Just pick yourself up and try again better

By MARK STORY

Ironic as it may sound, being pipped at the post for promotion can fast-track your career prospects. At least that was the case for Sky City employee "Miss Smith" - she didn't want to use her real name - who was one of nine applicants knocked back for an executive management role late last year.

Even though Smith didn't get the promotion she wanted, her application opened career doors that were otherwise closed. She was later offered a newly created position. Rather than getting emotionally distraught that she didn't fit the role, Smith decided her application for promotion would deliver a learning experience, regardless of the outcome.

"While I had 90 per cent of the skills required, there was 10 per cent where I knew I was on shaky ground. So revelations that I'd missed out on those competencies came as no epiphany."

But Smith did unearth some unexpected gems through her rejection. In fact, it's changed her entire approach to preparing for promotions in future. She says that while only one person usually gets promoted, everyone who applies can benefit - especially if they recognise that gaining promotion isn't the only meaningful outcome.

Smith believes more people should recognise that the act of applying for promotion sends powerful messages to management. This shows employers that you're serious about career advancement.

"Applying for promotion can give you an opportunity to sell yourself to someone new within the organisation," says Smith.

From her experience on a Sky City promotion panel, she believes staff are getting better at working previous applications for promotion into the interview process.

"Applying for promotion is an opportunity to strive for something outside of what you're doing now. You've got to put yourself on the line or no one will know who, or what, you are."

That's true, but Mind Works psychologist and business coach Sara Chatwin says employees must have a game-plan of self improvement. Once people have regained their self esteem, she says they need to start soul-searching by asking themselves:

* Was this the right job for me?

* Am I too hard to get on with; too sensitive, proud or quick to take offence, or just too remote?

* Did my interview technique let me down? Was I over-confident? Do I need coaching? Could I have expressed myself better?

* What new skills should I acquire?

To successfully answer these questions, says Jayne-Ann Young, social sciences faculty manager with Glendowie College, it requires employer input. Young was declined promotion to assistant principal last October, and had her employer not handled the follow-up well, Young says she would have resigned.

So how did her employer handle it? The day after the job was offered to someone outside the school, Young and two other internal applicants received one-to-one debriefings with the principal.

Young describes the application process as an empowering experience. One of her career goals was to take a greater leadership role facilitating meetings. "In addition, I now have one of the school's leading teaching jobs in IT. These developments wouldn't have happened, had I not bothered to apply for that job."

After two decades in the classroom, Young saw a senior management promotion as the only way to break beyond her salary cap. But the act of applying for the job made her realise what she'd have to relinquish for the extra money - teaching and contact with kids.

Young says the lessons she gleaned from being knocked back for promotion far outweighed the disappointment and temporary damage to her ego. Her tips:

* Analyse why you're really applying for promotion. "I realised I wasn't ready to stop teaching and take up a job in senior management. But I'm much better positioned if I decide to reapply."

* Don't pre-judge the successful candidate. "I was relieved the job went to an external applicant. It would have been harder to return to school the next day, had it gone to one of my contemporaries."

* Ask for feedback from your boss, and put a follow-up programme together.

* Take your time to regain your balance before you face up to colleagues.

Young believes women especially should not be put off going for the promotion stretch, even if the odds are against them.

"Instead of limiting yourself, put your best foot forward and let the world put its own price on your talents. Being passed over for promotion is always beneficial, as long as you're prepared to follow up on the reality-check it presents."