I cannot get promoted internally or externally

[Anonymous]

I am really frustrated. This is year 8 now of being a director and I cannot seem to break out. I applied externally and the offer came back to a "demotion" saying I should come in as a lateral and then re evaluate after a year.

I dont want to make a move for a lateral.
Or am I being silly?
Anyone else struggling?

[Anonymous]

That seems standard to me. Why would someone give you a higher position you don’t have a proven track record at. A good shot is worth it if you’re betting on yourself.

[Anonymous]

You want a VP position?

[Anonymous]

Maybe you have a bad personality? How are those that do get promoted? Are you playing the internal politics game? It’s not enough to do your job, you know.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That seems standard to me. Why would someone give you a higher position you don’t have a proven track record at. A good shot is worth it if you’re betting on yourself.

Thank you! This is the feedback I am looking for. Is it really standard to advertise for a VP role, and then make the offer for a lower role? It just feels like Im being screwed but maybe I am just not familiar as an outside candidate

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You want a VP position?

Yes

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Maybe you have a bad personality? How are those that do get promoted? Are you playing the internal politics game? It’s not enough to do your job, you know.

Doing my best. I dont play golf or tennis but I volunteer a lot and serve as mentor to 3 other directors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Maybe you have a bad personality? How are those that do get promoted? Are you playing the internal politics game? It’s not enough to do your job, you know.

This is stupid, OP is already a director. I am willing to bet it's just... luck. I know people that get stuck in middle management because there simply are no openings. It's impossible to go up sometimes.

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't move for a lateral and the fact that they demoted the offer should have you evaluating your impact/how you seem in interviews. I have a friend who moved for a lateral and she still hasn't been promoted to VP in her new org after two years.

[Anonymous]

When you were offered a lateral position externally, that is an indication that you were not perceived as fully qualified for a VP level role yet. They were willing to give you a chance to prove yourself, but they were not making you any promises. A different, possibly smaller, employer might have been willing to offer you a VP role directly, or possibly not - it all depends on the alignment between your accomplishments and qualifications and the criteria established for the vacancy.

But, use caution in focusing exclusively on the title, instead of on the overall compensation package and on growth potential. It's possibly to be a Director and be much more highly compensated than a VP elsewhere.

If you're being passed over where you are, then that employer may not be where you'll ever get promoted (analyze the feedback you received after your unsuccessful applications) and it's possible that you won't have such a ceiling elsewhere even if you start our as a Director instead of as a VP. In such a case, moving laterally to a new employer offering you more future growth potential may be the smart, if intermediate, move.

[Anonymous]

Director is kinda of vague description.

Both wife and I have director titles. She has a much more hands on stressful, always on call, structured lower paying job.

Though my title is Director it is more akin to a VP role. More strategy, minimal direct interaction with other workers or customers outside of vey large corporate clients. And I make 7X with unlimited vacation.