Get me my Promotion !!!

[Neapolitanicecream]

I guess I already know I need to look elsewhere, but thought I’d ask the mumsnet collective.
I work for a national employer. Colleagues have leapfrogged over me, despite my good performance reviews. Barely any feedback given. I’ve asked for feedback from failed promotion companies interviews. I know I’m good but the goal posts keep changing for me when I ask what I should do.

All post are supposed to be advertised, but you suddenly find out others have quietly been slotted into promotions. No
questions asked, despite me trying, no advice given.
I have a sinking feeling this is also the polite face of racism, where l do double the work for less pay than white colleagues, because if I can do then it possibly seen as lesser work ????

I was with you until you mentioned racism. How is it racist?

What do you do OP?
My initial reaction was maybe it's time to look out with your current employer.

Can you speak to someone in HR and find out what quartile you are in regarding your pay. That will tell you if you are paid fairly or not. However sadly as has been my own situation the answer is to leave and find something better. The power is with you OP.

You can look on Glassdoor.com and Total Jobs etc for pay comparisons.

Does your work have an internal jobs board where you can sign up for notifications of any new roles?

Have you asked for feedback from colleagues, peers, internal ‘customers’ etc to get a rounded view of how you’re perceived? Ask for ‘advice’ instead of ‘feedback’ too from those you trust. No good just asking for interview feedback.

Do you have a particular role or type of role in mind? Have you got the specific skills/experienced for those roles? Or are you just trying to get any promotion for money? Understanding your motivation and aims might help us figure out how to help you.

I’m at the top of my pay band. In my dept there is a very high staff turnover of other bands for ethnic colleagues. Only white colleagues have been promoted, this organisation promotes its equality credentials and in other departments it does appear to promote equal just not mine. Ethnics only in lower paid non management positions

Your avoidance of answering my the questions and the picture you’ve painted of the company as a whole suggests this is a mindset problem.

Yes I’ve signed up for notifications. I’ve already had very good feedback for performance, and already doing the work load of 2 people who have left before. Always asking for advice just told performing well and keep going

Performance reviews for high performers are largely a load of old cobblers. They are to manage underperformance.

Unfortunately I have come to the conclusion that effective self promotion which is usually linked to actual promotion is is a very specific skill set that some have in spades (sometimes that's all they have) and is responsible for lots of incompetent managers.

It doesn't always overlap with ambition or competence.

If only it were as simple as the best person for the job.

Sounds like you are amazing at your job though, so must be gauling.

Maybe racism does factor in, but I expect many white people are in similar positions.

One possible explanation you might want to explore is how your company rates performance and how this influence promotions. We use the "9 boxes" grid which rates employees based on performance in their current job + potential for growth. One of my direct report performs generally well and gets good feedback on annual performance, but from our perspective (mine and our director) has very little potential for growth and therefore would not be recommended for promotion. Any move would likely be lateral move.

Hopefully you can ask openly if your company is using such a grid as it would explain why you feel stuck in your current role.
If it was me I would look for another company as you would probably have more opportunities starting fresh.

It might not be racism @TinkyWinkyRainbowHead but it’s quite ignorant that you have to ask that question!

Unfortunately I have come to the conclusion that effective self promotion which is usually linked to actual promotion is is a very specific skill set that some have in spades (sometimes that's all they have) and is responsible for lots of incompetent managers.

Yes true, but it’s also a skill that can be learned. Recommend ‘F*ck Being Humble’ by Stef Sword-Williams.

Yes it’s like there’s always a dangling carrot if I jump through numerous hoops that white colleagues have not had such hurdles but they are of course ever so polite and staunchly anti-racist and very vocal about being so. But non-whites are quietly promoted

I mean white people are quietly promoted

You leave and hope your next company isn't the same.

Companies don't necessarily promote people based on their skills, they promote people who they believe have the best potential. Also, sometimes good people get overlooked because they are too useful in their current role. It's a fine line and there's no way to guarantee promotion.

Assuming you fit the "official" criteria for promotion, would you say you try to fit in with "unofficial" criteria too? Things like driving the right car or being a member of the right golf club, or socialising with others after work. It's not fair or right, but these things are often used to decide who gets promoted.

Think of getting the promotion as being a case of total war, sometimes you have to be committed to it 24/7 at the expense of your personal life. It's up to the individual to decide whether it's worth it or not.

Yes sadly I know you’re right. I will have to go elsewhere and will keep applying thanks for confirming

I had to leave to go to a new job when I kept getting glowing feedback and no promotion in order to be promoted. There was no racial element involved, but had been leap frogged by people who were previously seen as more junior.

Sometimes I think it’s the only way.

I read your post this morning, but didn't have time to reply, and I really am pretty useless at these things, but in my experience, the best thing to do is to find a new job. It won't change. I'm really sorry other people are quietly promoted and you need to jump through hoops.
Now go get a better job where they value you! 💪