I have written about the idea of earning or being offered a promotion that you do not want.
To put things into perspective, here are two articles I’ve written on the topic:
The reason I have been investigating the topic more and more is because I have been experiencing it more than I ever had in my previous employment experiences. That’s not to say I was a terrible worker; most, if not all, of the positions I previously held either had no career ladder, the organizations those jobs were in had no vacancies or there was never a position created that would have been considered a “step up”.
In my current position, I have applied and interviewed for a few positions at the corporate office to no avail. But this year alone, promotions and transfers have seemed like commonplace, and the issue of saying “no thank you” to a promotion came up when my store manager learned that he was to being promoted to a store he didn’t want to manage, informing me that saying no would be “career suicide”.
This year, despite my best efforts, I was faced with the possible promotion opportunity at the store that I didn’t want…twice.
Nothing has happened yet, but I can at least offer my approach towards embracing a promotion that I don’t want.
Why wouldn’t you want a promotion?
A promotion at work is commonly seen as a very positive achievement, a reward for a job well done. It usually means a step up within the company, opening the door a little wider to new opportunities, and could be the best move for your career. However, despite the positives, there is always some sort of negative.
Perhaps the timing for taking on more responsibilities simply isn’t right, or you prefer your current position. You may even be looking elsewhere and simply do not want to commit as you are trying to find something else. Maybe you have a special connection with the team that a promotion may threaten, or you may feel that you are not qualified for the role. Perhaps, in the case of my old boss, it adds an expense via wear and tear of you vehicle due to the longer commute (the raise helped offset this), taking precious time away from your family.
Whatever the reason may be, you are certainly not required to accept a promotion when offered. Though, depending on the employer or manager, there could be repercussions for not doing so, or you may regret it yourself later on as missing out on a chance to move up.
Whatever the case, here is how I approached a promotional offer I didn’t want:
Listen to the supervisors and ask questions
Sitting down and actually speaking with the supervisors about the role will give you an opportunity to make any hopes or concerns of yours known, while also allowing you to hear what they say about your qualifications and the position. Make sure that they understand and acknowledge what your ambitions, goals and concerns are, whether in the position with the company or any role you’re aiming for outside of it.
Read through the job description
Reading the description allows you to line up your own qualifications with the what the position is expected to do. Some details may seem daunting, but you may also see that many of the requirements and responsibilities of the new role are right up your ally, or that you may have been performing a chunk of the position’s responsibilities already.
Seek opinions from your colleagues inside and outside of work
Personally, I’ve been very blessed to be part of a team that not only sees my qualities, but also understands my concerns. They have my back and my best interests at heart no matter what. Having a team like that and getting their opinion–regardless of bias–is incredibly important.
Even more important, though, is the opinion and feedback from the most important people your life: in my case, that is my wife, my family, my closest friends who have watched me go through the hunt. These people in your life will be more attentive to your concerns or considerations, and will more likely be unbias in their opinion.
Consider the circumstances surrounding the offer, if any
Always consider how the opportunity is coming to light, because it might not be in the best of circumstances. People come and go: they get promoted to a new position, transfer to another department or location, or leave for another company. But another possibility is the company working towards the removal or demotion of the employee currently occupying that position for one reason or other. Perhaps that worker has become complacent, or has consistently not met the expected standards to perform the duties of the position. Even worse, some employers will work towards removal of employee simply because they are not wanted in that position or setting anymore. This is an unfortunate reality: if a company does not want you anymore, they will find ways towards legally removing you or you resigning all on your own.
Be sure to consider the circumstances in their entirety before making a decision.
Conclusion
There really is not that much of a conclusion. The process is still ongoing with a transitional deadline of, well, very soon. I have already begun the extra required training, while at the same time waiting to hear back from another organization that felt compelled to interview me during this crucial situation.
All in all, the best outcome that can come out of this is that, in the end–whether its the promotion or the other job– I will have the opportunity to build upon my career with some credible experience, hopefully en route towards a return to that career I have been fighting towards for what seems like an eternity, while keeping my family sheltered and healthy because, not matter what, that is the most important thing about employment.
Eric Kambach 