To possibly burn all my bridges at work

[swimmingpoolshower]

Long story. Will try to be concise.
Took a big pay cut a year and a bit ago to work in the public sector where I could go up and up. Was told at the interview that it was easy to progress if I was willing to put the work in and learn new skills.
Have had two interviews for promotion since then but told that I lack experience, both jobs went to people with ten years service plus. I need to earn more as I only saw this job as a foot in the door and I'm bored.
Yesterday my boss called me in ten mins before I was supposed to leave to say there was another promotion (secondment) coming up but they didn't advertise it as it needed to be an immediate starter and they didn't have anyone to fill my role if they immediately took me away from my post. She gave the role to someone who had worked there for less time than I had.
I was shocked but didn't think much about it. Then I found out from my colleagues that they hadn't been told about the post either, and when asked our boss said 'oh but you wouldn't have been interested in that would you?' I said to her that people would very different to be told about a job after it was already given to someone else rather than if you asked them beforehand.
She then turned round and said 'I'm sorry that I can't give you a pay rise, swimming pool, I know that's what you want!' in front of all my colleagues and made me look like I was just arguing because I'm a money grabbing, promotion hungry lunatic. I'm not! I just wanted the opportunity. Then she said that if I'll contact HR then she would take the promotion away from this other candidate and send out an email asking for expressions of interest. I wouldn't apply now anyway, they obviously want the other candidate more.
If I contact HR I know I'll be labelled a troublemaker and will she ever consider me again? She's head of admin so very important when it comes to making decisions about who gets what role. I don't know whether to just drop it for an easy life?

contact HR now and say that you're interested in promotion and you want to know about all relevant vacant positions and it was a pity you hadn't known about this one as it would have been a good fit for you.

Your boss wants to keep you where you are, are you really good?

I’m not sure why you thought the public sector would be better for career advancement - it’s notorious for a “time served” attitude to promotions.

Just cut your losses and get a career in a dynamic organisation that recognises ambition and talent.

I’d drop it for now and look for work else where. I’d hate that she said that to me and want to do a knee jerk reaction but I know how office politics works.

You should know your own worth. If these people or this woman won’t recognise it go some where they will.

Something similar happened to me- my manager had forgotten to pass on my expression of interest for a role and it was given to someone else.

I did kick up a stink about it- I was the union rep so they knew I knew that they hadn’t followed their own processes. I met with my manager’s manager and got an apology and agreement to send me on a £££ PRINCE course if I dropped it and saved them the embarrassment of back tracking.

@Brefugee my boss wants to keep me where I am because I'm a ward clerk, there are currently hundreds of vacancies for similar jobs on nhs jobs right now. They can't fill them because it's stressful and crap money. My boss even admitted that if I had got the last promotion, she would have been stressed trying to find a replacement.
@HermioneWeasley I changed to the public sector as they're the biggest employer in the area and our trust just won a huge bid which will mean hundreds of new jobs, including higher band admin jobs.

At the moment I feel like leaving. I don't know why I've stayed late and started early and worked for free for at this point.

It depends not only on how "invaluable" you currently are this can change but also on factors such as the location of the "secondment"?, how long the post is expected to last?, (would you really give up stable employment for what could be a temporary opportunity with no opportunity to return to your current role?), do you have experience required for this other job? Is the person who was given the job a valued member of staff? or is this a way to get rid of them legally without giving redundancy pay? Would you have been able to commit to the hours and travelling requirements? (assuming it's not in the same location as you)...

There's a lot of factors to consider, but you're not tied to that company, you could always look elsewhere and detail this as your reason for leaving in your resignation letter...

Used to work in civil service. It was v common for bosses to write the job advert so that only their preferred candidate would fit the spec. A lot of hiring mates goes on with internal promotions. (Also a lot of not letting people promote if they are useful where they are.)

Fyi, I was told a complete pile of lies at my interview about promotion prospects because they were only allowed to tell me the official line ‘promotion is on merit not time served’ not the reality which was promotion is on who knows who. Perhaps what you were told was also nonsense.

Obvs I left.

I’m sorry this happened to you. Wouldn’t ever suggest anyone burn their bridges. If you want to stay, suggest you schedule a meeting with boss explaining what you’ve told us re you took the job having been told you would promote soon, and ask how she can help guide you in fulfilling your career goals. Public sector managers love mentoring stuff that they can write up on their own appraisals to help them get their own promotion.

That said the public sector system is always going to be frustrating for you, maybe explore private sector options also.

@swimmingpoolshower "I'm a ward clerk, there are currently hundreds of vacancies for similar jobs on nhs jobs right now."

So why not apply, and state at interview that you're only willing to give up your current position for a salary of £££.

If they agree, then you've automatically earned yourself a pay rise, and said a massive F you to your current "boss"

ah OP I suspected something like that. The thing is you haven't really been there long (I don't know what it's like in the public sector - in most places I've worked you need 2-3 years in a role before you're considered for promotion)

Get a new job - your manager knows you're not happy, everyone knows you're not happy. Sorry :(

I don't know about time served being an issue now, but they still ear mark people for jobs. Is this lady the only one who can promote you? Can you move to a different section?

If the promotion involves continued working with this woman, then why would you want it? Job hunt by all means, try to aim for a different manager.

I would look at jobs with CCGs. They tend to band people much higher than hospitals. It’s not fair but it’s true.

@ragged we got along great until today. I thought she was sort of rooting for me as I'm a single parent of two and she was too, both trying to hustle and pay the mortgage. Now I think she thinks I'm too 'emotional' and she keeps mentioning about 'stresses at home' which makes me think she wonders if I'm stable enough. I am, I just want better for my kids.

The NHS is antiquated in many ways, non clinical staff looking to move with less than 2 years in a role are often seen as job hoppers, the last thing the recruiting manager wants.
I'm guessing you're a band 2, realistically it'll take you 10 years to get to a band 6.

@Woeisme99 I'm a band 3 but yeah, pretty low down! I had an interview for a band 5 just after Christmas which gave me hope. They said I interviewed well, but they all say that.

My experience of the NHS is that there is little chance of advancement for admin staff.

Well done for getting the band 5 interview OP, that'd be unheard of in my trust, skipping a band.
As pp says, CCGs band higher than trusts, and as they are 95% non clinical staff they tend to value admin / projects etc, whereas trusts still hold a hierarchy. Try your local CCG if in England.

@MadisonMontgomery not true in my experience.
I’ve gone from a band 2 admin assistant with no nhs experience in Oct 2015 to a band 4 medical secretary with supervisory role over the band 2s (different department altogether so nothing to do with knowing anyone) in July 2019. I also had a year out during these 4 years on maternity leave so been promoted twice in technically 3 years

@Woeisme99 again probably differs between areas. I’m Scotland and know a band 2 medical records officer who was promoted to a band 5 admin case manager at out of hours as they were the only one who applied who had previous experience with the out of hours systems

my boss wants to keep me where I am I suspect this is it. You need to be more assertive and not be taken for granted. Promotion is not just about money and that's not nice of your boss to imply that, especially in front of others.
Brefugee has excellent advice. Also make it known around work that you are actively looking at other (outside) jobs.

Lots of great advice, thanks all!