When should I ask for a promotion?

You can always put "Sr." on your resume, whether it's true or not. It almost certainly wouldn't be questioned by a potential new employer and even if you didn't have that "senior" in your official title, it's easy enough to claim you were the senior person in your group. Unfortunately just about EVERYBODY exaggerates on their resume, as a hiring manager, I have come to expect that and am more interested in what the person has done and what they're capable of rather than their previous job titles. When I worked at a bank, I was SURROUNDED by AVPs (asst. vice pres) in a technical group that were far inferior in ability to me (my title at the time was the generic "systems analyst").
Titles aren't worth squat, take the $$$ as long as you're getting the experiences you want to put on your resume.

I thought you said you were the senior systems analyst?:confused: :biggrin:
 
I thought you said you were the senior systems analyst?:confused: :biggrin:

Actually they did give me a (long overdue) promotion to Sr. Systems Analyst, it just so happened I had intended to give my notice that day, so it was an interesting meeting. I was promoted and as soon as I was, I said thanks I appreciate that I'm valued and my contributions have finally been recognized, but I'm giving you my 2 week notice. They asked why, I said money, they said how much more, I told them, they said good luck!
 
Sent an e-mail invite for next Tues. and made it clear I wanted to talk about advancement opportunities within the dept. in light of a successful planning process and positive feedback from all levels involved. *gulp* I feel like I'm asking a girl on a date... sure, the worst thing that can happen is she says no, but rejection sucks. :redface:
 
Sent an e-mail invite for next Tues. and made it clear I wanted to talk about advancement opportunities within the dept. in light of a successful planning process and positive feedback from all levels involved. *gulp* I feel like I'm asking a girl on a date... sure, the worst thing that can happen is she says no, but rejection sucks. :redface:

You are on the right track and handling the request well. I applaud you for asking for what you want. Best of luck.
 
UPDATE:

Well, I asked and basically got a "later/sometime soon". She agreed that I've done a great job and am progressing very well, but I will have an opportunity to move up sometime next year, as the more technical side of my current role gets outsourced to India (great!), leaving me with more time to do analysis in one of many roles she says I could thrive in. So the answer is no for now, but I should get a healthy bonus/raise at my review in March. If not I'll be out of here with the quickness to get some more investing-related experience somewhere else. I think it would be much better to go into an MBA program with some good experience in a couple different roles/industries versus 3 years in more or less the same job with the same company.

Thanks for all your help. Definitely did not hurt anything to ask, beyond me being a little nervous at first hehe.
 
as long as you are happy.

If you are looking forward to a decent raise in march, follow through with it. no raise, no you sticking around.

People might not like my attitude etc about it, but in the end, yu are looking out for yourself, and your financial success. Take charge of it, and make sure you are happy.

There are tons of copanies out there that wil pay you good money, as lng asyou can show that you deserve it.
 
ugh....

Our expense team is me, lady #1 who's been with the company for something like 20 years, and lady #2 who spends about half her time helping us out. Well, lady #1 just told me she's transfering to a different department on Jan. 1. I'm not sure whether - or how - they are going to replace her.

This might be a renewed opportunity for me to advance, but somehow I doubt that will be happen. In this company when people leave, you are expected to simply do more work in their absence without any sort of recognition or compensation. No wonder that at a year and a half, I have the most seniority in my group. In 18 months I've seen a whole cycle of 10 people come and go from a group that now stands at 6. You'd think management would pull their heads out of their asses and reward those who have not only stuck through it, but have affected dramatic positive change in the process.

If there are any managers in here, I hope you take my experience as an example of how to NOT treat your subordinates. I loved my job despite the hardships for quite a while. But when a department seems to specialize in losing talent like sand through its fingers, it makes me not want to stick around either. I'm tired of doing other people's work, and improving it, and getting paid and recognized according to the entry-level role I was initially hired for. I'm going to start looking for a job in February and hopefully make a brisk exit after I receive my bonus in March.
 
In this company when people leave, you are expected to simply do more work in their absence without any sort of recognition or compensation.

I'm glad to see that you asked. It was a good experience for you and next time you will be even better at it.

RE: the quote above - it's like that at almost every company.
 
I feel the exact same way currently and will be looking to do the same thing come the new year. I'm going into a meeting with the owner in about an hour knowing I'm getting a huge promotion its just a matter of the "compensation". I'm not going to settle.. even though I need to stay employed here for a little while longer. Wish me luck..haha.
:biggrin:
ugh....

Our expense team is me, lady #1 who's been with the company for something like 20 years, and lady #2 who spends about half her time helping us out. Well, lady #1 just told me she's transfering to a different department on Jan. 1. I'm not sure whether - or how - they are going to replace her.

This might be a renewed opportunity for me to advance, but somehow I doubt that will be happen. In this company when people leave, you are expected to simply do more work in their absence without any sort of recognition or compensation. No wonder that at a year and a half, I have the most seniority in my group. In 18 months I've seen a whole cycle of 10 people come and go from a group that now stands at 6. You'd think management would pull their heads out of their asses and reward those who have not only stuck through it, but have affected dramatic positive change in the process.

If there are any managers in here, I hope you take my experience as an example of how to NOT treat your subordinates. I loved my job despite the hardships for quite a while. But when a department seems to specialize in losing talent like sand through its fingers, it makes me not want to stick around either. I'm tired of doing other people's work, and improving it, and getting paid and recognized according to the entry-level role I was initially hired for. I'm going to start looking for a job in February and hopefully make a brisk exit after I receive my bonus in March.
 
UPDATE:

I didn't look for a job after being told basically "not quite yet, but maybe soon" on the promotion because I decided switching jobs right before I apply to MBA programs in the fall would not be good.

I've been going along as usual at work, and have been given new responsibilities (now manage a $40M, 230-person budget) which my boss said would move me toward a promotion, but so far no dice. I feel it's extra important to get a promotion very soon, because I will be applying to top-10 MBA programs in October for fall '09 (got a 760 GMAT score in April :smile:) and a promotion would be a huge bonus considering I'll be below the median work experience of students at most of these schools by 1-3yrs (will be 39 months at the time I start school).

I got a call from another manager who I work with occasionally and is familiar with my work, telling me about a Senior Financial Analyst position in his area. The job sounds good, similar to what I'm doing now, and I pretty much know I can nab it. I'm also salivating at the chance to use it as leverage with my current boss, who I'm confident would give me a counter offer. I'm torn between the two jobs if it does come to that though - the new position sounds a little more interesting and would give me a little more variety of experience for grad school, but I'm comfortable and happy in my current position (which ultimately has a little more influence and scope in the company, ironically) and I wouldn't ruffle feathers if I just accepted a counter-offer to stay here. That last part is of particular concern to me, as I will have to ask a supervisor for a recommendation in August.

So I need your advice, NSXPrimers - assuming I get an offer and a counter-offer from my current boss (I feel both are fairly safe assumptinos), which job would you take? And one other question - HR is supposed to notify my boss of all this before interviews begin, and I have the option to tell her about it myself first - should I do this and see if I can get a counter-offer straight away? Or at least tell her about it so she feels we're open and communicating?
 
I have had 12 Jobs in my 15 years of working. What I do when I had a few options was to put on paper the pros and cons of each.

Questions - Hours? can you work from home? Perks? How far is it? Time off? How long is the average person worked at this place? Can you move up? Working at this place is going to make you worth more?

A few things to watch out for is some people find a great paying job that is a skill that is only good for that 1 job. At every job I have had I look at it like this "If I work here for a few years will I be worth more?" I have walked out of jobs when the answer is no even though it payed very well. Don't set yourself up in a job that you are over paid and your skill do not match the pay.

Also if you are good at what you do you can work for whoever you want too. If the job sucks or the pay sucks I will leave and now when I start a job they know this and they also know that I am worth what I ask for becuase I work hard and have have many jobs so I know what works and what does not. I did have 1 manager tell me "If you want more money you are just going to have to go somewhere else" I turned in my 2 weeks the next day lol :) It's about ****YOU**** not them, if they can save / get bigger bonus your ass will be gone.
 
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I have had 12 Jobs in my 15 years of working. What I do when I had a few options was to put on paper the pros and cons of each.

Questions - Hours? can you work from home? Perks? How far is it? Time off? How long is the average person worked at this place? Can you move up? Working at this place is going to make you worth more?

A few things to watch out for is some people find a great paying job that is a skill that is only good for that 1 job. At every job I have had I look at it like this "If I work here for a few years will I be worth more?" I have walked out of jobs when the answer is no even though it payed very well. Don't set yourself up in a job that you are over paid and your skill do not match the pay.

Also if you are good at what you do you can work for whoever you want too. If the job sucks or the pay sucks I will leave and now when I start a job they know this and they also know that I am worth what I ask for becuase I work hard and have have many jobs so I know what works and what does not. I did have 1 manager tell me "If you want more money you are just going to have to go somewhere else" I turned in my 2 weeks the next day lol :) It's about ****YOU**** not them, if they can save / get bigger bonus your ass will be gone.
I have short, simple answers to the good questions you raise. As far as the pros/cons of the job itself, it's basically the same since it's a similar role in the same office. If anything there may be a little less work, but I can't be certain of that and I don't really care that much.

The other questions about how this job will help you in the future are also not as important in my case, because most of what I'm concerned with right now is how it will make me look for grad schools. I don't care so much about how far I can move up since I will only be working a little over a year (if I get accepted to a desirable school this year). The "will this make me more valuable" question is basically the same as asking if it will look good to the admissions folks, and I feel that both positions would be roughly the same - given of course that I get a Sr. Analyst counteroffer. I'm not sure whether the slight change in experience moving to a different department would offset getting promoted by an existing boss instead of simply getting hired into a more advanced role.

I have a one-on-one with my boss this afternoon and will tell her about the position and see if I can indirectly get her to offer a promotion before the application ball gets rolling.
 
Wow, things happen quickly. The following has happened since lunch:

1. Met with my boss to tell her about the position I was interested in
2. Boss basically said, "you can do whatever you want, but I will do whatever it takes to keep you."
3. Boss calls manager offering the job and tells him he can pursue me, but she'll outbid him.
4. Boss tells me I am now promoted. Doing the same job, with a biz school friendly title and more money FTW.
:biggrin: :biggrin:

And to think just yesterday morning I had no clue this would be coming!
 
Wow, things happen quickly. The following has happened since lunch:

1. Met with my boss to tell her about the position I was interested in
2. Boss basically said, "you can do whatever you want, but I will do whatever it takes to keep you."
3. Boss calls manager offering the job and tells him he can pursue me, but she'll outbid him.
4. Boss tells me I am now promoted. Doing the same job, with a biz school friendly title and more money FTW.
:biggrin: :biggrin:

And to think just yesterday morning I had no clue this would be coming!


Next time don't wait 6 months :biggrin: and congrats man!
 
Next time don't wait 6 months :biggrin: and congrats man!
Haha I know my posts above were wordy but if you sift through them, I did actually ask her in December and she basically implied that I could get one sometime soon if I take on some added responsibilities, but not quite yet. I had taken on the exact roles she specified but hadn't gotten a promotion until today.

Crazy stuff though... my girlfriend just called and SHE GOT A PROMOTION TODAY TOO. It was just as unexpected and when she e-mailed the manager to tell him she was interested, he was 10 minutes away from giving the offer to someone else (new role in different office of same company). Man, what a day!

The only downer is I feel bad that I'm making more now than my parents (individually), which isn't fair. They're both psychologists with Ph.D.'s and are in their early 60s and I'm barely 24 with an undergrad degree, that's just not right. They're having some money troubles right now (slow business) and I try to help them, but they will only accept so much. I guess in the end, they're happy for me and know that my sister and I can easily support them if they ever need help. Still just the one thing that spoils such an amazing day. It almost makes me feel bad, but I guess at least I'm not spending it on a bunch of stupid crap. They know that I'll just be saving that much more than before.
 
I know the feeling, at 19 i was making more than my father...and same deal as well. Business was slow + personal reasons.

Congratulations on your promotions and everything, but at least your parents are proud of you, and though they may never ask for help, knowing their son is there as a safety net is probably calming them alot. Our parents seem to be about the same age, so I know from experience that, it'd be better if i'm making more right now (despite business being slow) than having business being slow and my income not enough to provide my parents.


It's the way things work, but put it this way, you may feel bad you're making more, but they're ecstatic i bet.
 
Wow, things happen quickly. The following has happened since lunch:

1. Met with my boss to tell her about the position I was interested in
2. Boss basically said, "you can do whatever you want, but I will do whatever it takes to keep you."
3. Boss calls manager offering the job and tells him he can pursue me, but she'll outbid him.
4. Boss tells me I am now promoted. Doing the same job, with a biz school friendly title and more money FTW.
:biggrin: :biggrin:

And to think just yesterday morning I had no clue this would be coming!

congratulations bud!! Very happy for you and your girlfriend! About the parents, it's a tough situation, but good to hear that you are there for them if they ever need you. That is the most important thing to them.

Again, congrats on the promotion!

P.S. Titles are good, and raises are good. Personallu, I would rather take a promotion (with an increase in salary) over a simple raise any day of the week. You are going to be at work anyways, usually spending 8 hours a day, might as well work your a$$ off while you are there. I have no problem with the extra work load.
 
I just found out how much my raise is, and frankly I'm quite disappointed. $3k/yr or 5.25%, for going from Analyst to Senior Analyst. WTF? I've had annual increases much bigger than that. From what I've heard and can infer, the other Seniors in my dept. make $15-20k more than that. Most are older and some have MBAs, but I know one is my age w/o an MBA and gets paid that much. I've also been here longer than any of them.

I'm still happy with any increase and the biggest part of all this was getting that title so I can have a better chance with grad schools, but this kind of feels like a slap in the face. I mean, that's less than $100 per pay period, maybe no more than inflation this year.
 
Unfortunately, the only real way to get a significant pay increase is typically to leave your company and go elsewhere. Most companies, especially larger ones, will simply not give you a large pay increase. It doesn't matter if you go from mailroom clerk to VP. If it's a really large company there will usually be defined pay grades and you'll just get bumped up to the absolute bottom of your new pay grade. It sucks, but that's reality. People I know that loved their company but not their pay had to leave the company and then come back after 6-12 months in order to get what they were worth in the marketplace.
 
I've heard that. Unfortunately it's not an option for me since I plan on applying to MBA programs in October. I planned on looking around for this reason early this year, but decided it was best for school if I didn't. Now I just hope I get in to somewhere I want.

I asked my boss if I could talk to her for a couple minutes before she leaves today (out of town all next week). Just want to tell her that I'm kind of disappointed without pissing her off. I can see why lots of people start businesses in order to not work for anybody - I ultimately want to do this, but want to get stable enough to have a family first and then try things from there.
 
Out of curiosity, what does your job have to do with an MBA program. Are they going to pay for it? If that's the case, that in itself is worth quite a bit of $$$ in lieu of salary.
 
Out of curiosity, what does your job have to do with an MBA program. Are they going to pay for it? If that's the case, that in itself is worth quite a bit of $$$ in lieu of salary.
Probably not. I am going for top 10-15 schools so I have to go out of state. I'll try to negotiate what I can when the time comes, but I'm not planning on them paying for it. Hoping whatever company I get hired by might chip in.

I talked to my boss and it at least makes a little more sense now. I was right at the midpoint of the salary range for an analyst, and now I'm about 1/3rd of the way from the minimum to the midpoint of a senior. Given that I'm young and relatively inexperienced, and without an MBA, I guess it makes some sense, although the people I work with would agree that I have enough critical responsibilities to warrant being closer to the midpoint. I mean, I am one of two people running the company's expense planning (I do all the technical work) AND I manage the entire 230-person Finance budget. No other senior analyst has responsibilities on both sides like that.

Frustrating. Just makes me want to try extra hard on my applications, though.
 
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