Promotion given to a younger man

[Whatiswrongwithme1979]

Am I being unreasonable to be angry, feel worthless and to wish I didn't have to go back to work?

Ive worked 20 years in a senior role and was strongly encouraged to apply for a promotion going in my department. As context, I get excellent performance ratings and have won awards in the last year for that as well.

I apparently did very well at interview, with no feedback given. The job was given to a man with less than half my experience, no professional qualifications and who is junior to me in position at work. He is a smooth talker but is rarely seen at work and has an uncanny ability to do very little whilst getting his team to work to the bone - perhaps a leadership quality in itself.

Im angry, dejected and feel rubbish. I'm not quite sure what to do next as it is a clear signal of how I'm valued.

The decision makes me feel like the executive lack integrity and dont live up to the values the company espouses, though I can't put my finger on why.

How do I process this and move on, how do I not feel so angry, am I even reasonable to feel angry about their decision!?

Was it a competency-based interview? Because that really is about how well you answer each question, and there’s not really a way to bring age or experience into it (although you would hope someone with lots of experience would perform well).

Hard to say - near retirement sure.

Niche industry where it will ruin your reputation, and 20 more years to work - probably a no.

I agree they obviously do think he is better suited, but it isn't for reasons our interview process allows them to factor, and my speculation is not groundless for that reason.

They obviously had their reasons for selecting him, perhaps drive / ambition was stronger. It’s not always down to experience, and sounds like they liked what they saw in him. It always hurts not getting selected, and same has happened to my colleagues in that someone younger is coming in and they didn’t get the role.

You won’t find out anything useful by asking them. They’ll only be justifying their decision, be it truth or not. The interviews where there is scoring and ‘objectivity’ are easy to manipulate. If a person knows who they want, they’ll make sure to score accordingly. No doubt about that.

Personally hate internal interviews as I believe they mostly go to whoever’s face fits rather than best skills for the job. I often think they know who they want before the interview and score accordingly. It’s happened to me in the past and it does hurt and demoralise you.

I hear you op. Very similar thing happened to me. It really sucks. I can’t move, am too old. Everyone said he’d get it as he’s a friend of the boss, very strict interviewing criteria aside. Yes unconscious bias comes in, I am sure.

My boss has even said that ‘we’ will carry on doing a task that I am qualified for, and that was in the job description as an essential; he isn’t. I don’t think I’ll be bothering. I plan to just keep my head down, enjoy the role as I have been doing, and get to the end; not too far for me now, fortunately!

Take pleasure in what you do have xx

No - this one wasnt competency based, just assessment of skills, experience and motivation.

My experience is far better than his, not just in tenure in the industry but variety and quality of employer (ie FTSE 50).

If my motivation was assessed to be far lower than his, it wasnt expressed in feedback where I was told I had performed really well, it was an impossible choice etc but they had decided to go in another direction.

That's why Im struggling with their decision as I cant see it as anything other than discriminatory.

In a role like this, someone with such a small amount of experience would be extremely unusual - think CEO of large company. I dont think their discriminatory against my age, I think they've picked him as a childless male with good connections outside of the firm that might benefit the company.

OK re connections, Im not completely naive, but that's definitely not experience, skill or motivation.

Sorry, typos and sorting kids for bed, and sorry dancingbymyself that rant wasnt aimed at you it was just a random stream!

If you are talking board level of a FTSE 100 I severely doubt most people's advice here will be of any use.

Collate your evidence asap in writing and then talk to a professional. Gender / age , the full shebang. Be prepared success or fail you may impact you career.

They obviously chose him - but only the people that chose him know whether it was due to his suitability, his connections, their nepotism, their sexism and/or ageism - and i don't know if it even possible to ever know for sure - it sucks imo

Thankfully not, just used as an example of type of role where experience is deemed a requirement, not a negative.

Advice and viewpoints all gratefully received!

I agree. I will let it go but came here to stew for a bit as it's maddening 😁

All you can do is apply for jobs elsewhere.

OP, really sorry, once the dust settles for you personally you need to decide what next for you.

Really, asking for more / detailed feedback won’t help. They made what sounds like a poor decision. If he is as bad as he sounds, that part of the company is going to start deteriorating in its performance.

So, you can either try to move to a different part of the company, (is that feasible, yes or no?)

or

stay put and hope things improve (unlikely)

the reality is that the company’s values aren’t what you thought they were maybe?

so

start looking for your next role with a different company. What are the possible outcomes? Have you had a hard look at the market? Do you know what other roles would like with another company? Better or worse? Pay better or worse? Commute, conditions.

all to be weighed up.

good luck!

Plmnki, good advice thank you. I'm going to let my feelings settle so I can make a rationale plan.

I work in the energy sector so quite bespoke. Changing companies would require moving, which isn't easy given we are settled into our home, kids in schools.

I'm upset because of a bit of sour grapes, a bit of disappointment that the company I'm invested in for their strong values turn out to be a fallacy and sadness that my rigidity about this means I will have to move on.

Between their dodgy dealings and my stubborn streak no one wins 😐

Goodness! Rational...

decided to go in another direction

What does that mean, "another direction" ?

I'm not sure. I wrote notes after the meeting to keep as much of it fresh as possible. Strange phrase but it is what was said.

Have you done 20 years at this job, in this company or 20 years in the industry in different jobs?

I didn’t get much feedback either, just told I ‘did really well’ in the interview. Oh and ‘keep doing what you’re doing!’ So personally, I think they wanted to a) make sure they kept him happy and b) keep me motivated to do the job above my pay grade for the same £s. I think not.

20 years across different companies, a good run at this one coming up to 5 years.

Errolwasahero, what's your experience and how did you react in the short and medium term?

Don't get me started on workplace bullshit.

In our team of five, four of us are women.

There is a new starter who has no industry experience, is 27 years old and is starting on a pay grade two levels higher than all of us. We are all at least ten years older than her, with at least five years more industry experience.

Saving grace is that she's a woman.

Another direction = hire someone else

I agree. I think age and sex were very relevant here. Push very hard for detailed feedback. In fact I’d be inclined to share your concerns.

its often said that men get promoted based on potential whereas women have to demonstrate experience.

How this plays out is:

If you have a grade structure from e.g. 1 (low) to 10 (high) a (white) man sitting at and performing at grade 4 might get promoted to grade 5 because people think he’s likely to be able to settle in and perform in time. This is born out of years of misogyny where that’s just the model people are used to seeing.

A woman grade 4 has to already demonstrate she is performing at the top end of grade 5 to even be considered, and then will still lose out because “why promote her if she’s already doing the work for less pay?”. The grade 4 woman is then expected to show the newly promoted grade 5 man how to do his job.