To think I should ask for a promotion?

[donniedarko89]

I have been working at my organisation for 1.5 years. I came from a different industry and despite an initial learning curve, I have had good results, closing some pretty big deals recently. I am thinking about asking for a promotion (from "Manager" to "Senior Manager"). Some of the things I find unfair at the moment:

• The other guy who is a Senior Manager hasn't achieved comparable results, yet he is paid more than me;
• I have actual managerial responsibilities in the form of direct reports, he doesn't
• I work more hours, including out-of-hours occasionally

I can't help feeling slightly jaded. Because of his more important title, he often acts condescending and patronising towards me, and this behaviour has increased recently (perhaps he feels threatened?). I wonder whether a promotion might not only serve me financially, but also help address this power dynamic. WWYD?

100% ask, it's such a clear case of absolutely.

Definitely. Are you clear on what you should be asking for in terms of pay? And how to negotiate it? There are some great videos on Instagram.

Try to find out the job criteria for the band that senior manager has to meet.
Then spend a few weeks compiling a list of examples that shows you are working at that level.

My line manager suggested it but this is what I had to do in order to go from regular BLAH to senior BLAH. (They really should give us better titles 😉)
When the application went it I had to write a small paragraph listing the different ways I was working at the pay grade and how I was working towards the examples even if I wasn't quite there yet.
It took me about 4 months as my line manager found me the opportunity to manage a student on placement with us and this was the major hole in my skills set.

Don't ask for a pay rise ..... Demonstrate why it is deserved!

@Whataretheodds I am already at the top of my pay scale, so as long as I move to the next one, that would be a good result. It does seem like a clear case but my company is not doing so well this year and they might be conservative with promotions. Perhaps I also tend to come across as less confident, which might put me in a worse position - although in the end I achieve better results through hard work.

From what you've said, you've got a good case for asking to be regraded to senior manager and if they don't give it to you, assuming you are a woman, talk to your union or ACAS about bringing a case of sex discrimination.

What justifies his position as senior manager when he doesn't have any direct reports? Are there any other differences like clients with more complex needs?

I am already at the top of my pay scale, so as long as I move to the next one, that would be a good result

I think you're underselling yourself. If he is a Senior Manager for a while he won't be on the bottom of the scale. Don't you want at least the same as him?

As PP said they're risking a sex discrimination suit given if you are doing the same job (but you're doing addition responsibilites) and you're a consistently better performer than him but not promoted.

None of those reasons to me speak to why you are worthy of promotion and instead sounds like you have a grudge against him.

I would get the role profile of a senior manager and put forward evidence against each one of those that demonstrates you’re working at that level.

is there an annual promotion cycle? Do you have a manager that you speak to about your profession regularly?

There is an annual promotion cycle at the end of the summer. However I was always advised to start talking about promotions after achieving particularly good results, so I wonder if I should begin this conversation now.