Confused Engineer 1

[Whinycat2011]

I am trying to understand the issue with my career advancement in my present company.Please kindly excuse my lengthy writing here.

I am a Electrical engineer with a MS and 10 years exp. I am currently with a company for 4.5 years. I have been asking for promotion to next level (Level 3) for about 1.5 years now but my manager has not promoted me yet. After I have made the formal request for the promotion (1.5 years ago), I have been working on more tougher assignments and making promised progress on time. In this 1.5 year time frame, I have completed two major new product development assigments which my manager is impressed about (I hope so from his feedback). I got a 4.0 rating for last year. Even though my manager is well aware of all this, I still dont get a sense that I will be promoted.

In a effort to understand why I am not being promoted, I bring this topic up during formal evaluations and many one-on-one meetings. During those conversations, I ask my manager is there anything I need to improve inorder to be promoted. He says I am doing great and there is nothing wrong in my part but just "implies" me to be patient. One time, he mentioned that me asking many times is not working towards my benefit. Another time, he said that if I go to another company, I may be promoted but not here. This was about 6months ago. I was pretty upset hearing it. After that I have kept quiet about asking except kept him informed of the progress I am making in my projects. Recently, during my mid year review, when I again expected that I will be promoted (but obviously not), I asked him why but never got any proper reasoning form him except he mentioned that he will "try" getting me promoted in the next cycle (which means this year end) but he also mentioned "don't hold me to it".

So I am wondering,

1. Is it usual for companies/managers to delay the promotion even after 1.5 years after request even though they say I am doing great. In my mind, either they would promote the indivudual if they think he is ready when he requested or give him goals to achieve (to test if he is ready) before being promoted. Am I right? I got niether of the above so I am really confused.
2. Do you think my manager has intentions to promote me or is he just using this "career advancement interest" of mine to get me to do above and beyond my yearly goals.
2. Should I exit this whole "exceed expectaion, wait &see , get disappointed" game and start looking for opputunities outside the company. In other words, am I wasting my time with this present company?

 

[SLTA]

It sounds like your handle says it all... exactly how many times have you brought this up? When my kids hound me for something, I'm SO MUCH less likely to do what they ask. It could very well be there are political reasons above your manager for why you aren't being promoted, and your constantly bringing this up is like pouring lemon juice on a paper cut.

Sounds like you should take a deep breath, keep your nose to the good ol' grindstone, and stop bugging your boss. In the meantime, go right ahead and look for another job.

 

[MikeHalloran]

>>>if I go to another company, I may be promoted but not here.<<<

You got an answer.



Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA

 

[MiketheEngineer]

Maybe there is no where to promote you to.... except his job and you aren't getting that!! If you just want a raise - show them what you have done and ask for it.

You might wish to explore outside opportunities. That is how I most often got promoted and MUCH better paid.

And the "squeaky" wheel doesn't always get greased - it sometimes gets replaced!!

 

[KENAT]

1. Yes. Despite what the bible says in context or our relationship with God, in the workplace just because you ask does not necessarily mean you shall receive. All kinds of things may have changed that you aren't aware of, or he could just be blowing smoke, who knows. As others say maybe they just don't have a position/budget. You're obviously annoying him by keep asking so either shut up for a year or so until your next big eval, do something so fabulous they can't avoid promoting you (hey, I'm an optimist) or else vote with your feet.

2. Possibly, you're the one that more or less knows him - what's the scuttlebutt, not that I condone gossiping etc. but sometimes the rumor mill aint all wrong.

3. Look elsewhere - probably. Wasting time, who knows, are you getting a decent pay check, are you learning stuff, do you enjoy your actual work...

I got less than a 4.0 (out of 4.0) this year but it got me a 10% raise, and possibly indirectly, a bunch more responsibility. Throwing numbers our without contextual information is meaningless.

Posting guidelines faq731-376

http://eng-tips.com/market.cfm?

(probably not aimed specifically at you)
What is Engineering anyway: faq1088-1484​

 

[zdas04]

Are you happy with your salary? If yes, then shut up, the promotion is just keeping score. Would a promotion make any difference in your job responsibilities (I got 6 promotions while I worked for a big company and not a single one coincided with an increase in either responsibility or authority)? If not, then you are just keeping score and really should stop whining.

Keeping score is "important" in a sporting contest but it is really counter productive in real life.

David

 

[lacajun]

Gee whiz, I wish getting promoted was as easy as simply requesting it. That's not how it really works, from my experience.

I agree with MikeHalloran. I think he's given you the same answer three times.

1. Asking too many times is not benefitting you.
2. May get promoted at another company.
3. Don't hold me to it.

It is degrading to beg so don't beg. You have two options:

1. Content yourself where you are
2. Find a job with another company that would be a promotion

When you give notice, you'll know how important you are to them. They'll either ask you to stay and negotiate to retain you or they'll wish you luck.

Pamela K. Quillin, P.E.
Quillin Engineering, LLC

 

[controlnovice]

I'm seeing it more and more....

With the introduction of codling and making sure no kid's feelings are hurt in our schools by giving rewards to everyone instead of those that actually are achieving, graduates are expecting to be promoted much quicker now-a-days, than say, 20-30 years ago.

Put in your time, do a good...no, great job at it, and you will be rewarded.

If you just want a raise, go to a different company.

______________________________________________________________________________
This is normally the space where people post something insightful.

 

[mechengdude]

My thoughts/answers to your questions.

1. Yes it is usual for companies/Managers to tell you they are gonna promote you and then not promote you. Don't feel bad. It's not you it goes on everywhere. Consider your Manager MAY get a bonus based on his budget/expeditures so keeping you on board and paying you as little as he can is in his best interest.
2. See response to #1
3. Hard to say. What do you want? Are you looking to get a new Title? A raise? Challeanging work or all of the above?

Speaking just for me. I had a similar experience early in my career. My issue was I wanted more money. Short answer was "not gonna happen, you ain't that special". I got another job and get paid more than I thought possible. Best move I ever made.

Good luck.

 

[TED7]

If you're trying hard and being exceptionally good at your job, it may be that your manager doesn't want to promote you because that may mean they have to find someone else to do your job and that brings in an uncertainty. Managers don't do uncertainty.

I once worked in fast food in a past life, the customer facing roles were considered the entry point, packing a step up and cooking the top short of management. I was purposefully bad at 'people' but generally diligent and professional (yes some people take working in fast food seriously), it wasn't long before I was moved into what was perceived a better job. Some of the people who tried really hard on customer related positions ended up stuck there because they were good at it. They couldn't work out what they were doing wrong

Getting a promotion is a balancing act between being valuable but not irreplaceable.

Designer of machine tools - user of modified screws

 

[Twoballcane]

If you did the best you can to promote yourself and what you have done and your manager is in agreement, but still did not get the promotion, then the control is out of yours and your mangers hands. There is somebody else who signs off on your promotion and you will have to find out who that person is and try to persuade / influence that person. This is where networking comes in. You have to go beyond your boss’s level and play nice with the higher ups. If they can connect your name and face to the promotion, the easier then to sign off for the promotion. Depending on how big the company is, signing off for a promotion may be a level higher than your boss. Or, your boss is so low on the totem pole, that he does not have the pull to get you the promotion. Aside from this, it could also be just a promotion freez at the moment due to the economy. For each promotion, there is at least a 10% and more in salary boost may be your company can’t afford.

Tobalcane
"If you avoid failure, you also avoid success."
“Luck is where preparation meets opportunity”

 

[Murec]

What do youmean by promotion? Is it moving higher up the totem pole, becoming a manager of other engineers or just a salary increase?
I have been working for 25 years as an engineer, for more companies that I care to count. I make a decent salary now, although my title ("Mechanical engineer") and formal job description have hardly changed and the number of my subordinates is still zero. But guess what? I am happy this way as the level and complexity of the problems I am solving has gone up proportional to the salary.

 

[pmover]

"I am trying to understand the issue with my career advancement in my present company."

sorry sparky whineycat2011, we cannot help you understand your situation . . . only you can do that.

suggest you focus on the matter that matters most (usually right in front of you) and be honest with yourself/others (my wife's suggestion).

good luck!
-pmover

 

[msquared48]

Don't expect to see an orange in a bin of apples.

Mike McCann
MMC Engineering