Answering this question when I don’t know you or your circumstances is dangerous. You may think I am presumptuous. And when I give you my answer, you may even get mad. After all, who am I to make that judgment? But if you want to know why you didn’t get promoted, hear me out.
People give lots of reasons for not getting the next job up the ladder. In most cases, they believe an injustice was done. I’ve been there. But here’s the bottom line. You didn’t get promoted because you didn’t convince the promoter that you deserved it more than the other person who did get promoted.
Think about it. Convince your boss that you deserve a position more than anyone else, and you will get the job. I’m not saying that your boss values the same things that you value. What you two think makes you deserving may not be the same. But in the end, what your boss values is all that matters when it comes to getting promoted.
How to Get Promoted
So, if you want to get promoted, here’s what you must do.
- Figure out what your boss values. What metrics is he using to measure merit between you and the others after that promotion?
- If you can live with those metrics, do everything you can to exceed them even if you aren’t getting paid to.
- If you can’t live with them, then be happy with your position or go find a different job with a boss whose values are more in line with yours.
Here’s one last thought. If you’re boss values a person who will do things beyond her job description, do them, even if you aren’t getting paid to do them. In my experience, when I get a promotion, it’s because I was already doing the work when the opportunity came my way. It was a no-brainer for my boss, especially when I did the work without complaining.