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I was offered a position in an area that interested me. It was below my career level but I was offered it with a very specific justification, which also made sense. We had a long discussion with the employer, during which I expressed that I was looking for a more advanced role.

We settled that I would accept the more junior role with worse conditions that those I was seeking, but "if everything goes fine" get promoted very quickly, within the first months. This was expressed explicitly during the discussion. There's nothing about it in my contract, since you don't mention such things in contracts in my country.

I've now started. I have the impression my manager thinks I will spend years on the current grade. Why do I think so? My manager encourages me to "experiment" with tasks and not feel pressured. Also, I don't think the projects which I'm about to take over offer me the opportunity to show what I can - my function will be more junior than what I did before.

What is the right time and way to approach the topic of promotion? I don't want to come over as delusional, given I've just started, but I accepted the position believing it was temporary and a way for me to show what I can and I'm stressed that it doesn't look like it.

user4120WEt6
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  • Do you expect promotion to happen in days? 6 months more likely, but maybe they will like you where you are... – Solar Mike Aug 07 '19 at 07:39
  • @SolarMike, obviously I don't expect it to happen in days. But during the discussion before starting I was told to show what I can during the first months. If I take over very easy projects, it will be impossible for me to show it. And projects last months and years at the company. I was thinking about 6 months actually. I won't be able to stay at the company at the current grade for more than let's say a year since the conditions aren't good enough. – user4120WEt6 Aug 07 '19 at 07:40
  • Then bring it up with your boss. Either he is OK with giving you the promotion that you discussed and you get what you wanted, or he is NOT OK with the promotion, in which case you'd rather find out sooner instead of wasting a few years in a junior position you don't want. Bring up your concerns in a calm manner. – Stun Brick Aug 07 '19 at 07:46
  • @StunBrick - copy and paste that into an answer and you have my vote :) – P. Hopkinson Aug 07 '19 at 08:11
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    Possible duplicate of How soon is it OK to ask for a raise at a new job? – gnat Aug 07 '19 at 08:23
  • The time frame you consider reasonable may be way off from the employers plans. Best to just set up an informal 1-1 meeting with your manager and raise the discussion you had with them about promotion opportunities at the hire stage. Try to word it in a positive way for you and the company and don't make it sound like you're just pushing for more money. – KippleKat Aug 07 '19 at 10:33
  • @P.Hopkinson done :) – Stun Brick Aug 07 '19 at 12:44
  • @Joe Strazzere, we did talk about 6 months. We didn't "agree on" anything in writing. It was said that I would enter at a lower grate and could be promoted at the first opportunity - i.e.in 6 months. – user4120WEt6 Aug 08 '19 at 08:42
  • No, @JoeStrazzere, I wrote: " we did talk about 6 months". But why does it even matter? People tend to forget or mis-remember what they said and there's nothing in writing. – user4120WEt6 Aug 08 '19 at 15:26

4 Answers4

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I would go down the route of;

I applied for a more senior role, and was told that as long as I proved capable within the first few months I would be quickly promoted, can I please have some feedback on how you think I am doing and if there is anything I need to focus on specifically to help obtain the senior position as discussed

:)

AdamT
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I think that you made a blunder by trusting an promise without any kind of written statements to back that up. They can simply bow out of these promises and string you along. Making promises about promotions seems extremely risky to me, since they don't even know how good you actually are.

Why do I think so? My manager encourages me to "experiment" with tasks and not feel pressured.

Give them time to access your skillset. This ties into my previous statement, why should your boss promote you without some proof of your competency?

If i was in your position, i would access if i like the workplace and the current tasks enough, so i could work on them for 6 months and discuss my results with the boss with the intention of getting a promotion. The outcome would dictate if i stay or leave.

There's nothing about it in my contract, since you don't mention such things in contracts in my country.

Furthermore, it may help us, if you could state where you're located for this kind of question, if you want more specific answers regarding laws or regulations which may apply here.

Killerkarnickel
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  • I was in a similar position as the OP and in my experience, sadly you're correct. +1 – Crosbonaught Aug 07 '19 at 15:02
  • I disagree, time is the worst that OP can give to his boss, 3 months would be maximum time-frame for uncertain situation like this. Lower pay/responsibility grade is a carrier blunder. 3 months can be easily justified as project consulting and be ignored for future salary / responsibility negotiations – Strader Aug 07 '19 at 15:16
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Then bring it up with your boss. Either he is OK with giving you the promotion that you discussed and you get what you wanted, or he is NOT OK with the promotion, in which case you'd rather find out sooner instead of wasting a few years in a junior position you don't want. Bring up your concerns in a calm manner.

Stun Brick
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IMHO, it depends on your current financial state, Can you turn around and leave in case your discussion will go wrong?

In any event, i would talk to boss as soon as i have the change, mentioning exactly what you mentioned, that new project even lower on the grade that you started with and promotion plans.

Location can also play a role, some places will not move until you mention the issue, keeping the status quo for as long as possible.

Good luck, keep us posted

Strader
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