Making the Best of a Missed Promotion

Computerworld - The most successful IT professionals are always mindful of their next step forward. With hard work and measurable results, you can position yourself as the obvious choice the next time a promotion opens up. But when that promotion does become available -- and is offered to someone else -- it can be hard to know how to respond.

Getting passed over for a promotion may not carry the same sting as being laid off, but it can definitely throw your career off track. By following a few important steps, you can turn this minor setback into a new start toward a more satisfying career.

Take a breather

First, take some time to digest what happened. Your instinctive response might be to lash out against your boss or the person who got the job -- two people you'll probably be working closely with. If you feel you must express your anger and frustration, vent to someone outside of work.

It might help to discuss the matter with members of your professional network, who may have experienced similar setbacks and be in a position to provide suggestions for overcoming it.

Don't assume the worst

A missed promotion isn't a summary judgment about you as an employee or a person. Pull out a current version of your resume to remind yourself of ways you've benefited your employers.

A wide range of factors, many of which may be out of your control, can influence promotion decisions. For example, the other candidate might have experience you don't know about, making her more qualified for the role. Your boss might not even have been aware that you wanted the promotion. Or there might be a political factor you're not aware of; another candidate may have already been promised the role, for instance.

Then, ask yourself why you wanted the promotion. By listing the reasons, you'll gain a clearer sense of why -- and maybe even whether -- the promotion was right for you. The answers will help you separate the personal disappointment of the decision from its professional ramifications.

Get the facts

Once you've gotten over the initial hurt, it's time to start assessing why you didn't get the promotion.

This step can be difficult, but it's essential. Set up a meeting with your boss (or the person responsible for the promotion) to ask for an honest explanation of the decision. Were you close to receiving the promotion? What were the deciding factors?

One element that's commonly overlooked by IT professionals is the role of soft skills such as leadership and interpersonal communication. Especially if the position you wanted involves managing people, less-than-stellar soft skills may have played a larger role than you realize.