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i love your channel, ballsy honesty. After 25 years as a teacher, can you suggest an easy online job to transfer to? I have been trying for year, to get a remote data entry job, but they all seem to be scams. I dont want to climb the corporate ladder, just a job to pay my bills. Thanks
@@Augfordpdoggie I don't offer advice for particular jobs - too much responsibility on me in case you hate it. I do provide a framework for choosing the right fit though.
So, I am currently, and really the market wage is the same, extremely suppressed, way too low, and a promotion would make me work hard for basically the same pay. My company has leads and workers making virtually the same. The pay bands over lap about 80 percent. And, in some cases, entry level works can make more than supervisors. So given that the wages are so low already. And a promotion means a slight, and I mean slight, bump in pay... Why get a promotion? I work multiple jobs and make significantly more than I would ever make even playing the game. I could spend a few years to get a director position, assuming the position becomes available, but even then, I would be luck to get 200,000 a year. But, I don't hang up on money, I look at purchasing power. My first real job I got, it was semi professional, I was making about 3 times minimum wage. Now, with a bachelors of science, I now make, from one job, about 3 times minimum wage. And when I first started, I was making 2 times minimum wage. So, what I really did by changing careers from a semi professional to engineering was move laterally... But actually, I reduced my living standard because now I have school debt. The whole promotion thing is kind of a waste of time. Its more a status thing, but really, who cares in the end. I know my worth and its closer to 500,000 a year then being some directory or general manager somewhere.
I didn't play the game; I thought my hard work, dedication, and record-of-contribution would be all the collateral I needed. Now here I am at 40 making a fraction of market value doing thankless "keep the machine running" work. Don't be like me, kids.
I’d rather make money and have less responsibility than trade that for more stress just for a little bit more money. There’s trade-offs with everything. I also want to work fully remote, and companies are forcing more middle managers back into offices. No thanks!
@blahblahblah-uw4uf plenty of people like me change jobs for more pay similar level of work. why because people like me have backbone and we defend our work like balance
If you have valuable experience and skills, you should better move. Approaching late 40s or 50 years old can be significantly harder to get hired, unless you're one off that companies would fight to hire you. Always keep learning for your career, industry approved trainings or education to be ahead of the competition.
True story. I spent 5 years trying to get through to decision makers. I am assertive and try and help others, but was not in the “in crowd”. Initially told my numbers not good enough, then not enough projects, then not a good fit. I left my old job for the same job elsewhere and make 35% more. Bonus - I found out was not me - a decision maker didn’t like me. Also one month after I left they cut jobs from the business unit. Thank god for learning on my own and being a free agent.
Live for myself and my personal time. I work to live and put in time until I retire. Why get frustrated by people who value things that aren't important to your value set.
And you are definitely not in control of who decides they like you and who doesn't. For some reason unbeknownst to me the HR Manager who oversaw the entire Engineering Dept decided one day not that he didn't like me. For a year I was Acting Manager of my team with a promise of a promotion within a year. Instead of giving me immediate feedback they blew smoke and gave me excellent performance reviews. Then once they had a replacement picked out I was called into an office told I was a toxic leader and was threatened with disciplinary action if I didn't accept an immediate transfer to program management. I asked for specific feedback as to what I needed to do to improve to include instances where my behavior didn't meet their standards. They had nothing. It took them 3-weeks to invent a justification for what they did. I started an immediate job search found a new job back in my home state and was gone within two months.
No one at your job actually cares about you - they’ll throw you out in a heartbeat . And yet you’re expected to kill yourself all the time & never say boo. The person that gets promoted generally has access to the bosses & gets the credit for everyone else’s work, because they’re somewhat competent at their former job then get vaunted into a boss where they will continue their pattern of taking credit for others’ work & blaming everyone else.
Have a guy at work is like this in his 40s he knows everything to train people but doesn’t want to train them unless they stroke his ego be high school cliche like stands around an bullshits for up to a hr or more but gets on peoples case for not moving fast enough then claims he don’t want to be in a leadership role.. like wtf then stop being a ass wipe oh as for his cliche gang is a guy that’s mid 50s divorced and killed his gf on a motorcycle is on parole cause of it but acts all big and bad brags bout this shit, an there is only like 8 guys in the entire business plus boss/owner who by the way randomly drug tested me an had be do a breathalyzer an guess what I’m not on drugs an don’t drink on the job an passed with flying colors an yet I’m the scapegoat at work for everybody else fuck ups if this place wasn’t ten mins away from home an I wasn’t a single dad I’d left a long while ago
I’ve always known I don’t get promoted because I have a spine, but my ability to sleep soundly at night vastly outweighs any increased honours coming from a promotion
I am totally fine with no promotions at all. Not a Gen Z here, but this thing of career ladder is for Boomers. No matter how hard we try, there is always 'a nephew of a big friend of mine (who is freemason by the way)' that will take the manager role.
Truth if it's ever been spoken....Masonic influences always win over everything else...I retired from Law Enforcement and I saw this happen over and over in my 20+ year career...I refuse to be part of that satanic influence and I got promoted against the odds...My promotion had to do with the sheer need of me far more than being liked or part of the masonic clique.
Three reasons why people don't get promoted- the 3 Ps: 1.Politics (company AND your dem/rep affiliation) 2. personality (introvert/extrovert interaction between you and your boss 3. Psychology (is your boss threatened by you eclipsing him, professionally?).
Anyway to elaborate on my own comment...so what managers do is they purposely set people up to be promoted. Ie they give them the cool high visibility projects or put them on good teams. If you are assigned a shit project theres no way you get promoted no matter how hard you try.
Unfortunately, these smaller companies like to play them too! It’s too bad the smaller businesses used to be the best to work for and now many are like toxic families you can’t wait to get rid of.
I've been at this company for 18 years, and every review I score OVER a 100. Yet, every time I apply for a different position, in the company, even a lateral move, I'm denied. Because they don't want me to leave the department (I have done so much to improve the department). I live in a small town, and the population is
@@jamesbohling4864 Your last two sentences are exactly right. Playing politics can be fun though. People tend to poo poo it as being a dirty game, and it can be for sure, but once you start getting what you want more easily than through the frustrating route of "I'm doing good work, that should be enough", you'll be the happier for it. I was always the one working hard and doing great work and just waiting for others to recognize that and give me what I want: I was always overlooked. Not until I started making the right contacts, communicating in a certain way and making sure the higher ups knew what I needed to continue to do my good work within their company instead of at the competitor, did I start getting everything I wanted. Hell, bosses started bending over backwards to give me stuff.
I'm done worrying about promotions and making work my main priority. I play guitar, hit the gym and watch baseball. I won't be sad about work on my deathbed.
I kicked total butt at my job, after almost 3 years I asked my boss point blank - "Why haven't I been promoted?" The first answer was "I didn't think you cared about titles" (never mind the increases in pay and bonus). The next answer was "I didn't think you wanted to manage people.", despite my boss being fully-aware that there are many folks up to VP level with no direct reports. Basically, my boss was taking all the credit for my work and cared ZERO about my growth, I think my boss had a very elitist mentality. I made my case though, and I got promoted. Then I got a new boss, and I've recently been promoted again. So it *can* happen, but you have to do work that they cannot do without, and you need to call them out and force their hand sometimes.
Your last sentence is exactly right. You should build positive relationships with the higher ups where they like you and are actively aware of the good work you do. There must also always be a threat of leaving and taking your good work to a competitor in the air, otherwise your worth to the higher ups will be overlooked. The relationships should however be fostered by positivity. They will not promote people that annoy them with negativity. If you have criticisms then always communicate them through solutions, not through problems. Anyway, once you've fostered positive relationships with the right people and they know your good work and there might be a chance that you'll take all of it away to the competitor, then you lay out your needs. "I need growth opportunities to stay happy and need X, Y and Z to achieve that growth".
Gosh it's really sad that you don't seem to have had the opportunity to have any kind of conversation with your boss. Do you not have bilats or performance reviews /appraisals?
exactly. I called mine out recently after being denied a transfer. The reply I gave them about the crappy raises, being on probation for a year, being given a 3 out of 5 when they had just finished praising me, and being ready to quit as soon as my contract was up changed their tune.
@@AthynVixen Well actually I had annual reviews and lots of conversations with my manager. All of my reviews were absolutely glowing. It wasn't until after I received a pretty good retention bonus (out of the blue) that I realized perhaps they had no intention of promoting me. The bottom line was my manager was 100% focused on my manager's career ONLY, and didn't consider that any of the rest of the team was busting their butts because they ALSO wanted to move up.
@Mister... you say 'you have to do work that they cannot do without...' While this is true in many cases, one can also 'not' get promoted and that is precisely why... because 'they'(the managers) 'need you in that spot' and don't want to let you go...
I finally learned that hard work doesn't pay off. If you work hard, the only thing you will GET IS MORE WORK!!!! In addition, if you prove that you are a great asset in the "production department" particularly with the manual labor .... that is where you will stay.
Promotions are mostly political and all about ass kissing. I've seen the most toxic, inept, and incompetent people be promoted because they brown nose so well.
There's a bit more to it than you're laying out here, but you do have to strategically navigate the corporate waters if you want to move forward in a career.
Sir you are correct, if they promote the grafters who does the fundamental grunt work? , I've noticed the same thing over 50 years in the work place (production mostly) it's not about what you know,! it' can be about who you know? But it's mostly about what you know about who you know.
That's the truth. It is not about leadership skills or brand. It's about who will play ball with the garbage that the boss or the bosses boss are doing. I wish I was making up what I am about to type... someone told me years ago that they started doing research on the Chicago White Sox. You might ask... did you work for the MLB? No. I worked at a bank. This boss of mine told me they did this... because they knew the boss above her liked the Chicago White Sox and was a season ticket holder. I was so blown away by that fact and knew in that moment I would NEVER get promoted anywhere because I will never care that much about someone other than my family and friends.
@@SGxShadow YUP, and that's why the vast majority of managers are terrible to work with because they have no business being in a leadership role but got there through nepotism and doing things like the example you provided.
I got promoted once. It was awful.. much more responsibility with not much more pay. I got burned out, quit, then became an IT contractor. Best decision ever. Zero company politics. Continual at market or better pay. Many varied work sites. No illusion of two way loyalty.
Very true. The "work horses" in my agency are only given more work. No one cares who does the mail fast or file things quickly. Theyre branded as "small thinkers" and never get the higher level jobs.
Remember if you work hard and go above and beyond, they will never promote you because there is no incentive to move you up. Never stay loyal to any job always stay hunting. Remember let your 50% be your 100% because management will look at you the hamster.
In my experience, middle managers are the first to go in any corporate downsizing because A) they don’t do anything, and B) they are overpaid for doing nothing. They have to keep people who actually do the work.
I don't want a promotion. I want to work in the background and be left alone. Instead of moving up the corporate ladder, I'll pick up side gigs whenever convenient and havw the ability to drop them anytime.
@@nah6492 as long as your role pays you well enough to live a comfortable life there isn't a need to get a promotion if you don't want one. Also some people are excellent in their current roles but would make a terrible manager so they rather just do their jobs.
Fully agree. I joined my current company back in 2019 in an entry level position and within a year I was promoted because I asked questions, offered solutions, and spoke up during company meetings. In 2022 got my 2nd promotion due to networking around and landed my dream job. Going forward I may pursue another promotion but I'm comfortable where I am now and just well continue to keep networking. For me what worked was that I became a subject matter expert in whatever role I took so naturally supervisors and managers from other departments took notice during hiring time and hand picked me to apply for the positions I got promoted to. Relationships are more important than ever when it comes to work especially during layoff time.
Good for you, as you tell your company might have an open and innovative philosophy, but quite often other companies are still retro- backwards- old school hierarchies where it's about impossible to get promoted unless you have connections that matter like being "family of..." All companies should be a fair place to grow in your career.
People used my work, gets credit and promoted with no experience. That's why I do not believe in Position Titles anymore. There are - that makes you look bad and them getting all the recognition. I had a meeting wherein this lady was recognized but I know she always asked me for help. She is a charismatic talker. But I still believe in Justice. Someday, these people will reap what they sow. Not right away. There is someone watching.
I don't WANT to get promoted in a company. Being a manager means mindless obedience to the company executives. Instead, I stay knowledgeable on highly marketable technologies. If an employer won't give me a place to use those technologies, I find an employer who will. Using a mouse for more than 30 minutes annoys me to no end. If I'm not allowed to code, I hit the road!
@@bloomlater1168 This is just my opinion, but cloud providers are ripping off their customers. I'm betting on devops and mlops in a manner that doesn't abstract away what's happening under the hood. Be able to deploy on-premise if necessary.
@@bloomlater1168 My two cents on that is tech, it pays well typically. For example AI, project Management, anything with cloud like AWS, Rust and Python seem to be hot too.
Unfortunately, if you are really good at your job, you can make more than executives can. At one job, in a six month period, I worked only ten hours, I am not joking. The rest of time was spent waiting for people to do their job so I could move forward. I had one project with a month to get it done. I finished it in four hours. So, instead of sitting around, get some side gigs or other jobs. Massive increase in pay from doing that.
Last thing I wanted was to get promoted in order to babysit problem employees or impossible projects. Took additional training whenever it was offered. Didn't matter what the topic was. If there was a checkmark to be made, it was potential on my resume. Set your priorities. At best, my job was number three on my must do list. Faith, family, and only then job. Lived within my means, practiced stealth wealth, and retired at 55. The best revenge is living a life worth living.
Beware of employers who change your job title every year or two but don't significantly upgrade your job duties. They may be doing it so you think you have been promoted, but you may not have advanced at all
They also do that sometimes to not have to pay you what your owed. In my industry a manager or teamleader gets an extra percentage over their salary for the extra duties. There are companies that will take the duties of a manager/teamleader but call it something else so they don't have to pay that extra percentage.
Being visible is no guarantee you'll be promoted. I was very visible at my previous job. My boss's boss knew me and liked me. and so did other areas. But because I wasn't part of the select group of favorites I never moved up. I was at a school and my boss hired as his right hand woman one of his favorite students right after graduation. Then a year and a half after I arrived there they had hired a friend of hers as another manager and a year later they had made up an entirely new position for her. Meanwhile there I was, doing a ton of work myself and always being told I was super important but never was given opportunities for advancement.
In my last job i became unpromotable as i did the job of 2-3 people and even after almost 3 years of overtime and 2 raises( still good but not enough for lisbon prices) and was rejected for a promotion for bs reasona. I knew a lot of people there but it did not mean nothing at all. After understanding that my quality dipped to the gutter and left soon after. In my new job i saw immediately that a promotion was unachiavable and I simply work to keep it and awaiting the time to leave without having a bad work cv experience. Promotions are a matter of placement,you can be avarage and still get the promotion just because you know someone or be the leo messi of the office and be stuck
This can be a very real problem. If youre too valuable in a particular role, you aren't going anywhere. You did the right thing. That's basically the only way out.
@@adamd9166even Messi got ousted from Barcelona due to managerial bs. That just goes to show how dumb, egotistical, and self-destructive our bosses are.
All due respect F these games. Be a conman , grifter, extrovert ,.manipulate your way to the top , all set. Once I'm not valued after a year or two , I'm out.
I personally know someone who was promoted out of my pity. I kid you not. Everyone in her team had moved to senior roles because they were all taking in much more work than what was demanded. They were killing it too (The definition of work with minimal supervision and the client's go to person). The manager promoted someone who could not even get her timesheets in time simply because it would be "suspicious" and I know for a fact the manager even asked the person assessing her tech skills to go easy on her...
this video was a tough pill to swallow and is sort of how im feeling right now at my current job. tough thing is, is that i want a career in the industry that i am in and i feel like i am lucky to even have a job in the shitshow of the economy that we are currently in
Just told at end of day I’m not getting my prev boss’s manager position I’ve been working towards for the past 1.5 years and been there for 9 years.. I’m being passed up for someone who has only been working there 1.75 years. I was told I don’t have the experience right for the job. But the truth is 100% exactly what is said in this video. The honest and harsh truth. 9 years and it’s been “sh*t or get off the pot” for the past few years for me. Thank you for this important advise. 🙏
Loyalty to one company is a thing of the past. You get your experience (takes 1 to 2 years) then roll out. The biggest move is wanting to travel. You have to follow the money.
I don't want to be promoted. I used to want to climb the ladder, but that's when I naive. Everyone I see who gets promoted into management is stressed out and gains a bunch of weight. At my job if you get promoted you're expected to work unpaid overtime (salary). My coworkers bring their work laptops on vacation with them and work weekends. No way. I just want to be a housewife who bakes pies and volunteers at the animal shelter, and since that's not possible I just plan on doing my job and not playing the game.
But with that promotion you get 5 percent raise... Which is spread out over 24 pay cheques, which kind of seems like nothing in the end... You actually forget you got the raise because your pay cheque barely moves.
As a top performer myself, I can say this video is 100% correct. Sorry if I offend anyone, but I have seen real idiots getting promoted for being the manager's buddy or people who are truly incompetent getting promoted for being a real snake. I have been working in the corporate world since 2019 and let me tell you, just save money and build your own business.
Actually, I used to be concerned about 'not getting a promotion'. But now I like it. I get to skip out on the meetings with all of the bs and make the other people do the hard work. I go to the gym during the middle of the day and I leave early. I'm too close to retiring to bring on any extra stress. Loving life in the almost-retired lane. Longevity sometimes is much more important than promotions and more money/ more stress. They made me see the light after several years of promotion denial. If I really want a promotion, I'll apply. That seems the best way to get a promotion anyway, from my observation.
Boss is ALWAYS the problem. Their ability at recognizing value or developing by communicating clearly, and motivating staff appropriately… is what’s costing the company everything.
Ive been considering job hopping my promotion. More money, higher ranked responsibilities. Employers have rarely wanted to promote me and always preferred that I keep doing more of the same thing.
I've said this before on your other videos regarding this and I'll say it again. All of this is true on it's own in a vacuum. But if your work isn't good then nobody will stand behind you no matter how much they know you because their reputation is on the line for recommending you when you end up being an underperformer. You have to be both a good worker and sociable. I have a friend who I talk to regularly and he has high ambitions. I would never refer or recommend him anywhere and I always make up excuses anytime he hints at or asks me to because he isn't the type to put in the work. I went to them same school with him and we had many classes together. He never did any work on group projects. Do I know him? Yes. Do I think he is a good person? Yes. Do I like hanging out with him? Yes. None of that means I'll ever refer him for a job.
I never was looking for a promotion - I wanted to do the position I was hired to do and go home, earn a living wage and literally be left alone. Apparently, that was a lot to ask for LOL
Often times when you're in the workforce your boss may tell you that the "higher ups are coming down hard on us," "we need to start working more with less now" and/or most ridiculously they'll say "we can't afford raises this year" which is usually a blatant lie, because if they really "couldn't afford" raises then why are they still in business? Too big to fail?
Heard it all and fell for it.... I was going and loved the company and thought there was potential. My first year I got a small raise and promotion. Made 5k more in a year than starting which wasn't much but felt promising. Then the economy tanked. Layoffs came. I survived it but was then re-org'd to a new dept/boss/better title without a raise. Heard the lucky you still have a job, raises are frozen, make less with more stuff. I took it and said I would like a raise once its available. Took 3 years and no raise - another layoff/reorg to put in my notice. All of a sudden they had money to give me a raise. I took it. They used that to keep me in my title when I was working about 3 jobs in one and deserved the next title. I was told to keep doing the work and train to move up. The raise wasn't worth the work and BS. Finally left for even more $ better job better vaca hours and pension. Still want more money though! 😂 Never enough. Wouldn't leave this job unless it was in same Industry. Stuck here and will try to move up.
Promotions at this point in my career carry more negative aspects than positive ones. I'll play the game to the degree that I need to. Reputation and visibility are indeed key to playing that game though.
A lady I worked with in a government call center jumped on every task available for years. She was promised a management position around the same time I was promised a team lead opportunity; all we had to do was reach our set targets. When we both reached our targets to qualify, they told us both that the budget wasn't right for promoting us. I quit that day and she stayed on. In the end they promoted two team leads instead of a manager. Both who got the positions were originally sat in cubicals either side of the woman they originally made promises to. Apparently, she quit whe it was announced but went back a few months later!
Find meaning in people, fulfilling hobbies, or a business. You will never find meaning in working for company that just views you as a necessary liability for core operations on a balance sheet.
Forget about promotions. Promote your self by going to another company. I have given myself more pay raises that way that the company. We had a team mate for review was raised 3% and now he left the company for 30% and better position. THe heavy hitters in my dept got the least amount of raises. All of us are planning on leaving. Currently the company I am at. Gave everyone their raise before the review meeting. Then said "Our hands are tied" Great, people are leaving now.
IT for 20+ years. Took a promotion once, didn't like it, ended up going to another company for my previous role making more money. I average 5 years at companies where I'm hired in as an FTE, and average 6-12 months for contract gigs based on the length of the contract, so I don't think those short runs make me look bad. I don't want to be promoted, I just make sure I'm at or above market value or move on. The only downside I've found to contract gigs is that while they've all provided 401(k)'s, many don't let you start contributing until the 90 day mark, so I have to take that money and spend time investing elsewhere post tax. Eh, whatever on that part, it's worked out so far...
The hardest, most proficient, workers are kept in their roles because productivity might take a hit if employer moves that proficient worker to a different position.
Yes. I remember the moment I knew they were never going to promote me at a job I was planning to retire in. That's the plan for the government job is to retire. I had no intention of staying in the role though. Took the next level up of civil service testing for the next role up. Passed. Completed another educational requirement to make myself ready. Got a letter saying they weren't counting the test anymore. They "changed their criteria." It was a very chaotic time, but it was good for me to move on. It worked out far better income wise and skill wise for things in the future.
The more I watch your videos the more I understand the importance of working for myself. No ass kissing, no politics, no hr nonsense. Even if it means lower pay.
I totally agree, that's why top performers need to rotate and move. Unfortunately that's when their employer realizes how important that employee is. Now they'll need to hire 2 people meanwhile a highly promoted employee may have no impact when he/she leaves the company.
For a long time, promotion was my primary motivation at work - sometimes I was successful, sometimes not. It wasn’t until my 40s that I realised that I didn’t care what I did, it was just about the job title, and the hope that it might help me to define myself.
Switching companies is the only way to go these days, issue is the strategy has made companies nervous when recruiting and now we have all this Ghosting, which translates to "We are scared you'll go elsewhere if we take you on" - they also want to keep you on low pay. Thus thousands are switching for more cash, benefits etc, in turn makes companies even more nervous so it never ends, unless companies stop these lengthy interview stages.
The number one reason I hit a blocker trying to get someone promoted by far is "they aren't visible". They are visible to me as their manager but having someone outside your department boost you is worth 10x more than anything I say as your manager. That being said it's my job to make sure team members are the out there but they have to be willing. The best people do it on their own and they move up fast.
I don't want a promotion. I'm perfectly happy being a mid-tier, line-worker professional. I make a decent salary, I just want to earn it without crippling levels of work-induced anxiety.
This video comes right on time. I’m being asked to do someone else job and take over some of their responsibilities, but I am kept at my current job title and pay scale.
Likewise. I'm effectively doing what my predecessor was, but I'm substantially lower on the ladder and they're denying a promotion for 1.5 years because the new HR team says so.
People tend to think that only extraverts get promoted, but this is actually not true at all. I'm a full on introvert and get offered promotions left and right. The thing about introverts is that they're strong in listening and observing, which you can use to your advantage. Yes, you have to get out of your comfort zone a little by making sure you are being seen and heard, but you definitely don't have to act like your extravert colleagues to do it. I take my time during meetings to take in all info, process this and give strong and strategically well placed feedback or advice. Unlike my extravert colleague that keeps talking and talking, I am remembered for giving that one break through comment that will be implemented. Furthermore you do have to play the game, but you can use introvert strategies to do it. People love talking about themselves and introverts are good at listening: ask the right people questions, be pleasant and helpful and you have yourself a network of people that can advocate for you.
Since school I always like games I played against myself, and not against other people. It took me years to realize I wasn't born for this. If you are the same, get all your energy and invest in your own business. Let the players play by themselves and overtake them all in peace.
Time stamps 01:12 - You Have a Visibility Issue 03:01 - You Have a Reputation Issue 04:27 - You Lack a Career Strategy 06:45 - The Ultimate Career Blueprint (Ad) 07:15 - Lack of Taking Ownership of Your Career
I've wasted 36 years at my job. I was branded by colleagues at another job before I even walked in the door. One of the men at work ruined my personal reputation. Thanks for your videos. I've sued them once. I'm suing them again, then I'll retire. I'm 70 years old.
I totally agree with this. Never try to impress your boss or immediate supervisor. They're middle management, and totally useless to be honest. I have always made sure to impress and befriend the top brass, CEOs, Board Members, Presidents, etc. Of course, I never used that to get promoted, I've always been "self-destructive" when it comes to jobs. I do the bare-minimum to justify my paycheck. Being on the good-graces of those in power, always allowed me to not only keep my job(s) but also get away with so much crap.
Listening to this video made me look back across my career. I’ve only ever been passed over for promotion, twice. Once when much younger, and one several years ago. I left each company shortly after the passover for a much better opportunity. In both cases I had unwittingly broken Robert Greene’s First Law of Power, “Never Outshine the Master”. All said , I figured out it’s took me an average of about a year to get promoted, when I wanted it, and the king makers wanted me. If you have and are doing the right stuff, and the king makers want to promote you, it will happen. If the king makers don’t want you, it won’t happen. You must know exactly what you want and have a strategy. It’s also fine to not want to be promoted. Still have a strategy for what you want.
The bottom line, play office politics if you want to step up the corporate ladder. Make it your mindset to just use your job as a means to achieve your life goals, not another person or organization's goals. At the end of the day, you are replaceable.
To be honest, getting "promoted" doesn't mean the same thing anymore. Being "promoted" to leadership and running a department is more of a dead end because you have to deal with the politics, bullshit of excel reports, towing the company line etc. IMO, being "promoted" into doing more hard, hands-on work is beneficial to your career. Looking at the job landscape, manager vs. individual contributor gives you the choice of what makes the most sense for your career and where you're personally at.
I have worked for very few places that promote. "You are good at your job and if I promote you I need to replace a good worker, so we will just get a new hire."
The modern career is dead. I know I'm not getting promoted in my current job, so I made a strategy to become a Principal technical specialist. I don't need my boss's permission.
The bigger the company the bigger problem this is. I couldn't get promoted at my previous position. I moved to a new organization and became Regional Director for NYC. Where I used to work they are pissed, when they look at my Linked In page.
Ugh as a woman in tech I constantly feel like my manager is downplaying my skills and giving less challenging work. Because of this I’ve never gotten a promotion and I’m sick of trying to fight tooth and nail for more impactful projects. I gave up and just quietly do my work now.
There is a reason behind 401K vesting period. At least in IT, most of the people who know how to do stuff don't stay at one company for more than 2-3 years. My personal "longevity" record is 3 years 10 month. And I've been doing this since 1997. It's always goes the same (at least for me). First year, you "exceed expectation". Get some sort of raise and decent bonus. Year two, either same or just "meets expectations". Year three... well, in most cases on "partially meets" expectation. Usually accompanied with no raise and zero bonus. Year four... well, I am usually out after zero bonus part. And on to next job with 20-30% bump in compensation on average. My last jump was 110% bump. You know, covid, inflation... blah blah blah. Been at this place for almost three years. Guess what, last comp talk... "compensation policy tightened".. zero race, zero bonus.. you can guess what comes next lol. Few of my friends who I started with and who managed to stay at same place for over 12-15 years... well, none making over about 10% up from where they started. And I am not talking about some shady fly-by-night shops. I've worked for most major Wall Street investment banks and even one major exchange. All the same. So don't feel bad. it's the system, not you. They are not in a habit to promote from inside anyway.
I'm 28 but this is basically my plan. My longest was my last job which was 2 years 9 months. My current job will be about the same I'm guessing maybe a touch longer. Although there are return to office rumors so might be sooner. For the most part, company loyalty is for people who don't want money 😂.
That is what I am doing. I put away more money into my Roth than the company 401k. I would take 4-5 years to match 100%. Already 2 years in and planning and setting up the exit strategy.
Yep, happened at my job I left recently after being there for almost 18 months. no development, progression, promotion, growth, appreciation, recognition, gratitude, I was out.
To grow my career and get to senior leadership roles, I made a point of moving regularly. I can’t speak for the US, but working in the UK, there are a whole plethora of reasons why you'll be passed over. For example: - Not the right look: from the male boss who prefers good looking women; to the female boss looking for her BFF. If you don't pass the "looks" test, you have problems. - Racism: this is still a factor. Whether it's old fashioned bigotry, or DEI racism 2.0. - Feminism: if you are a heterosexual male, your options are threatened from two angles: from the powerful female boss who is simultaneously a victim of the patriarchy and hates men; and her alpha male feminist counterpart who will tear down other men in order to look good and virtuous.
Very true - although paid pretty well and thought of as some kind of 'expert' I'm pigeonholed and no chance of promotion. But then again I've also learnt to knock off at 4pm every day, never work more than 40 hours a week and refuse any tasks which would be too difficult from an hours point of view - what are they gonna do - fire me? Go ahead, I don't really mind as the extra time I have means I make nearly as much money on the side these days.
I work at a place were people get promoted based on friendship not on skills, knowledge or experience. Recently someone was given a job and come to find out the person was leaving at the home of the manager who gave this person the job.
Some people do not want to be promoted, and that's okay! Networking and expressing willingness to learn new stuff helped me. I understand the bigger picture. I network with those who do processes I have skin in the game on. So when I need something done, I leverage those connections. Seeking out a senior mentor who knows how the business is writ large also helps. Taking point on interdepartmental projects also gives you a high profile. I've met a lot of senior leadership that way. It even makes you stand out on interviews. And just having a sense of confidence. More I than we stuff. If in the private sector and you're getting no luck, find someone else to work for to get that raise or promotion. If the government, sometimes it's too fair to a fault, but they go out of their way to be impartial.
This is me. I have known this for 2 years but I cannot seem to leave. Very painful. Good at my job, but I know there is no promotion down the road. But unable to leave
Promotions are overrated. Most of them just mean more responsibilities, not career advancement or even better income. It is better to promote yourself throughout a new job.
I once had a leadership position gained through networking, but let me tell you, it was NOT worth it! No increase in pay, triple the responsibility, and triple the stress. No thanks! Joshua Fluke said it best: "It's not what you know, who you know. It's who you blow!"
I was/am a top performer, who also networked and brought in higher numbers across Chicago. I was also number one in retention. I was placed in an interim management role, and lost it to someone with a fraction of my experience and no network. I resigned and 6 months later the old team imploded, and now there is now behavioral health or HIV prevention teams. Do not be afraid to quit a bad manager.
I was in my job for over 6 years and never got the shift leader promotion while people after me got it. This year's sadly I realized the realities of my job and decided to quit. Loyalty means nothing and I learned not to believe their words but believe if their actions align with their words. It was such a great feeling when I left my job annoying that I wouldn't have to deal with this anymore.
Years ago upon getting one of my first jobs coming out of college, as wise as my late grandfather foretold me that when you're in the workforce there will come many twists and turns and that many opportunities will arise in the future and to put in a good performance, his perspective may be mostly based with the Great generation's POV back when the US was a more prosperous time some 70 years ago.
The highest I've been is senior supervisor, got the carpet swept out from underneath me when a director decided to remove senior supervisor from the company according to the at the time new General Manager. As a result, I had to take a lower supervisory role. May be worth covering something along those lines, just a thought for video content for you.
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i love your channel, ballsy honesty. After 25 years as a teacher, can you suggest an easy online job to transfer to? I have been trying for year, to get a remote data entry job, but they all seem to be scams. I dont want to climb the corporate ladder, just a job to pay my bills. Thanks
@@Augfordpdoggie I don't offer advice for particular jobs - too much responsibility on me in case you hate it. I do provide a framework for choosing the right fit though.
The corporate world is such a "Game of Thrones," thank you for educating us on how to be strategic. Appreciate all the free videos.
So, I am currently, and really the market wage is the same, extremely suppressed, way too low, and a promotion would make me work hard for basically the same pay. My company has leads and workers making virtually the same. The pay bands over lap about 80 percent. And, in some cases, entry level works can make more than supervisors.
So given that the wages are so low already. And a promotion means a slight, and I mean slight, bump in pay... Why get a promotion?
I work multiple jobs and make significantly more than I would ever make even playing the game. I could spend a few years to get a director position, assuming the position becomes available, but even then, I would be luck to get 200,000 a year.
But, I don't hang up on money, I look at purchasing power.
My first real job I got, it was semi professional, I was making about 3 times minimum wage. Now, with a bachelors of science, I now make, from one job, about 3 times minimum wage. And when I first started, I was making 2 times minimum wage. So, what I really did by changing careers from a semi professional to engineering was move laterally... But actually, I reduced my living standard because now I have school debt.
The whole promotion thing is kind of a waste of time. Its more a status thing, but really, who cares in the end.
I know my worth and its closer to 500,000 a year then being some directory or general manager somewhere.
I didn't play the game; I thought my hard work, dedication, and record-of-contribution would be all the collateral I needed. Now here I am at 40 making a fraction of market value doing thankless "keep the machine running" work. Don't be like me, kids.
I’d rather make money and have less responsibility than trade that for more stress just for a little bit more money.
There’s trade-offs with everything.
I also want to work fully remote, and companies are forcing more middle managers back into offices. No thanks!
@blahblahblah-uw4uf plenty of people like me change jobs for more pay similar level of work. why because people like me have backbone and we defend our work like balance
I was you. 8 years ago I made a big change with a lot of risk, took charge of my career, and grew.
Oh you’re at your peak friend. Go dust off that resume.
If you have valuable experience and skills, you should better move. Approaching late 40s or 50 years old can be significantly harder to get hired, unless you're one off that companies would fight to hire you. Always keep learning for your career, industry approved trainings or education to be ahead of the competition.
Even if you did get promoted, the raise at another job will almost always crush it.
Ding ding ding!
Not to mention the added workload and higher expectations because of the promotion.
Exactly this. If the promotion doesn't include a real raise, then it's not an actual promotion. The true way to get promoted is to change companies.
This video sounds like a promotion companies paid for to try to improve productivity and employee retention.
True story. I spent 5 years trying to get through to decision makers. I am assertive and try and help others, but was not in the “in crowd”. Initially told my numbers not good enough, then not enough projects, then not a good fit. I left my old job for the same job elsewhere and make 35% more. Bonus - I found out was not me - a decision maker didn’t like me. Also one month after I left they cut jobs from the business unit. Thank god for learning on my own and being a free agent.
Joke’s on them. I never wanted the promotion anyway. That’s why I’m quitting.
Lol...but what about the next job?
@@ALifeAfterLayoff Stay the minimum accepted number of years, rinse, repeat, until the moral contract of employment is re-established society wide.
@@ALifeAfterLayoff i went into financial advisory. I make what i put in. No promotions, hard to get fired. I focus on assets under management.
You can’t quit! You’re fired!
Live for myself and my personal time. I work to live and put in time until I retire. Why get frustrated by people who value things that aren't important to your value set.
Your promotion depends solely on whether human resources and management like you or not. Your hard work and dedication to the company means nothing.
It's not what you know.
It's who likes you.
And you are definitely not in control of who decides they like you and who doesn't. For some reason unbeknownst to me the HR Manager who oversaw the entire Engineering Dept decided one day not that he didn't like me. For a year I was Acting Manager of my team with a promise of a promotion within a year. Instead of giving me immediate feedback they blew smoke and gave me excellent performance reviews. Then once they had a replacement picked out I was called into an office told I was a toxic leader and was threatened with disciplinary action if I didn't accept an immediate transfer to program management. I asked for specific feedback as to what I needed to do to improve to include instances where my behavior didn't meet their standards. They had nothing. It took them 3-weeks to invent a justification for what they did. I started an immediate job search found a new job back in my home state and was gone within two months.
less than nothing. loyalty replaces any incentive for them to retain you.
@@chuckchan4127 not who you know, but who you blow
@@chuckchan4127 It's not what or who you know, it's who you blow.
No one at your job actually cares about you - they’ll throw you out in a heartbeat . And yet you’re expected to kill yourself all the time & never say boo. The person that gets promoted generally has access to the bosses & gets the credit for everyone else’s work, because they’re somewhat competent at their former job then get vaunted into a boss where they will continue their pattern of taking credit for others’ work & blaming everyone else.
Have a guy at work is like this in his 40s he knows everything to train people but doesn’t want to train them unless they stroke his ego be high school cliche like stands around an bullshits for up to a hr or more but gets on peoples case for not moving fast enough then claims he don’t want to be in a leadership role.. like wtf then stop being a ass wipe oh as for his cliche gang is a guy that’s mid 50s divorced and killed his gf on a motorcycle is on parole cause of it but acts all big and bad brags bout this shit, an there is only like 8 guys in the entire business plus boss/owner who by the way randomly drug tested me an had be do a breathalyzer an guess what I’m not on drugs an don’t drink on the job an passed with flying colors an yet I’m the scapegoat at work for everybody else fuck ups if this place wasn’t ten mins away from home an I wasn’t a single dad I’d left a long while ago
I’ve always known I don’t get promoted because I have a spine, but my ability to sleep soundly at night vastly outweighs any increased honours coming from a promotion
a spine and morals
I am totally fine with no promotions at all.
Not a Gen Z here, but this thing of career ladder is for Boomers. No matter how hard we try, there is always 'a nephew of a big friend of mine (who is freemason by the way)' that will take the manager role.
Plus being at the same job for the long run gets old after a while. You just naturally get sick of the people you work with.
Gotta love the family members that get titles who have no idea what the business entails.
are those 'freemasons' in the room with us now?
Truth if it's ever been spoken....Masonic influences always win over everything else...I retired from Law Enforcement and I saw this happen over and over in my 20+ year career...I refuse to be part of that satanic influence and I got promoted against the odds...My promotion had to do with the sheer need of me far more than being liked or part of the masonic clique.
Yeah the magic apron cult has infected our nation
Three reasons why people don't get promoted- the 3 Ps: 1.Politics (company AND your dem/rep affiliation) 2. personality (introvert/extrovert interaction between you and your boss 3. Psychology (is your boss threatened by you eclipsing him, professionally?).
Exactly. Every other reason is fluff to cover the REAL reasons.
#3 is so hard to deal with
From my experience, the decision of who to promote was already made way before you actually accomplished anything.
Anyway to elaborate on my own comment...so what managers do is they purposely set people up to be promoted. Ie they give them the cool high visibility projects or put them on good teams. If you are assigned a shit project theres no way you get promoted no matter how hard you try.
I’ve seen this too. HR and Management already knew who was going to get promoted within 3 years …
I'm so fed up with this corporate BS and games
Not even worth playing unless you’re a simp.
Why? You’ve never had a job. Are you gonna sue Welfare? Are you?
@@ThatJew305 what kind of comment is this dude 😅😅
Unfortunately, these smaller companies like to play them too! It’s too bad the smaller businesses used to be the best to work for and now many are like toxic families you can’t wait to get rid of.
@@ThatJew305ok jewmer
I've been at this company for 18 years, and every review I score OVER a 100. Yet, every time I apply for a different position, in the company, even a lateral move, I'm denied. Because they don't want me to leave the department (I have done so much to improve the department). I live in a small town, and the population is
As an adult, why do we have to act like children and expected to play a game
Because executives and management are pathetic children and view everyone as “beneath” them.
Because life is high school. Forever....
I was always told to not care what other people think of me.
@jackcarraway4707 as was I. In otherwords, it was a lie.
Skill may get you a job. Politics gets you promoted
@@jamesbohling4864 Your last two sentences are exactly right. Playing politics can be fun though. People tend to poo poo it as being a dirty game, and it can be for sure, but once you start getting what you want more easily than through the frustrating route of "I'm doing good work, that should be enough", you'll be the happier for it. I was always the one working hard and doing great work and just waiting for others to recognize that and give me what I want: I was always overlooked. Not until I started making the right contacts, communicating in a certain way and making sure the higher ups knew what I needed to continue to do my good work within their company instead of at the competitor, did I start getting everything I wanted. Hell, bosses started bending over backwards to give me stuff.
I'm done worrying about promotions and making work my main priority. I play guitar, hit the gym and watch baseball. I won't be sad about work on my deathbed.
I feel you...but there is still money on the table for us.
That part 💯 not working myself to an early grave. I do what I'm required to do and go home
That's the correct outlook. Focus on you.
This is the key to happiness
If you are too good at your job, or are essential at your post, you won't be promoted, because there is no replacement for you.
I kicked total butt at my job, after almost 3 years I asked my boss point blank - "Why haven't I been promoted?" The first answer was "I didn't think you cared about titles" (never mind the increases in pay and bonus). The next answer was "I didn't think you wanted to manage people.", despite my boss being fully-aware that there are many folks up to VP level with no direct reports. Basically, my boss was taking all the credit for my work and cared ZERO about my growth, I think my boss had a very elitist mentality. I made my case though, and I got promoted. Then I got a new boss, and I've recently been promoted again. So it *can* happen, but you have to do work that they cannot do without, and you need to call them out and force their hand sometimes.
Your last sentence is exactly right. You should build positive relationships with the higher ups where they like you and are actively aware of the good work you do. There must also always be a threat of leaving and taking your good work to a competitor in the air, otherwise your worth to the higher ups will be overlooked. The relationships should however be fostered by positivity. They will not promote people that annoy them with negativity. If you have criticisms then always communicate them through solutions, not through problems. Anyway, once you've fostered positive relationships with the right people and they know your good work and there might be a chance that you'll take all of it away to the competitor, then you lay out your needs. "I need growth opportunities to stay happy and need X, Y and Z to achieve that growth".
Gosh it's really sad that you don't seem to have had the opportunity to have any kind of conversation with your boss. Do you not have bilats or performance reviews /appraisals?
exactly. I called mine out recently after being denied a transfer. The reply I gave them about the crappy raises, being on probation for a year, being given a 3 out of 5 when they had just finished praising me, and being ready to quit as soon as my contract was up changed their tune.
@@AthynVixen Well actually I had annual reviews and lots of conversations with my manager. All of my reviews were absolutely glowing. It wasn't until after I received a pretty good retention bonus (out of the blue) that I realized perhaps they had no intention of promoting me. The bottom line was my manager was 100% focused on my manager's career ONLY, and didn't consider that any of the rest of the team was busting their butts because they ALSO wanted to move up.
@Mister... you say 'you have to do work that they cannot do without...' While this is true in many cases, one can also 'not' get promoted and that is precisely why... because 'they'(the managers) 'need you in that spot' and don't want to let you go...
I finally learned that hard work doesn't pay off. If you work hard, the only thing you will GET IS MORE WORK!!!! In addition, if you prove that you are a great asset in the "production department" particularly with the manual labor .... that is where you will stay.
Promotions are mostly political and all about ass kissing. I've seen the most toxic, inept, and incompetent people be promoted because they brown nose so well.
There's a bit more to it than you're laying out here, but you do have to strategically navigate the corporate waters if you want to move forward in a career.
Sir you are correct, if they promote the grafters who does the fundamental grunt work?
, I've noticed the same thing over 50 years in the work place (production mostly)
it's not about what you know,! it' can be about who you know?
But it's mostly about what you know about who you know.
That's the truth. It is not about leadership skills or brand. It's about who will play ball with the garbage that the boss or the bosses boss are doing. I wish I was making up what I am about to type... someone told me years ago that they started doing research on the Chicago White Sox. You might ask... did you work for the MLB? No. I worked at a bank. This boss of mine told me they did this... because they knew the boss above her liked the Chicago White Sox and was a season ticket holder. I was so blown away by that fact and knew in that moment I would NEVER get promoted anywhere because I will never care that much about someone other than my family and friends.
@@SGxShadow YUP, and that's why the vast majority of managers are terrible to work with because they have no business being in a leadership role but got there through nepotism and doing things like the example you provided.
@@gefleigh4264 so you blackmailed people?
So to summarize, jobs are now a popularity contest and its high-school all over again.
It has always been that way.
I got promoted once. It was awful.. much more responsibility with not much more pay. I got burned out, quit, then became an IT contractor. Best decision ever. Zero company politics. Continual at market or better pay. Many varied work sites. No illusion of two way loyalty.
Very true. The "work horses" in my agency are only given more work. No one cares who does the mail fast or file things quickly. Theyre branded as "small thinkers" and never get the higher level jobs.
Remember if you work hard and go above and beyond, they will never promote you because there is no incentive to move you up. Never stay loyal to any job always stay hunting. Remember let your 50% be your 100% because management will look at you the hamster.
Not everyone wants to be management. Some prefer to quietly focus on their saving and investing so they have their freedom.😊
Yeah good luck with that in the next decade.
In my experience, middle managers are the first to go in any corporate downsizing because A) they don’t do anything, and B) they are overpaid for doing nothing. They have to keep people who actually do the work.
@@Svemirskyreally..I 10x my salary in crypto...learn to invest
I don't want a promotion. I want to work in the background and be left alone. Instead of moving up the corporate ladder, I'll pick up side gigs whenever convenient and havw the ability to drop them anytime.
That's ok in your 20’s
@@nah6492 I guess it depends on the person but it works well for me in my mid 30s.
@@nah6492 That's ok at any time in your career. Not everyone wants to climb the ladder and that's perfectly fine.
@@nah6492 as long as your role pays you well enough to live a comfortable life there isn't a need to get a promotion if you don't want one. Also some people are excellent in their current roles but would make a terrible manager so they rather just do their jobs.
@@protocol21able I will let you tell it
Fully agree. I joined my current company back in 2019 in an entry level position and within a year I was promoted because I asked questions, offered solutions, and spoke up during company meetings. In 2022 got my 2nd promotion due to networking around and landed my dream job. Going forward I may pursue another promotion but I'm comfortable where I am now and just well continue to keep networking. For me what worked was that I became a subject matter expert in whatever role I took so naturally supervisors and managers from other departments took notice during hiring time and hand picked me to apply for the positions I got promoted to. Relationships are more important than ever when it comes to work especially during layoff time.
Sounds like you're onto something!
For those who are reading this if everyone on your organization does this you need to stand out in another way.
im just looking for a remote job, can you hire me please?
Good for you, as you tell your company might have an open and innovative philosophy, but quite often other companies are still retro- backwards- old school hierarchies where it's about impossible to get promoted unless you have connections that matter like being "family of..." All companies should be a fair place to grow in your career.
People used my work, gets credit and promoted with no experience. That's why I do not believe in Position Titles anymore. There are - that makes you look bad and them getting all the recognition. I had a meeting wherein this lady was recognized but I know she always asked me for help. She is a charismatic talker. But I still believe in Justice. Someday, these people will reap what they sow. Not right away. There is someone watching.
I don't WANT to get promoted in a company. Being a manager means mindless obedience to the company executives. Instead, I stay knowledgeable on highly marketable technologies. If an employer won't give me a place to use those technologies, I find an employer who will. Using a mouse for more than 30 minutes annoys me to no end. If I'm not allowed to code, I hit the road!
@@bloomlater1168 This is just my opinion, but cloud providers are ripping off their customers. I'm betting on devops and mlops in a manner that doesn't abstract away what's happening under the hood. Be able to deploy on-premise if necessary.
Unfortunately the salary ceiling for individual contributors is much lower than managerial roles.
@@bloomlater1168 My two cents on that is tech, it pays well typically. For example AI, project Management, anything with cloud like AWS, Rust and Python seem to be hot too.
Unfortunately, if you are really good at your job, you can make more than executives can.
At one job, in a six month period, I worked only ten hours, I am not joking. The rest of time was spent waiting for people to do their job so I could move forward. I had one project with a month to get it done. I finished it in four hours.
So, instead of sitting around, get some side gigs or other jobs. Massive increase in pay from doing that.
Most jobs promote you with little to no pay raise and only give you more work, promotion means more work in reality.
Last thing I wanted was to get promoted in order to babysit problem employees or impossible projects. Took additional training whenever it was offered. Didn't matter what the topic was. If there was a checkmark to be made, it was potential on my resume. Set your priorities. At best, my job was number three on my must do list. Faith, family, and only then job. Lived within my means, practiced stealth wealth, and retired at 55. The best revenge is living a life worth living.
Beware of employers who change your job title every year or two but don't significantly upgrade your job duties. They may be doing it so you think you have been promoted, but you may not have advanced at all
They also do that sometimes to not have to pay you what your owed. In my industry a manager or teamleader gets an extra percentage over their salary for the extra duties. There are companies that will take the duties of a manager/teamleader but call it something else so they don't have to pay that extra percentage.
Just quit my job. Best decision ever.
Being visible is no guarantee you'll be promoted.
I was very visible at my previous job. My boss's boss knew me and liked me. and so did other areas. But because I wasn't part of the select group of favorites I never moved up. I was at a school and my boss hired as his right hand woman one of his favorite students right after graduation. Then a year and a half after I arrived there they had hired a friend of hers as another manager and a year later they had made up an entirely new position for her. Meanwhile there I was, doing a ton of work myself and always being told I was super important but never was given opportunities for advancement.
In my last job i became unpromotable as i did the job of 2-3 people and even after almost 3 years of overtime and 2 raises( still good but not enough for lisbon prices) and was rejected for a promotion for bs reasona. I knew a lot of people there but it did not mean nothing at all. After understanding that my quality dipped to the gutter and left soon after. In my new job i saw immediately that a promotion was unachiavable and I simply work to keep it and awaiting the time to leave without having a bad work cv experience. Promotions are a matter of placement,you can be avarage and still get the promotion just because you know someone or be the leo messi of the office and be stuck
This can be a very real problem. If youre too valuable in a particular role, you aren't going anywhere.
You did the right thing. That's basically the only way out.
@@adamd9166even Messi got ousted from Barcelona due to managerial bs.
That just goes to show how dumb, egotistical, and self-destructive our bosses are.
All due respect F these games.
Be a conman , grifter, extrovert ,.manipulate your way to the top , all set.
Once I'm not valued after a year or two , I'm out.
loyalty to a company is a myth these days. you're doing yourself a disservice if you dont bounce jobs every 3-4 years
I personally know someone who was promoted out of my pity. I kid you not.
Everyone in her team had moved to senior roles because they were all taking in much more work than what was demanded. They were killing it too (The definition of work with minimal supervision and the client's go to person).
The manager promoted someone who could not even get her timesheets in time simply because it would be "suspicious" and I know for a fact the manager even asked the person assessing her tech skills to go easy on her...
this video was a tough pill to swallow and is sort of how im feeling right now at my current job. tough thing is, is that i want a career in the industry that i am in and i feel like i am lucky to even have a job in the shitshow of the economy that we are currently in
Just told at end of day I’m not getting my prev boss’s manager position I’ve been working towards for the past 1.5 years and been there for 9 years.. I’m being passed up for someone who has only been working there 1.75 years. I was told I don’t have the experience right for the job. But the truth is 100% exactly what is said in this video. The honest and harsh truth. 9 years and it’s been “sh*t or get off the pot” for the past few years for me. Thank you for this important advise. 🙏
Loyalty to one company is a thing of the past. You get your experience (takes 1 to 2 years) then roll out. The biggest move is wanting to travel. You have to follow the money.
Much of it boils down to some form of favoritism. Nepotism, cronyism.
I played myself thinking hard work paid off.. never again
I don't want to be promoted. I used to want to climb the ladder, but that's when I naive. Everyone I see who gets promoted into management is stressed out and gains a bunch of weight. At my job if you get promoted you're expected to work unpaid overtime (salary). My coworkers bring their work laptops on vacation with them and work weekends. No way. I just want to be a housewife who bakes pies and volunteers at the animal shelter, and since that's not possible I just plan on doing my job and not playing the game.
But with that promotion you get 5 percent raise... Which is spread out over 24 pay cheques, which kind of seems like nothing in the end... You actually forget you got the raise because your pay cheque barely moves.
As a top performer myself, I can say this video is 100% correct. Sorry if I offend anyone, but I have seen real idiots getting promoted for being the manager's buddy or people who are truly incompetent getting promoted for being a real snake. I have been working in the corporate world since 2019 and let me tell you, just save money and build your own business.
@@phillipgoat00 💯💯
Another factor that hinders promotion is being remote. Once I started networking and going in occasionally I noticed this improves my brand.
Your videos are very well done. Just wanted to say keep it up. I think you’re among the best in your niche on RUclips.
Wow, thank you!
Actually, I used to be concerned about 'not getting a promotion'. But now I like it. I get to skip out on the meetings with all of the bs and make the other people do the hard work. I go to the gym during the middle of the day and I leave early. I'm too close to retiring to bring on any extra stress. Loving life in the almost-retired lane. Longevity sometimes is much more important than promotions and more money/ more stress. They made me see the light after several years of promotion denial. If I really want a promotion, I'll apply. That seems the best way to get a promotion anyway, from my observation.
Being the best contributor is not a frequent criterion for promotion.
Boss is ALWAYS the problem.
Their ability at recognizing value or developing by communicating clearly, and motivating staff appropriately… is what’s costing the company everything.
Ive been considering job hopping my promotion. More money, higher ranked responsibilities.
Employers have rarely wanted to promote me and always preferred that I keep doing more of the same thing.
I've said this before on your other videos regarding this and I'll say it again.
All of this is true on it's own in a vacuum. But if your work isn't good then nobody will stand behind you no matter how much they know you because their reputation is on the line for recommending you when you end up being an underperformer.
You have to be both a good worker and sociable.
I have a friend who I talk to regularly and he has high ambitions. I would never refer or recommend him anywhere and I always make up excuses anytime he hints at or asks me to because he isn't the type to put in the work. I went to them same school with him and we had many classes together. He never did any work on group projects.
Do I know him? Yes. Do I think he is a good person? Yes. Do I like hanging out with him? Yes.
None of that means I'll ever refer him for a job.
100% agree. You still have to be reasonably good at your job.
Have you tried to be direct and honest with your friend? It might be the tough conversation he needs to set him on the right path.
I just got promoted today with a big raise
I never was looking for a promotion - I wanted to do the position I was hired to do and go home, earn a living wage and literally be left alone. Apparently, that was a lot to ask for LOL
😅😅😅 right
Its never enough. They always want just a little more from you.
Often times when you're in the workforce your boss may tell you that the "higher ups are coming down hard on us," "we need to start working more with less now" and/or most ridiculously they'll say "we can't afford raises this year" which is usually a blatant lie, because if they really "couldn't afford" raises then why are they still in business? Too big to fail?
Meanwhile, it’s a multi million dollar company….
Heard it all and fell for it.... I was going and loved the company and thought there was potential. My first year I got a small raise and promotion. Made 5k more in a year than starting which wasn't much but felt promising. Then the economy tanked. Layoffs came. I survived it but was then re-org'd to a new dept/boss/better title without a raise. Heard the lucky you still have a job, raises are frozen, make less with more stuff. I took it and said I would like a raise once its available. Took 3 years and no raise - another layoff/reorg to put in my notice. All of a sudden they had money to give me a raise. I took it. They used that to keep me in my title when I was working about 3 jobs in one and deserved the next title. I was told to keep doing the work and train to move up. The raise wasn't worth the work and BS. Finally left for even more $ better job better vaca hours and pension. Still want more money though! 😂 Never enough. Wouldn't leave this job unless it was in same Industry. Stuck here and will try to move up.
Promotions at this point in my career carry more negative aspects than positive ones. I'll play the game to the degree that I need to. Reputation and visibility are indeed key to playing that game though.
I myself couldn’t care less about being promoted to a supervisory role, I don’t want it for a variety of reasons. I’m happy where I’m at.
A lady I worked with in a government call center jumped on every task available for years. She was promised a management position around the same time I was promised a team lead opportunity; all we had to do was reach our set targets. When we both reached our targets to qualify, they told us both that the budget wasn't right for promoting us. I quit that day and she stayed on. In the end they promoted two team leads instead of a manager. Both who got the positions were originally sat in cubicals either side of the woman they originally made promises to. Apparently, she quit whe it was announced but went back a few months later!
Find meaning in people, fulfilling hobbies, or a business. You will never find meaning in working for company that just views you as a necessary liability for core operations on a balance sheet.
Forget about promotions. Promote your self by going to another company. I have given myself more pay raises that way that the company. We had a team mate for review was raised 3% and now he left the company for 30% and better position. THe heavy hitters in my dept got the least amount of raises. All of us are planning on leaving. Currently the company I am at. Gave everyone their raise before the review meeting. Then said "Our hands are tied" Great, people are leaving now.
IT for 20+ years.
Took a promotion once, didn't like it, ended up going to another company for my previous role making more money.
I average 5 years at companies where I'm hired in as an FTE, and average 6-12 months for contract gigs based on the length of the contract, so I don't think those short runs make me look bad.
I don't want to be promoted, I just make sure I'm at or above market value or move on.
The only downside I've found to contract gigs is that while they've all provided 401(k)'s, many don't let you start contributing until the 90 day mark, so I have to take that money and spend time investing elsewhere post tax.
Eh, whatever on that part, it's worked out so far...
The best performers start their own companies or end up working for the competition
The hardest, most proficient, workers are kept in their roles because productivity might take a hit if employer moves that proficient worker to a different position.
Yes. I remember the moment I knew they were never going to promote me at a job I was planning to retire in. That's the plan for the government job is to retire. I had no intention of staying in the role though. Took the next level up of civil service testing for the next role up. Passed. Completed another educational requirement to make myself ready. Got a letter saying they weren't counting the test anymore. They "changed their criteria." It was a very chaotic time, but it was good for me to move on. It worked out far better income wise and skill wise for things in the future.
The old moving of the goalposts.
That is most definitely the federal government's tactic, constantly moving the goal posts...
Careers seem dead these days. Instead of moving up, move on and/or start a business or side-hustle.
Brian has a video on why starting a business isn't for everyone.
Starting a business can mean kissing work life balance away if you constantly have to tend to it.
The career is a myth.
bartending on weekends makes you some nice side money, plus you get to socialize and possbily network if you serve the right kind of people
Performance doesn’t matter much - relatives in the right places within the organisation matters a whole lot more.
Or if not relatives, then people who stroke the egos of people in charge of hiring in their departments.
The more I watch your videos the more I understand the importance of working for myself. No ass kissing, no politics, no hr nonsense. Even if it means lower pay.
I totally agree, that's why top performers need to rotate and move. Unfortunately that's when their employer realizes how important that employee is. Now they'll need to hire 2 people meanwhile a highly promoted employee may have no impact when he/she leaves the company.
Its about who you know and who you blow if you want to get promoted
For a long time, promotion was my primary motivation at work - sometimes I was successful, sometimes not. It wasn’t until my 40s that I realised that I didn’t care what I did, it was just about the job title, and the hope that it might help me to define myself.
Switching companies is the only way to go these days, issue is the strategy has made companies nervous when recruiting and now we have all this Ghosting, which translates to "We are scared you'll go elsewhere if we take you on" - they also want to keep you on low pay. Thus thousands are switching for more cash, benefits etc, in turn makes companies even more nervous so it never ends, unless companies stop these lengthy interview stages.
The number one reason I hit a blocker trying to get someone promoted by far is "they aren't visible". They are visible to me as their manager but having someone outside your department boost you is worth 10x more than anything I say as your manager.
That being said it's my job to make sure team members are the out there but they have to be willing. The best people do it on their own and they move up fast.
I don't want a promotion. I'm perfectly happy being a mid-tier, line-worker professional. I make a decent salary, I just want to earn it without crippling levels of work-induced anxiety.
Same here i just want to keep making more while keeping workload low or about the same.
easy work and good pay is the dream
This video comes right on time. I’m being asked to do someone else job and take over some of their responsibilities, but I am kept at my current job title and pay scale.
Likewise. I'm effectively doing what my predecessor was, but I'm substantially lower on the ladder and they're denying a promotion for 1.5 years because the new HR team says so.
Introverts are doomed
Why you think so
And introverts with uncompromising principles are at a severe disadvantage.
Not necessarily
People tend to think that only extraverts get promoted, but this is actually not true at all. I'm a full on introvert and get offered promotions left and right. The thing about introverts is that they're strong in listening and observing, which you can use to your advantage. Yes, you have to get out of your comfort zone a little by making sure you are being seen and heard, but you definitely don't have to act like your extravert colleagues to do it. I take my time during meetings to take in all info, process this and give strong and strategically well placed feedback or advice. Unlike my extravert colleague that keeps talking and talking, I am remembered for giving that one break through comment that will be implemented. Furthermore you do have to play the game, but you can use introvert strategies to do it. People love talking about themselves and introverts are good at listening: ask the right people questions, be pleasant and helpful and you have yourself a network of people that can advocate for you.
@@ZBM-jj1xr a lot of people who are 'introverts' largest people who have anxiety depression autism adhd etc
I've seen many people go to a different company to work for a less prestigious title but a signficantly higher salary.
Since school I always like games I played against myself, and not against other people. It took me years to realize I wasn't born for this. If you are the same, get all your energy and invest in your own business. Let the players play by themselves and overtake them all in peace.
Time stamps
01:12 - You Have a Visibility Issue
03:01 - You Have a Reputation Issue
04:27 - You Lack a Career Strategy
06:45 - The Ultimate Career Blueprint (Ad)
07:15 - Lack of Taking Ownership of Your Career
I worked at a fortune 500 company for 9 years and never got promoted. I got hired as a senior manager at a new job making 43k more.
I've wasted 36 years at my job. I was branded by colleagues at another job before I even walked in the door. One of the men at work ruined my personal reputation. Thanks for your videos. I've sued them once. I'm suing them again, then I'll retire. I'm 70 years old.
I totally agree with this. Never try to impress your boss or immediate supervisor. They're middle management, and totally useless to be honest. I have always made sure to impress and befriend the top brass, CEOs, Board Members, Presidents, etc.
Of course, I never used that to get promoted, I've always been "self-destructive" when it comes to jobs. I do the bare-minimum to justify my paycheck. Being on the good-graces of those in power, always allowed me to not only keep my job(s) but also get away with so much crap.
Listening to this video made me look back across my career. I’ve only ever been passed over for promotion, twice.
Once when much younger, and one several years ago.
I left each company shortly after the passover for a much better opportunity. In both cases I had unwittingly broken Robert Greene’s First Law of Power, “Never Outshine the Master”.
All said , I figured out it’s took me an average of about a year to get promoted, when I wanted it, and the king makers wanted me.
If you have and are doing the right stuff, and the king makers want to promote you, it will happen.
If the king makers don’t want you, it won’t happen.
You must know exactly what you want and have a strategy. It’s also fine to not want to be promoted. Still have a strategy for what you want.
The bottom line, play office politics if you want to step up the corporate ladder. Make it your mindset to just use your job as a means to achieve your life goals, not another person or organization's goals. At the end of the day, you are replaceable.
To be honest, getting "promoted" doesn't mean the same thing anymore. Being "promoted" to leadership and running a department is more of a dead end because you have to deal with the politics, bullshit of excel reports, towing the company line etc. IMO, being "promoted" into doing more hard, hands-on work is beneficial to your career. Looking at the job landscape, manager vs. individual contributor gives you the choice of what makes the most sense for your career and where you're personally at.
I have worked for very few places that promote. "You are good at your job and if I promote you I need to replace a good worker, so we will just get a new hire."
The modern career is dead. I know I'm not getting promoted in my current job, so I made a strategy to become a Principal technical specialist. I don't need my boss's permission.
The bigger the company the bigger problem this is. I couldn't get promoted at my previous position. I moved to a new organization and became Regional Director for NYC. Where I used to work they are pissed, when they look at my Linked In page.
This is why no one goes above and beyond anymore
Ugh as a woman in tech I constantly feel like my manager is downplaying my skills and giving less challenging work. Because of this I’ve never gotten a promotion and I’m sick of trying to fight tooth and nail for more impactful projects. I gave up and just quietly do my work now.
There is a reason behind 401K vesting period. At least in IT, most of the people who know how to do stuff don't stay at one company for more than 2-3 years. My personal "longevity" record is 3 years 10 month. And I've been doing this since 1997. It's always goes the same (at least for me). First year, you "exceed expectation". Get some sort of raise and decent bonus. Year two, either same or just "meets expectations". Year three... well, in most cases on "partially meets" expectation. Usually accompanied with no raise and zero bonus. Year four... well, I am usually out after zero bonus part. And on to next job with 20-30% bump in compensation on average. My last jump was 110% bump. You know, covid, inflation... blah blah blah. Been at this place for almost three years. Guess what, last comp talk... "compensation policy tightened".. zero race, zero bonus.. you can guess what comes next lol. Few of my friends who I started with and who managed to stay at same place for over 12-15 years... well, none making over about 10% up from where they started. And I am not talking about some shady fly-by-night shops. I've worked for most major Wall Street investment banks and even one major exchange. All the same. So don't feel bad. it's the system, not you. They are not in a habit to promote from inside anyway.
I'm 28 but this is basically my plan. My longest was my last job which was 2 years 9 months. My current job will be about the same I'm guessing maybe a touch longer. Although there are return to office rumors so might be sooner. For the most part, company loyalty is for people who don't want money 😂.
That is what I am doing. I put away more money into my Roth than the company 401k. I would take 4-5 years to match 100%. Already 2 years in and planning and setting up the exit strategy.
Yep, happened at my job I left recently after being there for almost 18 months. no development, progression, promotion, growth, appreciation, recognition, gratitude, I was out.
To grow my career and get to senior leadership roles, I made a point of moving regularly. I can’t speak for the US, but working in the UK, there are a whole plethora of reasons why you'll be passed over. For example:
- Not the right look: from the male boss who prefers good looking women; to the female boss looking for her BFF. If you don't pass the "looks" test, you have problems.
- Racism: this is still a factor. Whether it's old fashioned bigotry, or DEI racism 2.0.
- Feminism: if you are a heterosexual male, your options are threatened from two angles: from the powerful female boss who is simultaneously a victim of the patriarchy and hates men; and her alpha male feminist counterpart who will tear down other men in order to look good and virtuous.
Very true - although paid pretty well and thought of as some kind of 'expert' I'm pigeonholed and no chance of promotion. But then again I've also learnt to knock off at 4pm every day, never work more than 40 hours a week and refuse any tasks which would be too difficult from an hours point of view - what are they gonna do - fire me? Go ahead, I don't really mind as the extra time I have means I make nearly as much money on the side these days.
I work at a place were people get promoted based on friendship not on skills, knowledge or experience. Recently someone was given a job and come to find out the person was leaving at the home of the manager who gave this person the job.
Some people do not want to be promoted, and that's okay!
Networking and expressing willingness to learn new stuff helped me. I understand the bigger picture. I network with those who do processes I have skin in the game on. So when I need something done, I leverage those connections.
Seeking out a senior mentor who knows how the business is writ large also helps.
Taking point on interdepartmental projects also gives you a high profile. I've met a lot of senior leadership that way. It even makes you stand out on interviews.
And just having a sense of confidence. More I than we stuff.
If in the private sector and you're getting no luck, find someone else to work for to get that raise or promotion. If the government, sometimes it's too fair to a fault, but they go out of their way to be impartial.
This is me. I have known this for 2 years but I cannot seem to leave. Very painful. Good at my job, but I know there is no promotion down the road. But unable to leave
Promotions are overrated. Most of them just mean more responsibilities, not career advancement or even better income. It is better to promote yourself throughout a new job.
I once had a leadership position gained through networking, but let me tell you, it was NOT worth it! No increase in pay, triple the responsibility, and triple the stress. No thanks! Joshua Fluke said it best: "It's not what you know, who you know. It's who you blow!"
I was/am a top performer, who also networked and brought in higher numbers across Chicago. I was also number one in retention. I was placed in an interim management role, and lost it to someone with a fraction of my experience and no network. I resigned and 6 months later the old team imploded, and now there is now behavioral health or HIV prevention teams. Do not be afraid to quit a bad manager.
I was in my job for over 6 years and never got the shift leader promotion while people after me got it. This year's sadly I realized the realities of my job and decided to quit. Loyalty means nothing and I learned not to believe their words but believe if their actions align with their words. It was such a great feeling when I left my job annoying that I wouldn't have to deal with this anymore.
Years ago upon getting one of my first jobs coming out of college, as wise as my late grandfather foretold me that when you're in the workforce there will come many twists and turns and that many opportunities will arise in the future and to put in a good performance, his perspective may be mostly based with the Great generation's POV back when the US was a more prosperous time some 70 years ago.
Some people get promoted by default such as being incompetent (fucking things up) and they get promoted or by kissing the asses to upper management.
The highest I've been is senior supervisor, got the carpet swept out from underneath me when a director decided to remove senior supervisor from the company according to the at the time new General Manager. As a result, I had to take a lower supervisory role.
May be worth covering something along those lines, just a thought for video content for you.
I gave myself a 25 percent raise over the last 3 years. Jumped jobs twice. Alhumdu illah. I plan on it in another year for a 10 percent raise
So, the kiss-ass wins. We already knew this.
when it came to rapid promotion, nepotism was the main reason.