It’s that time of year when you may be hearing whether or not you got a promotion.  I’ve had a few people reach out after getting the news, which unfortunately, wasn’t positive. A couple of lessons learned here….

How you handle yourself is key when you get the news. This is the time to be professional. Take a deep breath and thank the person for letting you know. Later on, when you are calmer, it’s worth a conversation to understand why. A couple of questions you could ask:

• “Why do  you think I wasn’t promoted this year?”  Sometimes, it’s timing.  Sometimes, your candidacy isn’t well supported. It’s important to understand why. Your manager won’t get into the details, but he/she should be able to explain broadly.
• “Can you help me understand the process?”  Promotion processes are very rigorous and complex. At some firms, it depends on unanimous approval.  As you get more senior, you may be considered multiple years before your are finally promoted.  It’s useful to have the context…it’s rarely one person’s decision.
• “Is there anything I should have done more of? Less of?”  This is a great question to get to feedback which is more detailed and useful.
• “What do you think my prospects are for next year?”  If your manager exhibits strong commitment to next year’s process, that’s a good sign.
• “What do we need to do together to make sure my candidacy is as strong as possible for next year’s process?”  This is a good opportunity to brainstorm: do you need to be on a committee to raise your profile?  Do you need to step back and groom your directs to take on more leadership roles?  

Not getting promoted when you’re in pipeline feels terrible. You will see other people getting promoted and think “why not me?”  You’ll entertain thoughts of leaving. You will not want to come into work.  All of these feelings are completely understandable. The key here is to listen to the feedback, decide if it’s fair, and think about what you want to do next.