Ask the expert: Promoting without advertising

By MARIE WILSON


Q. Again my company, which has a stated policy of advertising all jobs internally, has promoted people without advertising the vacant positions. We just get the announcement that so-and-so is moving here and someone else is moving there. The company doesn't always do this, but when it does I find it frustrating because on more than one occasion I see jobs that some of us would have applied for, given the chance, go to other people. I see it that people with ambition don't have the opportunity to show their enthusiasm for further progression within the company because they don't get the chance.

A. The kind of re-shuffling that you've described works against the reason for promote-from-within policies. The rationale for internal promotion policies is to recognise and encourage existing talent within the company and recognise the importance of retaining the knowledge base of existing systems, customer and suppliers. Not following through on the policy risks losing the very talent that the company is trying to keep.

But what can you do about it? A starting point is discussion with your supervisor about your career ambitions, preferably over an up-to-date and well-structured CV. You should be able to discuss other positions that interest you and could develop you further, as well as steps to help get you there.

Your second discussion could be with the HR manager for the company. If this is a written policy, he/she has an obligation to investigate why the policy is not being followed. Sometimes there are rotational policies that take precedence over the requirement to advertise openings (such as rotating assignments for nurses and doctors in training), but your situation sounds distinctly different and should be investigated.

If the policy is in writing and such policies are part of your employment agreement, then you might have the option of using the employment disputes section of your agreement to get attention focused on this matter. If you are seeking a promotion, this might not be the sort of action you are interested in taking.

Even if you don't want to pursue it formally, an inquiry about whether this policy is included in your employment agreement by reference, and whether it would be worth pursuing it formally through the disputes process, would certainly signal how concerned you are about the issue and might raise additional interest in getting this matter corrected.


* * *

Email a question for Dr Marie Wilson

Dr Marie Wilson is associate professor of management at the University of Auckland Business School, research director of the ICEHOUSE business accelerator and a veteran of 20 years in corporate management and small business.