Confused Engineer
Confused Engineer
(OP)
I am trying to understand the issue with my career advancement in my present company.Please kindly excuse my lengthy writing here.
I am a Electrical engineer with a MS and 10 years exp. I am currently with a company for 4.5 years. I have been asking for promotion to next level (Level 3) for about 1.5 years now but my manager has not promoted me yet. After I have made the formal request for the promotion (1.5 years ago), I have been working on more tougher assignments and making promised progress on time. In this 1.5 year time frame, I have completed two major new product development assigments which my manager is impressed about (I hope so from his feedback). I got a 4.0 rating for last year. Even though my manager is well aware of all this, I still dont get a sense that I will be promoted.
In a effort to understand why I am not being promoted, I bring this topic up during formal evaluations and many one-on-one meetings. During those conversations, I ask my manager is there anything I need to improve inorder to be promoted. He says I am doing great and there is nothing wrong in my part but just "implies" me to be patient. One time, he mentioned that me asking many times is not working towards my benefit. Another time, he said that if I go to another company, I may be promoted but not here. This was about 6months ago. I was pretty upset hearing it. After that I have kept quiet about asking except kept him informed of the progress I am making in my projects. Recently, during my mid year review, when I again expected that I will be promoted (but obviously not), I asked him why but never got any proper reasoning form him except he mentioned that he will "try" getting me promoted in the next cycle (which means this year end) but he also mentioned "don't hold me to it".
So I am wondering,
1. Is it usual for companies/managers to delay the promotion even after 1.5 years after request even though they say I am doing great. In my mind, either they would promote the indivudual if they think he is ready when he requested or give him goals to achieve (to test if he is ready) before being promoted. Am I right? I got niether of the above so I am really confused.
2. Do you think my manager has intentions to promote me or is he just using this "career advancement interest" of mine to get me to do above and beyond my yearly goals.
2. Should I exit this whole "exceed expectaion, wait &see , get disappointed" game and start looking for opputunities outside the company. In other words, am I wasting my time with this present company?
I am a Electrical engineer with a MS and 10 years exp. I am currently with a company for 4.5 years. I have been asking for promotion to next level (Level 3) for about 1.5 years now but my manager has not promoted me yet. After I have made the formal request for the promotion (1.5 years ago), I have been working on more tougher assignments and making promised progress on time. In this 1.5 year time frame, I have completed two major new product development assigments which my manager is impressed about (I hope so from his feedback). I got a 4.0 rating for last year. Even though my manager is well aware of all this, I still dont get a sense that I will be promoted.
In a effort to understand why I am not being promoted, I bring this topic up during formal evaluations and many one-on-one meetings. During those conversations, I ask my manager is there anything I need to improve inorder to be promoted. He says I am doing great and there is nothing wrong in my part but just "implies" me to be patient. One time, he mentioned that me asking many times is not working towards my benefit. Another time, he said that if I go to another company, I may be promoted but not here. This was about 6months ago. I was pretty upset hearing it. After that I have kept quiet about asking except kept him informed of the progress I am making in my projects. Recently, during my mid year review, when I again expected that I will be promoted (but obviously not), I asked him why but never got any proper reasoning form him except he mentioned that he will "try" getting me promoted in the next cycle (which means this year end) but he also mentioned "don't hold me to it".
So I am wondering,
1. Is it usual for companies/managers to delay the promotion even after 1.5 years after request even though they say I am doing great. In my mind, either they would promote the indivudual if they think he is ready when he requested or give him goals to achieve (to test if he is ready) before being promoted. Am I right? I got niether of the above so I am really confused.
2. Do you think my manager has intentions to promote me or is he just using this "career advancement interest" of mine to get me to do above and beyond my yearly goals.
2. Should I exit this whole "exceed expectaion, wait &see , get disappointed" game and start looking for opputunities outside the company. In other words, am I wasting my time with this present company?





RE: Confused Engineer
Sounds like you should take a deep breath, keep your nose to the good ol' grindstone, and stop bugging your boss. In the meantime, go right ahead and look for another job.
RE: Confused Engineer
You got an answer.
Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA
RE: Confused Engineer
You might wish to explore outside opportunities. That is how I most often got promoted and MUCH better paid.
And the "squeaky" wheel doesn't always get greased - it sometimes gets replaced!!
RE: Confused Engineer
2. Possibly, you're the one that more or less knows him - what's the scuttlebutt, not that I condone gossiping etc. but sometimes the rumor mill aint all wrong.
3. Look elsewhere - probably. Wasting time, who knows, are you getting a decent pay check, are you learning stuff, do you enjoy your actual work...
I got less than a 4.0 (out of 4.0) this year but it got me a 10% raise, and possibly indirectly, a bunch more responsibility. Throwing numbers our without contextual information is meaningless.
What is Engineering anyway: FAQ1088-1484: In layman terms, what is "engineering"?
RE: Confused Engineer
Keeping score is "important" in a sporting contest but it is really counter productive in real life.
David
RE: Confused Engineer
I agree with MikeHalloran. I think he's given you the same answer three times.
1. Asking too many times is not benefitting you.
2. May get promoted at another company.
3. Don't hold me to it.
It is degrading to beg so don't beg. You have two options:
1. Content yourself where you are
2. Find a job with another company that would be a promotion
When you give notice, you'll know how important you are to them. They'll either ask you to stay and negotiate to retain you or they'll wish you luck.
Pamela K. Quillin, P.E.
Quillin Engineering, LLC
RE: Confused Engineer
With the introduction of codling and making sure no kid's feelings are hurt in our schools by giving rewards to everyone instead of those that actually are achieving, graduates are expecting to be promoted much quicker now-a-days, than say, 20-30 years ago.
Put in your time, do a good...no, great job at it, and you will be rewarded.
If you just want a raise, go to a different company.
______________________________________________________________________________
This is normally the space where people post something insightful.
RE: Confused Engineer
1. Yes it is usual for companies/Managers to tell you they are gonna promote you and then not promote you. Don't feel bad. It's not you it goes on everywhere. Consider your Manager MAY get a bonus based on his budget/expeditures so keeping you on board and paying you as little as he can is in his best interest.
2. See response to #1
3. Hard to say. What do you want? Are you looking to get a new Title? A raise? Challeanging work or all of the above?
Speaking just for me. I had a similar experience early in my career. My issue was I wanted more money. Short answer was "not gonna happen, you ain't that special". I got another job and get paid more than I thought possible. Best move I ever made.
Good luck.
RE: Confused Engineer
I once worked in fast food in a past life, the customer facing roles were considered the entry point, packing a step up and cooking the top short of management. I was purposefully bad at 'people' but generally diligent and professional (yes some people take working in fast food seriously), it wasn't long before I was moved into what was perceived a better job. Some of the people who tried really hard on customer related positions ended up stuck there because they were good at it. They couldn't work out what they were doing wrong
Getting a promotion is a balancing act between being valuable but not irreplaceable.
Designer of machine tools - user of modified screws
RE: Confused Engineer
Tobalcane
"If you avoid failure, you also avoid success."
"Luck is where preparation meets opportunity"
RE: Confused Engineer
I have been working for 25 years as an engineer, for more companies that I care to count. I make a decent salary now, although my title ("Mechanical engineer") and formal job description have hardly changed and the number of my subordinates is still zero. But guess what? I am happy this way as the level and complexity of the problems I am solving has gone up proportional to the salary.
RE: Confused Engineer
sorry sparky whineycat2011, we cannot help you understand your situation . . . only you can do that.
suggest you focus on the matter that matters most (usually right in front of you) and be honest with yourself/others (my wife's suggestion).
good luck!
-pmover
RE: Confused Engineer
Mike McCann
MMC Engineering