update from the reader whose manager wouldn’t let him take an internal promotion

We’re getting to the end of the “where are they now” updates from this year. There are just a few more coming.

Remember the reader whose manager wouldn’t let him take an internal promotion? Here’s his update:

I finally sent a follow-up email with all of the previous (few weeks of no response) emails to HR, and the bosses. After a day of silence and a weekend, I received a call the next Monday from the director, who said, “What can we do to keep you, we screwed up and your management didn’t handle this very well.”

The next day I was informed I would be allowed to take the job with a 2-month transition period.

I have been in my new position for a while now and feel like I’m in a great position. No one really even remembers the whole incident. I guess its more of a game of negotiations, what can we get away with. My new manager tells me I’m an asset to his team (he might tell everyone that) and I still help other teams with difficulties in their jobs. My old manager told me just the other day that it was the right move for my career.

Taking the risk to confront the management on their decision was difficult as I didn’t want to be labeled as I have heard people talk about at other jobs. It was probably one of my best career decisions and I’ll be better positioned for my future. Thank you to all who posted, even though some of it wasn’t very positive, i.e. “that’s how it works, there is nothing you can do.” I feel like the only thing you can’t do is what you tell yourself you can’t do. It may not happen this time or at this place, but accepting someone else defining my future is not something I can live with.

Thank you for your great site. It helped me challenge my position and move in the right direction!

{ 6 comments… read them below }

  1. Sarah G*

    That’s great that you were assertive and got such positive results! That also must mean you handled the situation professionally and with decorum.

  2. anon-2*

    Good for you! Stuff like that, where senior management expresses concern for order and fairness, usually only happens in the movies.

    I was in a place like that once — there was a woman who had applied for another position within the company.

    Her manager and director were both out on vacation. HR advised, that the “permission” process was more of a courtesy, go for the interview anyway, see what transpires.

    She was the leading candidate. The (new) manager was going to offer her the position but had to wait for her current boss to get back.

    When the new boss got back, it was “YOU CAN’T GO! No, your performance hasn’t warranted promotion, and, uh, uh, you’re on probation and CAN’T move.”

    HUH? “We were going to put you on probation retroactively when I got back.” Yeah, sure, that’s the ticket. Uh huh!

    Finally, she went back to HR. A meeting was called with her current manager and HR. And she declared — “I’m either going to the new position or I’m outa here. And I must have your decision NOW.” She also said that she’d like to handle this peaceably, because the “retroactive probation” is legally questionable, and that if it’s in her personnel file, it MUST be expunged immediately (it wasn’t in there, it was a bad bluff).

    Like the manager above — there was a screw-up, and they admitted the mistake and she moved on to her new position in the company.

  3. vee*

    The idiots who told you tough noogies that’s how it is have failed epicallly (sp?) at two of life’s most critical lessons..first there is no one and I mean no one in charge down here and if you think there is you are naive, gullible or stupid. Anyone tells you otherwise is a bald faced liar. Second, no one gets out of life alive. Ever. You make your own reality in this life or life will make reality FOR you. “You can take anything you want just better not take it from me.” Took me 47 years to figure that out. You are welcome.

  4. Sarah*

    The same thing has happened to me. I keep being told how much my manager doesnot want to lose me, but when I asked for a promotion I get very little generic feedback. He looks at the computer not me when he talks to me about it in general terms. I text one time about how excited I was to learn all I can and was told that I was bitching. I work multiple jobs and could use the $.

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