Being passed over for a promotion or applying to many jobs without an interview could mean that the promotion or the jobs are beyond reasonable expectations for the employee’s level of experience or education. Of course, it is possible for some employees to jump substantially up the career ladder in one step but isn’t common place.
Years of Experience
If the position that an employee is striving for requires more than two years of experience over what they currently have, it could be a reason that they are not being considered for the position. If they work in an industry or role where there is a surplus of candidates or few openings in the field, their lack of experience will not compete with candidates who have a more than the number of years required in the posting. The current economic slump can lead to career stagnation. One solution to this problem is for employees to volunteer outside of their job in a similar role to gain the experience necessary.
Amount of Supervisory Experience
If an employee has never worked in a supervisory role, they may be experiencing a catch 22, i.e. that their lack of experience as a supervisor means they aren’t being considered for a supervisory role. A solution to this problem is for employees to either look for opportunities to lead project teams within their current company/organization or to volunteer outside the company in a supervisory capacity. Often festivals and other events run by non-profit agencies require supervisors.
Reporting Relationships
If an employee has reported to a manager, and the position(s) they are striving for reports directly to a senior executive such as a senior vice president or CEO, they may find their experience may be seen as too junior as typically those that report to managers require direction and direct supervision. Moving into a role that reports directly to upper management usually implies that an employee needs to be able to make strategic decisions and take full accountability for them. To solve this dilemma, employees can look for opportunities to stretch themselves and prove that they can solve big problems with a carefully thought out plan of action. Then, using self-promotion techniques, they can impress upper management with a clearly organized report that explains the plan.
Salary History
Sometimes if an employer is aware of an employee’s salary history and the new position means a substantial bump in pay (a rough estimate would be more than 10 or 20K for salaries below 60K), the knowledge of an employee’s salary history could work against them. A solution to this issue is for employees to seek a new position outside of their current company where there is a lower chance of that the employer will be aware of the salary discrepancy.
Realistic career expectations and strategies to improve any experience or educational gaps increases chances that career progression will happen. Employees set themselves up for success by remaining practical.
Related Article: Good Job Fit Profile
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