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Original poster

Missed for promotion- do I ask for feedback- how?

50 replies

hattyhathat · 14/06/2023 07:42

A promotion opportunity came up but it was just given to someone on the team without being interviewed etc. I am keen to know if I was considered and if not why not? What is the best way of doing this or do I need to just leave it?

OP posts:
HandsupSue · 14/06/2023 08:15

Absolutely get feedback
i am surprised given internal that they didn’t out of common courtesy

no drama. You just drop the interviewing manager an email to ask for a short chat as you’d very much appreciate feedback as could be a learning experience

Original poster
hattyhathat · 14/06/2023 08:17

Yes I was surprised too. And it was very hard to not show emotion when it was announced. There wasn't even an interview. I think I just want to know if it's ever on the table or if I should just move on!

OP posts:
HandsupSue · 14/06/2023 08:18

hattyhathat · 14/06/2023 08:17

Yes I was surprised too. And it was very hard to not show emotion when it was announced. There wasn't even an interview. I think I just want to know if it's ever on the table or if I should just move on!

Come again?

no interview?

BoredWithLife · 14/06/2023 08:21

No interview sounds pretty shocking - I'm assuming that you did formally put your name forward for this, and it wasn't a case of you knew an opportunity existed but just expected them to approach you about it?

Assuming you did actively apply, I'd definitely ask for feedback, you can even phrase it as a development opportunity in that you want to know what you need to work on in order to stand a better chance next time etc.

HandsupSue · 14/06/2023 08:23

Were you not selected for an interview
or
was there no interview process?

Original poster
hattyhathat · 14/06/2023 08:23

Nope. No interview. And I wasn't made aware position was available- but I had mentioned in meetings that I was keen to progress to this position multiple times.

OP posts:
HandsupSue · 14/06/2023 08:24

I am confused

so the position wasn’t internally advertised ?

HandsupSue · 14/06/2023 08:24

You are not being at all clear op

Original poster
hattyhathat · 14/06/2023 08:24

This is why I'm a bit frustrated. If there had been an interview it would have felt fair even if ultimately they had someone in mind all along!

OP posts:
TheGirlInTheGreenDress · 14/06/2023 08:26

If just selecting someone as opposed to advertising and interviewing, I’d keep it low key in the first instance and phrase it along the lines of “what can I do so that the next time something like this comes up, I can be considered?”. If it’s anything like my place, the person threatened to leave so they get promoted to stop them going!

Original poster
hattyhathat · 14/06/2023 08:26

Ok sorry ill start again.

Position was not advertised. I was not made aware. Manger was aware I want to progress to this position. It was announced yesterday that colleage has been promoted to the position. This was the first I knew of the position. Colleague confirmed there was no interview just a meeting where they offered them the job.

OP posts:
TheBitchOfTheVicar · 14/06/2023 08:27

It's perfectly clear.

I'd ask your line manager for their thoughts on promotion opportunities. They'll know you're interested and hopefully you'll get some useful info out of it

HandsupSue · 14/06/2023 08:27

Ah ok. They were promoted.

that is different op.
so they went, for example, for a junior analyst to a senior analyst

GOODCAT · 14/06/2023 08:28

Definitely ask for feedback. Do you have any idea why they would have chosen someone else without approaching you?

BoredWithLife · 14/06/2023 08:28

hattyhathat · 14/06/2023 08:23

Nope. No interview. And I wasn't made aware position was available- but I had mentioned in meetings that I was keen to progress to this position multiple times.

So this changes things a little to me, you could instead enquire about where these opportunities are advertised as you would be interested in them in the future - but as it stands now, without you applying or expressing any specific interest in this role, I can see why they didn't interview you.

Where I work we would always interview an internal candidate who has formally applied, even if we know they have no hope of the role in question, if nothing else its worth while in understanding where that person wants to progress to in the future as part of their career development. However it someone hadn't actually applied or directly expressed clear interest in the vacant position, it wouldn't even occur to me to consider them.

Martinisarebetterdirty · 14/06/2023 08:28

In my line of work promotions don’t happen to fill a gap they happen when someone has shown they are capable. So no interviews. You sit down with your line manager and ask what you need to do to get there and whether they think you are close. Look at the job spec and role description, can you demonstrate everything on it? It might be a perception gap. You need to ask or you will never know and you might just not be doing what they need you to. Good luck.

PuppyMonkey · 14/06/2023 08:29

I thought OP was being perfectly clear TBF. Random person was announced as the new XX without any interviews taking place and OP is pissed off as she’s had conversations saying she was keen to progress to XX.

Original poster
hattyhathat · 14/06/2023 08:30

HandsupSue · 14/06/2023 08:27

Ah ok. They were promoted.

that is different op.
so they went, for example, for a junior analyst to a senior analyst

Yes that's it. Sorry! Which I get. But there isn't a structure that says if you do xyz you are promoted plus there can only be one these role. So I'm pretty sure I'm not going to get further and am considering leaving now. Just want some feedback as to if I was ever on the table.

OP posts:
Original poster
hattyhathat · 14/06/2023 08:32

PuppyMonkey · 14/06/2023 08:29

I thought OP was being perfectly clear TBF. Random person was announced as the new XX without any interviews taking place and OP is pissed off as she’s had conversations saying she was keen to progress to XX.

Ha! Yes that's it. I mean they aren't random - they are more than capable of doing the job. If there had been an interview I would have expected to be up against them. And yes I have explicitly mentioned I want to progress to this role.

OP posts:
BoredWithLife · 14/06/2023 08:33

hattyhathat · 14/06/2023 08:30

Yes that's it. Sorry! Which I get. But there isn't a structure that says if you do xyz you are promoted plus there can only be one these role. So I'm pretty sure I'm not going to get further and am considering leaving now. Just want some feedback as to if I was ever on the table.

Show quote history

ok now I understand! - I would ask for the job description of the next step, e.g. if you are a junior analyst, ask for the job description and competencies for a senior analyst. From there, you can start working on collecting evidence of you working at that standard (or above!) once you believe you have sufficient evidence showing this for a reasonable period of time - ask directly for the promotion.

Original poster
hattyhathat · 14/06/2023 08:33

Martinisarebetterdirty · 14/06/2023 08:28

In my line of work promotions don’t happen to fill a gap they happen when someone has shown they are capable. So no interviews. You sit down with your line manager and ask what you need to do to get there and whether they think you are close. Look at the job spec and role description, can you demonstrate everything on it? It might be a perception gap. You need to ask or you will never know and you might just not be doing what they need you to. Good luck.

Your line of work sounds MUCH more organised. I think I might need to change somewhere with a clearer progression structure.

OP posts:
PuppyMonkey · 14/06/2023 08:33

I definitely think you need a conversation with your manager about it.

HandsupSue · 14/06/2023 08:34

So.

This person has impressed them and they have promoted them.

Sure, ask why you weren’t promoted and whether there is anything you can do to work towards promotion

they haven’t done anything wrong. They didn’t mention it to you because it was none of your business. It was about a specific employee that they wanted to promote. You weren’t approached simply because you wanted it and had said please tell me if a vacancy becomes available. It wasn’t a vacancy. It was a promotion of a team member that had impressed and they didn’t mention to you because they didn’t intend to promote you

Original poster
hattyhathat · 14/06/2023 08:34

BoredWithLife · 14/06/2023 08:33

ok now I understand! - I would ask for the job description of the next step, e.g. if you are a junior analyst, ask for the job description and competencies for a senior analyst. From there, you can start working on collecting evidence of you working at that standard (or above!) once you believe you have sufficient evidence showing this for a reasonable period of time - ask directly for the promotion.

Show quote history

That's great advice thank you.

Sorry for the confusion everyone

OP posts:
Original poster
hattyhathat · 14/06/2023 08:36

HandsupSue · 14/06/2023 08:34

So.

This person has impressed them and they have promoted them.

Sure, ask why you weren’t promoted and whether there is anything you can do to work towards promotion

they haven’t done anything wrong. They didn’t mention it to you because it was none of your business. It was about a specific employee that they wanted to promote. You weren’t approached simply because you wanted it and had said please tell me if a vacancy becomes available. It wasn’t a vacancy. It was a promotion of a team member that had impressed and they didn’t mention to you because they didn’t intend to promote you

I'm confused. There was a position. There can only be one of this person. The person in the role is leaving. So they've promoted someone else into it. I'm sure they've done nothing wrong but I am disappointed that I wasn't given a heads up given my manager knows how keen I was.

OP posts: