What would you do if a promotion at your job started feeling like a dangling carrot?

Well, this man immediately took action and started looking for a new job.

Let’s read the whole story and see how it paid off.

Director told me I had to prove myself for a promotion. So I proved myself to another company for a 25% base pay increase and double the bonus %

So 8+ years ago I used to work as a business analyst for a large multinational construction materials company.

I was a good employee. They were a great employer.

I had been given two promotions in my time there and been moved to several domains in the IT department. I learned a lot.

A role came up to be a Sr. Business Analyst within a new domain and for various reasons I was denied the promotion.

Not a big deal. I understood the reasons. I really did. I wasn’t bitter.

But he knew his worth.

A more deserving external candidate 100% got the position. I was still given the opportunity to work in that domain. Great learning opportunity.

A few successful projects later in the new domain I asked if I could organically be promoted to a Sr. Business Analyst.

And by successful delivery I mean my business partner going to another director in IT, who had a stake in that domain “where has he been all of my life,” so I had definitely done good, if not great.

He asked for the promotion again.

My manager spoke with my Director and the response was “well, he needs to prove himself”.

I had to laugh. Don’t get me wrong again. My director was a great guy.

He after all did promote me twice and gave me the opportunity to learn all these various new domains of the business. Nothing against him.

The explanation just ******* me off.

I would’ve been satisfied with “there’s no budget this year” or “I don’t think I’ll get approval for an in place promotion”.

HR was one of the domains I supported, so I know how things go.

And it was time to go.

So I kept learning the new domain and started applying for various jobs outside the company. Took a few months but one role finally clicked.

Current Job: $88k + 15% bonus paid annually

New Job: $110k + 30% bonus paid quarterly

Director wanted me to prove myself.

I just proved my worth to another company.

Got a $22k raise on my base and doubled my bonus percentage.

They were blindsided.

My manager then comes and asks me “so was there anything we could’ve done to keep you, like make you a Sr.?”

“Well I only started looking because they said no to being promoted. Otherwise, I was and still am happy here. The money is hard to turn down though.”

In hindsight, I am glad they denied me the promotion.

I would’ve never left that company otherwise and not been on my current career trajectory.

He knew his worth and didn’t give up asking for what he knew he deserved.

Let’s see how Reddit reacted to this story.

Exactly.

Good point.

This person breaks it down.

Funny how that happens.

Another commenter chimes in.

Yup!

It’s funny how they asked what they could’ve done to keep him.

How tone deaf can someone be?

If you liked that post, check out this post about a woman who tracked down a contractor who tried to vanish without a trace.