What to Do If You're Passed Over for a Promotion | Dodging Landmines

What you do is quit. You move on to a place where your hard work will be acknowledged and appreciated.

This is complete bullshit! They promote who they like the most.

Or....now stay with me here, they just pick a person they like because the workplace is like high school. It can have nothing to do with performance.

Forget that! I would look for another job!

Employee: Where did I fall down?  Manager: A little too far to the left of my ass... Employee: So how can I improve my chances for a promotion next time? Manager: Oh, simple...just align your lips better with my ass.. If you're passed over for a promotion and you feel that you were a strong employee that year, pack your bags and find somewhere else to work. Unfortunately, it'll probably happen somewhere else. The workplace is a joke. It's like glorified high school. Nowadays, promotions are not based upon merit. They're largely based upon 99% workplace politics and 1% actual work. The people who actually WORK are almost always passed over for promotions. I was recently passed over for a promotion this year and I am gone as soon as I find another opportunity.    

I was just passed over after 5 star review, really considering a new career at this point. Beyond frustrating….

I was just passed over me and another co-worker of mine, we did everything that was expected of us, helped out in different departments when asked, always on time, no errors, always make goal, and it’s back room politics that screwed us, favoritism and it’s Bs, we both were promised something and it didn’t happen.

Unfortunately my company just promoted the least performing sales person in our group to management this had nothing to do with a merit based system and all to do with politics and a$$ kissing.

I sat with the manager and asked why and he's got nothing, no specifics. I know this is time for me to move on and find another prospect

Leave and work with people who aren't morons. If you believe you aren't being valued correctly then they are not good people to work with. Sometimes they will even not promote the best people because they see them as a threat once all the stupid people take over in a company.

It’s who you know not what you know that will get you promoted.

I've found the following reasons in my past work experiences: The person who got the promotion was racially diverse(not white, not male). He/she was really good friends with the boss or attractive to the boss. He/she is just a more fun person to hang out with and play fantasy football with. It all boils down to relationships and that "soft skills" bullshit. I'd be great if the people with the best work ethic and actual skills would be promoted once in a while.

You don't have to sit with your manager after you were toiling for years for that promotion and you got passed over. If they didn't see your work, it means that they close their eyes intentionally. Move on. They don't deserve you. It's all politics.

What really blows my mind is after putting your all in your work neglecting family time. They can still feel you not suitable. Then what advice are we given, see where you went wrong and improve. Meaning work even harder. Yet other people work less and get promoted. I personally think that never put your all in your work and you might actually get promoted.😁

You cannot win when your face doesn`t fit. Doesn`t matter if you work harder than anyone else. If your work ethic is better than those who "Can`t be arsed". If you have ideas that will improve efficiency and save money. If you are the only one who can transition the many factions at work. If your management team are rotten to the core the best option is to just leave. Human Resources are just the same, running their little departments like their own private fiefdoms, promoting friends and family in a culture of Sycophantism and Cronyism. When good workers are kept in place because they do a good job, the ones getting promoted tend to be the bad workers who after a time, become the management.

Ive been on both sides of the fence and the boss will give it to the one they connect most with, regardless of who's best

it was based off of subjective criteria which means the person who fed her office gossip got promoted, and not based off of facts. And everyone who got the promotion were under 40. I'm over 40. Hmmm... and I did ask my manager for examples and she had NONE.

If your company isn't totally brain dead, they should come to you let you know what you can do. Ideally, at the time they tell you that someone else got the promotion. If they don't let you know and you find out with everyone else, they don't care and it is time to move. They should be professionals and not make you beg for information.

This, and articles on the same issue, act as if there are always valid reasons why someone didn't get the promotion. Valid in terms of it just being about needing to develop skills or get more training to make you a more suitable candidate in future. What if they really need you to stay stuck in the same position because that's the only way the real work is going to get done? What if the other person is a pushover and they want someone they can control or who won't stand up their BS demands? What if that person has worked with, or knows, the people making the choice and it's the personal relationship that gets them job? If you think you can do better, and you aren't stuck for some reason (eg family) then consider your options and move on. You might find that, amazingly, when you're ready to tell them to stick their job that suddenly other options - pay, promotions, etc. - are now possible. If they don't fight to keep you .. aren't you better off anyway?

Not reacting negatively is so important! It's challenging but shows you're professional.