There are always opportunities for that promotion that will improve your life, get you a bigger salary, with more responsibilities. But you have been waiting for that promotion which doesn’t seem to be happening any time soon. Here are 10 reasons you are not promoted, along with solutions to help you get more responsibility, a higher salary, and the ability to directly supervise other employees.
Not any definite career goals
If you don’t have any definite career goals, it’s going to be difficult to climb up the career ladder. So take some time to recheck your skills, personality traits, and interests. Then draw up short-term and long-term career goals.
However, advancement in your career doesn’t necessarily mean a management role. So before you zero your mind on management, examine the role of a manager and determine if a leadership role excites you.
No grasp of your strengths and weaknesses
You’re likely to miss that promotion at your workplace if you don’t have a grasp of your strengths and weaknesses. This is because being aware of your strengths and weaknesses is a major part of career growth. Hence you should know how to make use of your strengths and improve the areas where you need development.
But if you’re having difficulty pinpointing your strengths and weaknesses, you may ask your manager, colleagues, or mentors for feedback. In the end, however, it’s your responsibility to identify areas for improvement and focus on them with professional development training.
Poor interpersonal skills
Building positive interpersonal communications at work will not only increase teamwork but also improve your chances of promotion. Furthermore, building relationships with other employees shows that you’re a likable worker who will make a strong leader. On the other hand, if your interpersonal relationship is poor, you are likely to be seen as an unpleasant person to work with, who adds toxicity to the work environment. So developing good relationships with other employees, and senior colleagues, demonstrates that you’re well-liked and suggests a strong leader. And when the opportunity opens up, these people can also support your promotion.
Indifferent to learning and development opportunities
Being nonchalant about learning and development opportunities won’t help your promotion prospects. Instead, aim to seek out new learning skills and industry trend development opportunities. Whether it’s through reading industry blogs, listening to Podcasts, attending seminars, or taking online training courses, continuous learning will put you in a position to offer new solutions or introduce new tools. All these development initiatives will help your team to be more productive or strategic in its practices.
Not keeping track of your wins
If you haven’t been listing your achievements, start now. For this reason, making the case for a promotion can be a lot easier when you include your wins. This list should also include positive feedback from clients or coworkers. Tracking your previous achievements highlights your wins for the organization, and a green tape to your boss that those victories would have been impossible without you. But limit yourself to three to five recent big wins.
Poor problem-solving ability
A leader must lead with solutions. But if you have poor problem-solving ability, you’re likely to struggle for your promotion. The reality is that the sign of a leader is the ability to solve the most persistent tasks facing the team. For example, if you introduce a new solution, you’re showcasing your business acumen. Likewise, you’re showing your capacity to steer the team in the right direction if given the opportunity to lead. Besides, by winning the trust of your team, the team is more likely to see you as a leader and respect you if you are promoted to manager.
Not carrying along your boss
If you don’t carry your boss along concerning growth opportunities at the organization, your boss might not even realize you’d like a promotion. So, talk to your boss. And be confident about taking on a bigger role. It will show your boss that you’re actively trying to improve, which will definitely get you noticed in a good way.
And if you’re lacking in certain areas, your boss can tell you where you need to improve to be considered for a promotion or a pay raise. This will give you an idea of changes that you need to make in your work and your behavior.
Another way to carry your boss along and keep the conversation going is to send an email recapping your discussion and then schedule a follow-up meeting. Don’t be put off since nobody put in more work in your promotion than you.
Negative or pessimistic attitude
A major part of leadership and getting promoted is to show how you overcome challenges and obstacles, by looking at the bigger picture of things and not getting too preoccupied by the negative. Hence, a negative and pessimistic attitude is one of the 10 reasons you are not promoted. Therefore, before you even think about getting a promotion, make sure you have the right attitude. This means dumping a negative mentality and being more positive and optimistic. For instance, bad attitudes include regularly showing up to work late, using vulgar language, often leaving work early, or taking too many sick days.
So, yes work can be stressful, but maintaining a positive mental attitude will not drag you down.
Careless dressing
You’ve probably heard the phrase “Dress for the job you want, not the job you have,” The way you dress definitely plays a part in how others form their first impressions of you. Similarly, this does the same when you’re looking to advance in your career.
If you work in a casual office, showing up in an expensive suit every day may not be the best option, but you can still dress to impress. Observe what your supervisor or those who work in your dream department wear and follow their lead. Dress appropriately for your work environment and find ways to incorporate your personality into your wardrobe, too.
Remember that messy or tacky dressing will impact negatively your self-confidence. But smart dressing is more likely to improve your self-confidence and in turn, impress your boss.
Zero leadership skills
According to Harvard Business Review, if you want to move up in your career, you have to “act, think, and communicate like a leader long before that promotion,” and doing so will ultimately make you more likely to get promoted.
So how can you improve your leadership capabilities from zero level? First, excel in your current role. Get your work done, and do it well. Second, from there, look for extra tasks, neglected business needs, and smaller leadership roles that aren’t being filled, and volunteer to take them on. Third, develop relationships with key persons in your workplace. Fourth, focus on what the organization needs and maintain some modesty.
Bottom line
If you have read the 10 reasons you are not promoted, but a promotion isn’t on the horizon. This might be due to a lack of budget for promotion, recent employee layoffs, or a boss who doesn’t value you. Regardless, consider alternatives that can provide the same outcomes you wanted from a promotion. For example, staying the course and revisiting in six months, finding a new job, or seeking another position within the organization that will give you more responsibility. Or find extra income through consultancy in a similar industry.
Photo credit: Creative Commons
Abiola is the founder of Indulge™ group of companies, a healthy-living focused group. A passionate believer in a healthy lifestyle, living in the United Kingdom made it easy for her to pursue a health and fitness regime. She is the Managing Director/CEO of Indulge Nigeria Limited and Indulge Cares Nigeria Limited, both companies promoting the benefits of a healthy lifestyle for the prevention of illnesses and diseases. Abiola is available on https://www.indulgeinhealthyliving.com/
