Weird, disappointing day at work

FeralFemale · #1 11/21/13, 06:12 PM

Found out today that I didn't get a promotion I though I had a real shot for.

And it's not like I think the guy who got it was a bad choice, it's just this isn't the first time someone less qualified or less experienced than I has gotten promoted before me or above me.

I am going to be reporting directly to this guy, and, when our boss told me of the decision, literally in the same breath, he told me how lucky this guy was because I have the most experience and expertise in the corporation regarding the most important issue/concern we have and this guy has "zero", so is lucky he has me. I have several more years at the company on this guy, too. There is nothing he has done in his time here that I haven't as well.

I get stellar reviews, very good raises, smaller promotions, and am given more and more responsibility, but when it comes to the big stuff I am always left behind.

I called the big boss today with the intention of asking him straight out if I was even considered and if not why, but my new boss was in the room with him and I was on speaker, so I couldn't.

A while back when something like this happened someone told me that I committed the sin of making myself too valuable. I don't believe that at all. If someone is that great, they get promoted.

My bosses seem to think I am missing something, I guess. Or maybe I am too new to this division? My new boss has 6 months or so more time in the division, but the work I do is exactly the same just a different division.

I so regret buying this house, now, or I would start looking at other companies. Last time something like this happened I did that and was happy to see how much response I got putting my resume out there. That was enough for me, because, where I work is really where you want to be in my line of work.

For now, I am just going to be thankful that my new boss is a good guy and maybe even an improvement on my last -- who also had less time and experience than I do. And during my next performance review find out why this is happening and what I can do to change it.

What a kick in the gut.

FeralFemale · #2 11/21/13, 06:17 PM

Oh, and right now, on my own, I am working on something really big that when it goes through should get huge, positive attention at headquarters. It will be interesting to see what happens after that.

Oggie · #3 11/21/13, 06:17 PM

I'm sorry that you didn't get the promotion.

Danaus29 · #4 11/21/13, 06:23 PM

I'm sorry you didn't get it too.

MO_cows · #5 11/21/13, 06:24 PM

Bummer! I had that happen to me one time, too, and it really hurt. Sorry to hear it.

simi-steading · #6 11/21/13, 06:54 PM

What a drag.. so sorry to hear that... I was wondering though, when the boss told you the other guy was lucky since you had all he experience, why didn't you ask him right then why they went with the other guy instead? I just know me.. I would have, even if it may not have been in my best interest.. I tend to speak my mind..

FeralFemale · #7 11/21/13, 07:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by simi-steading

What a drag.. so sorry to hear that... I was wondering though, when the boss told you the other guy was lucky since you had all he experience, why didn't you ask him right then why they went with the other guy instead? I just know me.. I would have, even if it may not have been in my best interest.. I tend to speak my mind..

He had a meeting he was going to that was starting and couldn't talk. Plus, I was sort of in shock. That is why I called him later in the day, to discuss. But, like I said, I couldn't.

I know I am going to have to train my new boss. How demoralizing.

mzgarden · #8 11/21/13, 07:33 PM

I'm really sorry.

Brighton · #9 11/21/13, 07:54 PM

How well does he, your new boss, get along with everyone in the office, is he a happy, fun guy that people like?

You posted not long ago about a problem with the other female staff and yourself, and the boss, maybe take a look at that issue and this and see where you could make improvements.

Harry Chickpea · #10 11/21/13, 08:28 PM

There can be all sorts of subtle and hidden reasons why one person is chosen for promotion above another. I've been on both sides of that coin.

I could give advice, but ultimately it is something you have to figure out for yourself, and act based upon what your goals and values are. Review the situation, review your options, decide if you want to be passive or pro-active. Go from there.

Molly Mckee · #11 11/21/13, 09:25 PM

Any possibility the men are getting promoted over the women? It's been know to happen.

GunMonkeyIntl · #12 11/22/13, 06:14 AM

Try not to let it get you too down. These types of decisions are rarely made in a vacuum and, usually, the only one who can see every piece of the landscape is the one making the decision.

It's easy to focus on the elements of the decision that would have played to your benefit, like your senority and experience over this other candidate. But I learned a long time ago that I can only second-guess the decisions of my boss so far, becuase he has access to information and viewpoints that I just don't. I may think that he made a poor decision, but he knows things that I don't.

If this promotion decision really was as one-sided as you're seeing it now - you were the better candidate in everyway - then you would have got the promotion. I don't say that to marginalize what you brought to the table. Rather, so that you don't get hung up focused on why someone without merit would be picked over you. The only thing that line of thinking will do is wreck your self-esteem.

I recently had to choose between two candidates to promote, and it was not an easy decision. Looking at it in B&W, one candidate was older, smarter, more polished and professional, and has a resume that makes mine look light in some areas. The other was younger, less experienced, often needy, and not spun up in some key areas. However, candidate #2 had experience in a couple areas that related to a critical goal I need to meet. Candidate #2 will get me to that goal. Candidate #1, while better in so many ways, would have likely missed that goal. I chose candidate #2, knowing that I had a requisition in for another position that candidate #1 will do more good in than he could have in the position they were fighting for.

I had to be very careful in how I broke the news to #1, because I didn't want to lose him from my stable, but I couldn't discuss the scope of my future plans. #2 was actually a little shocked that he got the job, and I had to be careful in how I told him that he got the job so that his confidence wasn't shaken, and that he would be prepared for when I put him into full-tilt rented-mule mode.

Neither of these guys knew what I knew in making this decision. If I get this new position, and put candidate #1 in it, then my team will be stronger and more effective than it could have been otherwise. If, however, if the authorization for the new position falls through, then I have shackled myself to a short-sighted decision. That is the weight of being the boss.

No doubt, some bosses are idiots and a-holes. But most (most(most)) got where they are by making the best possible decisions in a field full of tough choices.

**Shrek** · #13 11/22/13, 06:46 AM

Sorry to hear that you were passed over although you say you have more experience and the management doing the promotion agreed.

If in fact management did feel your experience was better, from a management perspective from being mid level management before my retirement I would suggest that you quietly introspect other facets of your professional characteristics that management may have reviewed and felt it in the best interest of all to promote the one with lower experience.

Often when promoting an employee under my supervision I would have to balance factors of experience, reliability, compatibility in working with others, personality with customer reps etc. and sometimes I would trade one below par factor off in favor of a candidate with other aspects I number crunched to be sufficiently above par to offset the below par factors and maintain unit productivity.

Good luck before your next promotion evaluation. In most businesses they always come around every year or so.

Ozarks Tom · #14 11/22/13, 08:16 AM

Sorry for the news, I'm sure you would have done well.

As GMI said, sometimes there's a bigger picture considered the lower echelon employees aren't privy to. I've made those decisions in the past, and it seems the only one happy is the person who got the job.

Could it be the project you mentioned is too important to give to someone less qualified? I've had that situation to consider in the past, and nearly lost a very key employee because of it. Sometimes timing plays a bigger part in a decision than people know.

fordy · #15 11/22/13, 08:43 AM

................I have always heard\read that a 'Good' Boss always trains a subordinate to fill his shoes ! Since your new boss will be able to evaluate your superior performance.........since it appears 'You' will be training him to do his new job I would think he would be hard pressed to NOT recommend you to fill his job , assuming , He gets promoted to the next higher position in management . , fordy

sidepasser · #16 11/22/13, 09:01 AM

Sorry that you did not get the position, I have often been given much more responsibility for things and not received the position or pay equivalent. I use those times as resume builders for the future and when opportunity presents itself, I will move forward.

I am very limited in promotions that I receive due to the nature of my job, but again, it is the nature of my job that allows me to review many positions and decide if I really would want to "do" that job. Most of the time I see that the grass isn't truly greener on the upper field.

I know it is of no consolation to you at the moment, but perhaps you can use this time to decide where your career path is going to take you and how best to get there. Perhaps more opportunity lies with another company and homes can always be sold. (I did this myself over the last three years and it was a very good choice for me).

watcher · #17 11/22/13, 09:48 AM

I don't know you so don't take any of this personal.

A lot of qualified people don't get promotions due to. . .ah. . .personalities and some people who can do can't lead.. It could be because they are 'caustic' or too 'wimpy' or just have something about them which makes people not want to be lead by them. They just don't have what we always call "command presence". That something which makes you view them as leaders no matter what their title is.

Then again there's always the fact that its not what you know but who you know.

where I want to · #18 11/22/13, 10:34 AM

I did not read the other posts so this may be the same ol'. But I would ask him- not in the terms of "why him and not me" but in terms of "I am really interested in a promotion and what can I do to get there?"
I had the experience too and did ask. I found out that while I was very, very, very good at my job, my boss did not think I has the skills that a manager needs. In fact the tendency I had to take care of problems myself rather than tell someone else to do it, meant to him that I did not know how to delegate. He was right- I firmly believed that if I wanted something done right, I did it myself. Good for getting the work done but not useful in a manager.
After that I delegated quite a bit more. It was hard for me at first as I did not like "ordering" people around. But it was a neccessary skill for a manger.
Asking in the right way is not a criticism of your boss. He will probably feel flattered you want to help that much.

Classof66 · #19 11/22/13, 12:05 PM

My daughter made herself "too valuable" too. She was on salary and on call and it really wore her out. There was a "misunderstanding" over a vacation day that really upset her, when she confronted the boss, she got a promotion, a nice raise, and a lot of other goodies. I think they were really afraid of losing her. She is still on call tho, and the company is very busy. She has had a cold, and the stress is getting to her right now.