Blogtrek

Promoting from within

One of the frustrations I found out in my younger work life was places where the management promoted from within. That is, when a higher ranking position became open, they selected someone of the next lower rank in the same office to fill the position. This effectively shuts out outsiders; people who work outside the office unless they are willing to start all over at entry-level positions. I have seen that happen too.

However, promoting from within can be a blessing when it occurs in your own office. That is how I got promoted in the 1980s. However my present office apparently does not promote from within any more. Because of that, people are leaving. One announced that she was taking a higher-ranking position elsewhere because they would not promote from within in her office.

This brings up a paradox. If your own office won't promote from within, then you have to go elsewhere for your promotions. After some job-hunting, you find a suitable promotion somewhere else. But guess what? That new office is no different. Eventually you will have to move again to find a suitable promotion. It does not promote from within. No, when a high ranking position comes up, they choose an outsider. The evidence for that is you.

The paradox is that you are dissatisfied with your office because it does not promote from within, but this forces you to hunt for a position, which by force of logic also does not promote from within, so you have not satisfied your goal. It seems like you can never satisfy your goal. The only way out, it seems, is the hard way: find an entry-level position at a place which does promote from within and go there, taking a temporary cut in salary if need be. I know several people who have done that.