What should I do if I was recommended for promotion by my direct manager but higher up turned it down for no legitimate reason [closed]

Question

I’ve been working at a large financial institution for three years. About half years ago, one of our team members left the team and my direct manager came to me and wanted me to take on his responsibilities and said it would open up for opportunities for promotion. Although it means a lot more work but I took it in the hope that I would be promoted soon. I have been able to accomplish the work with minimal mistakes. So recently my direct manager told me that I was going to be promoted soon due to satisfaction towards my performance and the departure of another senior manager. But a few days later, the Director talked to me and said it was not a promotion, but instead a new hire in place of the departing senior manager. That means I still need to go through interviews and compete with other candidates. Because I was so swamped at that time by some health conditions, I told him that I would forego this “promotion” and wait for a future opportunity. So he just promoted another coworker from the team (I’m not sure if he really went through interviews.) About a month after, my manager came to again about promoting me. I said yes this time because I am afraid another opportunity wouldn’t open up any time sooner. I talked to the director and he approved my performance and was ready to recommend me for promotion to the senior management. But surprisingly, two days later the director came back and told me that the VP didn’t approve. He cited the reason being that it is too close from the last time I turned down a “promotion”. And he stressed that my performance is already there so it was not about it.

I was satisfied where I was but I became really upset about my manager teasing me with promotion twice but neither of them materialized. Should I just swallow it or fight back? If later, what should I do to get promoted?

Correction: I shouldn’t say for no reason in the title. What I truly mean is for no legitimate reason. Technically I didn’t turn down a promotion in the first time because it wasn’t a promotion at all. The director said it was an open hire and the job would be posted publicly and I needed to compete with other candidates.

Answer 1

Try and get an appointment with the VP and try to convince him that you did have a genuine reason to turn down the promotion the first time (your health conditions), and it wasn't anything else other than that. After you voluntarily turned down the promotion the first time, perhaps management fears you are not a go getter and have doubts about your own ability. It is up to you to dispel these doubts, and sell yourself and your abilities - highlight all the responsibilities you took over from your manager, the challenges you faced, and how you managed everything. The VP may only be judging you from what others tell him about you. But meeting you personally could change the VP's mind about his earlier impression.

If you still don't get the promotion, start looking for another job because it is unlikely you will be promoted anytime soon.

Answer 2

higher up turned it down for no reason

I told him that I would forego this “promotion”

[...]

He cited the reason being that it is too close from the last time I turned down a “promotion”

Clearly, there is a reason here. It's pretty clear what you need to do to get promoted is not say "no" when one is offered.

None of this is to say I agree with the decisions that have been taken, but the way forward in your current company is obvious.

With respect to your edits: you can argue as much as you like about whether in your opinion it was a promotion or not, whether your coworker went through the same process or anything else but it doesn't matter, and honestly makes you look unprofessional. This is the way your company works and you have to fit into that framework.

Answer 3

I told him that I would forego this “promotion”

You gave up the first promotion and were given a reason for not getting the second. This is all a follow on from your actions.

Many companies have protocols on new positions that mean they need to interview a certain amount of candidates. But it's common enough that they already know who will get the job they're just going through the motions to satisfy their own requirements.

If you really want this second promotion badly enough then go get it. Tell your bosses that their reason is unacceptable to you and be prepared to leave over it.

Answer 4

Read your own statement. "and said it would open up for opportunities for promotion"

That's what they gave you - "opportunities", i.e. a chance to interview. If you're telling us exactly what happened, your boss didn't tease you as you believe. It would appear that you jumped to conclusions, absorbed the extra work and didn't leave yourself anything to negotiate with. You may have not asked for specific details at the time on the specific benefit you'd receive for taking on more responsibilities. Since you were willing to do the work with zero-zip-nada-nothing promised from your boss or upper management, they've both put you into the 'gullible employee' box. You've effectively killed any future chances of official promotion because (a) you're already doing the work for free and (b) it would be very challenging to step backward now and refuse to do the extra work.

If you value yourself, you'll find another job and be careful not to do this to yourself again.

Best of luck.