How much of promotion was your own doing?

[Millionairerow]

I've been at a certain level for going on 7 years now. Admittedly I've had 3 maternity leaves in that time, but I've mainly only taken 6 months off. I'm wanting promotion and I've voiced it many a time. We've had a turbulent time in our dept over the past 18 months with job losses and the rest of us having to take on extra projects and responsibilities. We've now acquired another company but in our dept, this means well be outnumbered! It's possible my manager will change and more folk to get to know and impress. I was speaking to my manager who last year did not commit to saying I was operating at the next level but would say it verbally. I have colleagues and other peers who say I operating at the next level but nothing is being done about it. FINALLY in my one to one, my manager has said she is going to push for it this interim appraisal time but that she feels her opinion doesn't account for much (which is untrue. The person who currently runs the dept always relies on her opinion). In the past my promotions have been instigated by my manager. But do you think I should be doing more to make it happen? I've offered her justifications and who in the organisation might help leverage her argument through feedback etc and she's said promotion has just bee about timing being wrong.... But that I've been patient and its about time. But my question is, how much of your promotions out there has been you (or your manager) driving it? I hate to think I'm being held back because timing is wrong.

If I get mine, it will most definitely be because of me. However, other people in other departments have more reasonable managers, who will sponsor them for it.

Ours are all advertised on the website & any internal candidates can apply
So in my appraisal I can say to my line manager I want to get ahead but she can't promote me, I have to apply , interview etc

The last proper promotion - I did the work and wrote my performance review in a way in which it was very hard for anyone to poke holes in.

The process was: all managers of my grade discussed everyone's performance at a meeting. Therefore you were compared against both the formal performance criteria and your peers. I simply made sure my performance review was very factual, included everything relevant and addressed the formal performance criteria for the role above mine.

Hence, no one could argue against it. :)

My then manager was nice enough but we didn't click.

Thanks for the replies. My frustration is that there is a system of goals and objectives but only half the dept follow it (I do for my line reports)... So,I can write myself as glowing a report I want to but not convinced anyone reads it! The other issue we have is head of dept has got a child who is seriously ill and there's no real leadership going on and it seems inappropriate to take this to her now.....next round is oct so see how my manager does with it. Unfortunately any promos for mid year should have been decided in April so if it hasn't been factored in, I have no chance

Anyplace I've worked you only get a promotion (to me this means bigger job with more responsibility and pay) when there's an actual gap, not just because someone is capable and would like one.

Is there a need for this in Your dept? You mention there's been a merger and you're outnumbered (does that mean over staffed?)

I've had pretty rapid career progression and it's been me applying for opportunities every time.

Hi no we've no gap. It's unclear what we have but the new company we've acquired have many directors, associate directors (this title was made obsolete last may and all our existing ADs went straight to director). And senior directors (and a VP). Our head of dept is snr director. Fraid we have LOTS of chiefs now. I'm a senior manager.

If you have too many chiefs already, surely it would be very unlikely anyone would be promoted anyway?

Unsure flowery. Had a chat with head of dept and told me I'd be reporting into someone else and how did I feel about that? She also said to relieve the burden of line management, she was going to take two of my staff away leaving me with two and how did I feel about that! Not sure what to make of that (though she said it wasn't cosi was doing a good job with them!!!!). But she gave me an alternative that I could be a team leader but she wouldn't be able to give me much time as she runs the dept and that I had to think about it until 18 th August when the structure had to be nailed down!!! I sent her an email shortly after saying I wanted to be a team lead and wanted to know what was going on in the dept and to put ideas forward. Said what she was suggesting would make me feel even more demoted even though my position wouldn't change and I pointed out she may want more people she knows as team leaders, folk she can trust. I also pointed out that my current manager was going to chat to her about promoting me and that a load of people have told me so in the snr management team and gave some evidence. Not sure if it was all BS. She said to leave it with her but no promises!!! Talk about frustrating.