Why Am I Not Getting Promoted?

You have been passed up for promotion to manager a few times. You deliver good results, are receptive to coaching, and have demonstrated an ability to lead. Then why aren’t you getting chosen for a management position? Why are you not getting promoted?

I see this happen a lot. A colleague of mine, Annika, recently left the company after being passed over for promotion at least 5 times. Last year, I had even decided to hire someone else into a management position over Annika.

As Annika talked about her plans going forward, my heart ached; as her mentor, I felt I failed her by not seeing her through to a management position. Annika was so talented and displayed all of the characteristics of a great managers; she prioritized well, provided feedback, set expectations, and managed up well. Our company will be at a loss without her.

I’ve spent some time pondering why some people struggle to obtain a management position. I’ve have some ideas to consider if you are not getting promoted.

Questions to ask yourself if you are not getting promoted

1. Do I act like a manager?

Take a look around at what would be your peers after your promotion. How do you carry yourself compared to them? What types of things do they tend to focus on in discussions? What questions do they ask in meetings?

There is a lot of information about what a manager should do (it should be in the job description). But, there’s a lot of “intangibles” that are not specifically part of the job but signal to others that you are ready to do the job.

In general, I think this is:

Focusing on the long-term (for example: you identify that a current initiative doesn’t account for how the business will evolve in the next 12 months)
Identifying a gap in current business/processes and proposing a solution (for example: you find the current staff meetings unproductive, so you propose a new approach)
Not reacting / over-reacting to things that are unpleasant (for example: if you protest a new system for managing travel expenses, you may signal that you are not mature enough to handle bigger stresses / changes that come with being a manager)
Being outspoken but not being too outspoken (I should really write a post about speaking up, as this is a slippery slope that is hard to define)
Having good judgment

2. Have I convinced others (beyond the hiring manager)?

When I make a hiring decision, I have to assess how well you will do with your stakeholder group. I will want to know you will successfully influence your particular set of stakeholders. It always helps to have one of these stakeholders tell me they would support you in a managerial role. It wouldn’t be the only factor in my decision, but if all else is equal, I’d choose the person who already has the support from key co-workers.

How do you get this support?

Unfortunately it takes time; this type of recommendation may only come after years of working together. If you don’t have that time, then perhaps set up a meeting as preparation for the interview process. Use that as an opportunity to understand what is important to the role from his/her view. If nothing else, at least you can make a good impression and that may be enough to put you ahead.

Also, consider the fact that any hiring manager has to explain his/her choice to his/her manager and to the people that did not get the position. If you’re already well known amongst that group, it makes it that much easier for the hiring manager to choose you; he / she will know it will be a smooth communication and transition vs. someone they don’t know.

When I think about Annika, I think this was her biggest challenge and resulted in her not getting promoted. She was so talented but only a few people knew that. Her network was small and, so, other candidates had more of a “cheering section” when it came down to the interview process.

3. Do I “look the part?”

I’ve written a lot about what to wear to look the part (see here for Tops, Bottom, Blazers, and Shoes). What you wear and how you look signal a lot about your professional status.

Are your clothes torn? Yes, well maybe that means you do not care about how you are perceived and, as a result, you won’t care about doing a good job.

Do your socks never match? Maybe you don’t pay attention to details and that is important for the job.

Pay attention to those around you and try to emulate what they do and how they look. While I would never advocate that you try to be someone you are not, I don’t think you’ll regret making observations and experimenting with different approaches. You may also find the posts in which I analyze how Fortune’s Most Powerful Women and the 40 Under 40 Dress for Success helpful.

If I were to sum up all my advice on why you are not getting promoted….I think you need to make choosing you easy for the hiring manager. Get to know who you would be working with and act / look like you’re already doing the job.

4. You don’t have a growth mindset

This is likely one of the main reasons when someone is not getting promoted! If you don’t show that you can embrace challenges, persist in the face of setbacks, or take feedback or criticism for the better, then no one will want to promote you. Being a new manager is hard! It comes with a lot of lessons that are sometimes painfully taught. You need to roll with the punches, learn from your mistakes, and grow. If you don’t demonstrate that you can do that, than a hiring manager will doubt you will gracefully transition to your new responsibilities. Check out this article for more information on “growth mindsets”

You are so close!

You’re already a rockstar! Imagine how more effective you will be at obtaining a management position when you focus on building a broad support base, thinking and acting like a manager, and dressing the part!

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