Reasons for Fewer Promotions at Work

Throughout my career placing professionals across organizational levels, I've observed a counterintuitive pattern: the most productive employees often experience slower advancement than their more strategically visible counterparts.   This disconnect occurs because organizations promote based on perceived value rather than task completion volume.   The Visibility Gap: Most daily work remains invisible to decision-makers who determine advancement opportunities. Being exceptionally busy often signals poor prioritization rather than exceptional value.   Strategic Positioning Over Task Execution: Advancement requires demonstrating impact on organizational priorities rather than individual productivity metrics.   Cross-Functional Relationship Building: Promotion decisions often involve input from multiple stakeholders beyond immediate supervisors, making broader organizational visibility crucial.   Solution-Oriented Communication: Contributing meaningfully to strategic discussions and problem-solving initiatives creates more advancement opportunities than silent execution of assigned tasks.   The professionals who advance most rapidly understand that career growth requires intentional visibility management alongside excellent performance.   This doesn't diminish the importance of quality work, but recognizes that career advancement operates on different metrics than productivity optimization.   For those feeling stuck despite strong performance, the solution often lies in shifting focus from task completion to strategic contribution and ensuring that value creation is visible to advancement decision-makers.   What strategies have you found most effective for translating excellent work into career advancement opportunities?   Sign up to my newsletter for more corporate insights and truths here: https://lnkd.in/ei_uQjju   #deepalivyas #eliterecruiter #recruiter #recruitment #jobsearch #corporate #promotion #promotions #careeradvancement #careerstrategist

Software Engineers: "I shipped those 5 important projects this year, my promotion is guaranteed!" Also Software Engineers after annual reviews: "Damn it, what more do they want from me?!" One of the most painful moments in your career is being passed over for a promotion you thought was in the bag. Most promotions don’t just “happen.” They need a strategy. If you’re serious about leveling up, avoid these 3 mistakes that almost guarantee your promotion chances will be 0%. 1. Thinking Hard Work Is Enough Mistake: You assume that shipping projects, hitting deadlines, and getting solid reviews is enough to get promoted. Reality: Doing great work is expected at your current level. Promotion is about impact beyond your role. Example: You might’ve led a project, but did you mentor others or influence multiple teams? Did your work impact the company strategy? What to Do Instead: - Review your company’s leveling framework to understand the expectations for the next role. - Start demonstrating next-level behaviors—guide teams, set long-term technical direction, and show strategic thinking. 2. Focusing Only on the Next Level and Neglecting Your Current Job Mistake: You go all-in on trying to show higher-level work and let your current responsibilities slip. Reality: Promotions happen when you show you’re ready for the next level but are nailing your current role. Example: A senior engineer shifted focus to an org-wide strategy but stopped coding and handling operations. He thought he was doing what was needed until his reviews tanked because he wasn’t meeting current expectations. What to Do Instead: - Balance growth, don’t stop shipping code or leading meetings. - Gradually reduce current tasks while taking on next-level projects to avoid creating performance gaps. 3. Underestimating the Role of Your Manager Mistake: You think your work speaks for itself and your manager will naturally advocate for your promotion. Reality: Your manager is the gatekeeper. If they’re not aligned with your growth, your promotion might never happen. Example: I had a friend at Amazon whose manager missed the deadline to start his promotion process, twice. He wasted 6-12 months waiting when he could’ve moved to a better team earlier. What to Do Instead: - Communicate your promotion goals early with your manager and get feedback. - If your manager isn’t supportive, don’t wait. Look for a team with a better sponsor who’ll actively help you grow. Promotions are not rewards for hard work, they’re proof that you’re already operating at the next level. If you’re not getting promoted, it’s likely because: 1. You’re stuck at your current level’s mindset. 2. You’ve neglected your current responsibilities. 3. Your manager isn’t on your side. Fix these 3 mistakes and it goes a long way.

As an Amazon VP, I saw many people get promoted and many more fall behind. I realized there are two main reasons people get stuck. Here they are: 1. You aren’t considered. 2. You are considered but not selected. These are different. Here’s why they each happen and what you can do: 1. Not Considered. If you are not being considered, it could be because: → You are working hard and hoping to be noticed. You can't wait for someone to notice you. The higher the level, the more competition there is. Others may be doing a better job showcasing their impact. → You don’t have the necessary relationships. People promote those they trust, so even if your work is good, you may not have the relationships to support it. Go build them. You need to build good relationships and make sure you are recognized for your work in order to move up. 2. Considered but not selected. This could happen because: → You do "current role" work, not "next-level" work. Some people wait to be compensated for the next role before doing the next role’s work. This may be more “fair,” but it isn’t the way it works. Do the work and get recognized, then you will move up. → You have blindspots. Conduct an honest 360 feedback review from your manager, manager peers, skip, peers, and people who do not like you. Get (and face) the truth. This could be a blindspot in your work or in your personality. Your work may be fine, but if you are abrasive, judgmental, volatile, or too quiet, you will struggle to move up. Other reasons for career stagnation could be: → There are no available roles/needs at the next level. If this is the case, position yourself to be the person to inherit teams when there is downsizing. Create value by proposing new ideas and projects. Take on new challenges. → Your company expects broader skills at the next level. For example, you are a great product leader but at the VP level they want finance skills or some other qualification. Fill your gaps. → Unconscious bias. This does happen but it is also easy to blame even if it isn’t the real cause. First, look deeply at the reasons above that you can control. If you aren’t moving up, there is also always the option of leaving and going somewhere else. However, I don’t recommend this until you know the real root of the issue. You must identify and address the root cause of your stagnation, otherwise you will hit the same roadblocks in other jobs. If you honestly determine that you are being blocked by something outside of your control, then leaving is the best option. But, an honest self-assessment is key here. Want to know what it takes to get promoted to the executive level? My signature course, Stuck at Senior Manager: Breaking Through To Executive is part of a special sale for the top 100 courses on the Maven Platform. 20% off through tomorrow: https://lnkd.in/gJ-HgWdk Readers - Know someone struggling to get promoted? Send them this post.

5 Reasons You Are Not Getting Promoted As a data executive who has seen the BTS promotion and pay raise data at 5 large global organizations, I am here to tell you the harsh truth that no one else is telling you. 1. You are not seen as someone who is operating at the next level. You have to demonstrate in at least a project that you can handle the work and responsibility at the next level to be considered a potential candidate for promotion. 2. You are not easy to work with. You have a reputation of being very high maintenance or complain a lot or holds up decision-making process, etc. If you don’t know how you are really perceived by your colleagues, make time to gather this data soon. 3. Your manager doesn’t think you are ready. And you have no sponsors in the organization who are willing to fight for you. You will need your manager’s support for promotion decisions, and if you can’t get their support, then you’ll need more influencial leaders who sponsor and stand up for you. There’s lots of politics involved if you are going this route. The harsh truth is even if you have a sponsor and they do believe you should be promoted, it might be bad for their career to “fight” your manager’s decision. 4. No one even knows you want a promotion. Closed mouths don’t get fed. If you are the only who knows you want to be promoted, then you’ll have to wait for the miracle of someone reading your mind to happen. 5. You built your personal brand the “wrong” way. Your presence on LinkedIn looks great but it seems like you don’t enjoy working in your current role or company because you haven’t said anything about it… Harsh truth again, companies want to invest in employees who are happy and excited to show up to work, and if your content is all about toxic work place, for instance, your manager, HR, and even your sponsors might misunderstand your intent. As we celebrate our colleagues’ job change and promotions this month, if you are wondering when it’s your turn, make sure you are not making these mistakes. Data With Serena™️