Overlooked for promotion

[MR_Punk]

Had an interview for a promotion at work and got through the first round of interviews. After the first round it was down to me and a colleague. During the gap between first and second interviews an external candidate applied 2 weeks after the deadline. My colleague then dropped out and left me and the external candidate. Got the news today that they have gone with the external. I'm really pee'd off as I've been stepping up into the role for 2 months and received brilliant feedback. My line manager said he would understand if I were to look elsewhere for a new job.

 

[slinxy]

it's sad when that happens, often external candidates are choosen as they can bring fresh eyes and ideas to the role, also experince in that role from outside the company. Such aspects that are difficult for an internal candidate to offer, but you can offer them as an external candidate else where.

 

[Screeeech]

As above,

I've heard many legitimate accounts of people who've applied for an internal promotion, only to lose to an external candidate. It was common knowledge that to actually get a promotion - it was simpler and easier to actually leave the company altogether, work some place else and go back a year or two later

I honestly wouldn't take it too personally, promotions and the decisions that go into them can be really weird sometimes.

 

[Raymond Lin]

As above,

I've heard many legitimate accounts of people who've applied for an internal promotion, only to lose to an external candidate. It was common knowledge that to actually get a promotion - it was simpler and easier to actually leave the company altogether, work some place else and go back a year or two later

I honestly wouldn't take it too personally, promotions and the decisions that go into them can be really weird sometimes.

I know someone who has done that twice !

 

[ilc72]

Had an interview for a promotion at work and got through the first round of interviews. After the first round it was down to me and a colleague. During the gap between first and second interviews an external candidate applied 2 weeks after the deadline. My colleague then dropped out and left me and the external candidate. Got the news today that they have gone with the external. I'm really pee'd off as I've been stepping up into the role for 2 months and received brilliant feedback. My line manager said he would understand if I were to look elsewhere for a new job.

It’s sad that you were overlooked especially given you’d stood in and got brilliant feedback. Sadly my experience is that it’s easier to move jobs than be promoted in some companies. I worked for a software company that was very much a meritocracy, if you were good enough your achievements would be recognised and rewarded. We were bought by an IT company with 400,000 employees and after we were translated onto their salary and grading scheme I was told that I wasn’t experienced enough. Though interestingly had people reporting to me that were two grades higher and double my age.

The first thing I’d ask your line manager is who took the decision, did he not have any input? You could always put in a grievance as the hired someone outside the hiring process, but they rarely end well and life is too short to be unhappy!

I worked in Consulting for a long time and it always made me laugh when customers hired us to advise them and more often than not we ended up telling them what their own people were telling them, but as we cost a fortune they took the advice.

 

[A2Z]

They don't value you.

I would start looking for a new job.

 

[Ayahuasca]

Your time is over at that company, time to move on.

 

[Steveocee]

Had an interview for a promotion at work and got through the first round of interviews. After the first round it was down to me and a colleague. During the gap between first and second interviews an external candidate applied 2 weeks after the deadline. My colleague then dropped out and left me and the external candidate. Got the news today that they have gone with the external. I'm really pee'd off as I've been stepping up into the role for 2 months and received brilliant feedback. My line manager said he would understand if I were to look elsewhere for a new job.

I bet you're on the same if not more money than your "new" manager. It's business, it's rarely about anything other than money.

 

[Rids]

Time to move on in all likelyhood.

I was overlooked for promotion two and a half years back, my colleague was awarded the role, I chose to move on and things couldn't have worked out better for me. This may feel like a bad thing now, but it could well turn out to be a fantastic thing for your development.

 

[MR_Punk]

I’ve had time to reflect and I think it will be time to move on. It’s a shame but as people have mentioned. Life’s too short.

 

[Royal Fleet]

I’ve had time to reflect and I think it will be time to move on. It’s a shame but as people have mentioned. Life’s too short.

You may well be right; but might it be worth hanging on until this person comes in and see what they are like. This happened to me in the past. When the person came in; within a couple of weeks it became clear that the person they had employed was more skilled and rounded than I was. However I was able to learn from that person. They mentored me and helped me develop. Being an ambitious person they didn't stay long and I was able to get the role next time round. This was lucky but I also think I would have been better placed to apply for a role within the company a few months further down the line.

I don't know the size of company you work for; or the culture. Maybe worth considering though.

 

[randomshenans]

I’ve had time to reflect and I think it will be time to move on. It’s a shame but as people have mentioned. Life’s too short.

Good man. I think it would call for it. No loyalty like there used to be, so you shouldn't feel you owe them anything. Look out for you and what's best for your career path.

 

[Jonnybmac]

Sometimes the grass isn't always greener.

I got told false promises of promotion for over a year, whilat doing a job well above my pay rate for near 1.5 years. Ended up looking else where and got a role. When i handed my notice in I got offered the promotion to stay, but being the stubborn person I am I decided not to take it, and since I was doing a salary based role on a shop floor level pay, i gave them the minimum time i had to (1 week) and left. I did pre-warn them I was looking elsewhere and they needed to train someone else up as either here or external my goal was not to stay in the role i was in long term, due to studying a self funded part time degree. This did I know cause problems as the role i was doing was rather unique and takes a lot to learn, and having only gave them a weeks notice for a job that only I could do I was told caused a lot of problems which ultimately i did feel a little guilty about despite the fact they deserved it.

Long story short i was too set on proving a point i walked into a job that i was open and honest from the interview stage, not realising the company interviewing me was not as honest and sold themselves more than they should.
Now I'm in a role I'd consider less on paper than what I was previously, and certainly less than the promotion i was offered on leaving.

I'm too engrossed in my studies to change roles again and have to learn new things, and I'm also struggling to put good achievements in my new role on my CV to try and sell myself better

 

[OspreyO]

OP I would milk all the training and up skilling you can do before leave, or switch team.

Our place did something similar, brought in externals over some of the existing staff.
End result a lot the existing staff have pretty much stopped doing their old work, and will only work on new more interesting stuff, as its obvious thats the way to get promoted.
Unfortunately that leaves management with a problem, as there's now big gaps that people won't cover. Externals can't do it as they don't have the experience.
They tried to offer promotion into roles that now one wants to do. But because there's gaps everywhere, people are moving laterally and years of experience are lost to other teams.
The ripple effect is ongoing.

 

[dowie]

Firstly, sorry if this sounds pedantic but you haven't been "overlooked" for promotion, they have looked at you, they interviewed you and considered you for the role then went with the external candidate. I'd definitely follow up with them for some detailed feedback - did they otherwise consider you a good candidate for the role? Would you have got the role had this external candidate not applied (i.e. was he significantly more experienced etc..) or would they have still turned you down and tried to get another candidate.

If it is the case that your manager would have supported you taking the role but this candidate was particularly good then it could be worth asking about other roles within the organisation and asking that your manager/his manager too support you in applying for them. (There is no reason why you can't have a chat with HR about his, if you're a good employee and are on the cusp of being promoted then the company as a whole probably wouldn't want to lose you).

The last comment is slightly worrying though, the hint that you could just leave etc.. do you get on with your current manager? Is it a big company? Who was involved in the interview process that eventually lead to you being turned down - managers from other departments?

I mean basically if a big company and if you did well at interview but were simply unfortunate with regards to this external candidate then it could well be worth sticking around, and trying (rather forcibly if necessary) to get yourself a promotion in a team elsewhere in the company. This could work, especially if your manager and other people who interviewed you would likely support you.

On the other hand if the feedback isn't so great then just get out of there, no point hanging around somewhere if they don't value you. Some of this might be down to you but could just as easily be down to your manager etc.. go somewhere else and take a chance there, don't stick around at a company where you're not valued.

 

[MR_Punk]

To respond in a round about way. My manager was very unhappy with the hire and has now put his 3 months notice in. Had 1 other colleague handed his notice in too. Seems that its not just me that has been far from unimpressed with the way recruitment has been handled by senior management. Yes it is a large company.

 

[dowie]

Are there other more senior people within your team at the level you were looking to be promoted to or is it just this new guy? I guess one move now is to apply for your manager's job, leapfrog the new guy in the role you were going for and aim higher!

If you don't get it then look elsewhere. How big is the team? If your manager is going + a colleague is going and this new hire is a bit guff and you have the experience then do they really want to risk you leaving too? It is perhaps worth a punt...

 

[.Lethal]

To respond in a round about way. My manager was very unhappy with the hire and has now put his 3 months notice in. Had 1 other colleague handed his notice in too. Seems that its not just me that has been far from unimpressed with the way recruitment has been handled by senior management. Yes it is a large company.

I don't think your managers notice had anything to do with the decision not to offer you the promotion. At most it would have played a very small part in their decision to seek employment elsewhere.

 

[MR_Punk]

I don't think your managers notice had anything to do with the decision not to offer you the promotion. At most it would have played a very small part in their decision to seek employment elsewhere.

Yes I am aware of that, I'm not THAT important. It was one of many things.

 

[James J]

I got turned down for a promotion in my last job, made my feelings known professionally and used it as a springboard to be in a far better position from a career perspective (including salary). I'd invite you to do the same!