.

Step 1: Face It

Often enough, we know exactly why we didn’t get it.

We know how poorly we did in the interview, and often enough, the interview was the reason.

If the interview was the reason, figure out what you did wrong. Here’s a quick guide to help you.

Step 2: Don’t Guess—Ask for Feedback

This is the step most people skip, and it drives me crazy.

If you feel you nailed the interview, ask for feedback on how you did. Ask specific questions, not only about yourself but also about the folks who got promoted.

Get your facts straight on those who received the promotion.

Often, you don’t know what they have and their experiences.

Questions to consider:

• Any feedback on my performance during the interview process for future roles?
• What folks who received the promotion have that I don’t?
• Where can I focus my energy in the coming weeks or months to help me be considered for future roles?

Step 3: Don’t Cry to Anyone in the Office

Don’t play the victim and start running around the office complaining that you didn’t get the job.

Here’s a tip for you: your reaction and how you handle yourself after a promotion decline will play a huge role in future promotions.

Your leadership will watch you more closely than you think to see how you react to the decline.

I can’t stress this one enough. As my grandfather always said, “Put up or shut up.”

Step 4: Is There Feedback Behind the Feedback?

This is the most dangerous situation to be in—if you were declined for promotion and no one is giving you solid or clear feedback.

Sometimes, your company won’t give you real feedback because it lacks the courage to do so.

In this situation, you need to start planning your exit strategy.

I’ve seen this over the years: Your leadership team feels you are at the maximum you can do, and they don’t believe you have more to give.

I don’t believe in putting a cap on people’s careers, but if you feel you have more to give and your leadership is quick to judge you, leave and find yourself a different company and runway to help you advance your career.

Unfortunately, this was me at one of the companies I worked for. I did leave, and I was able to keep my career moving!

At the end of the day, we are responsible for our careers. We need to do a true assessment after setbacks and understand what went wrong so we can take the right actions.

Most people get declined and stay exactly where they are because they give up on themselves and their careers.

The fact that you picked up this article leads me to believe you care, and I hope this article gave you what you need.