It is quite possible to turn in years of satisfactory performance without receiving a promotion. Some companies are structured in a manner that does not allow for frequent promotions, and even above-average performance is expected as a normal contribution. Sometimes contributions are recognized with extra financial rewards instead of promotions; sometimes they are not.
If you have achieved results, but have not been rewarded by frequent promotions, then you may face objections from some potential employers who consider lack of promotions as an indication of few achievements or an inability to get along with others. There are a number of things you can do to offset this.
Mindset
Keep this in mind. If today you are capable of making substantial contributions to an employer, that is what counts, not how many times you may have been promoted. In many cases, promotions are more a function of people selling themselves, than they are an indication of delivering results. If you have made contributions in the past, and are well prepared to communicate how you made those contributions, you have a strong basis in fact for neutralizing this liability, or even turning it to an advantage.
Resume
Use a brief summary up front that recounts your major contributions. Structure the resume itself not according to titles and dates. Instead, give prominence to the achievements regardless of when they occurred. In this way you quickly get to the substance of what really matters to the employer... your ability to deliver results.
You can if you choose use headlines instead of job titles to break your experience into logical segments, which may or may not be in strict chronological order, but which identify specific challenges where you acted successfully to reach an objective. Examples of such headlines might be: Successfully Introducing a New Product... Turning Around a Losing Operation... Starting a New Department... Improving Dealer Relations... Winning New National Accounts... Introducing New Methods... etc.
In a small section on personal strengths, you can emphasize those which might be in question due to the lack of promotions. These would include an ability to work well with people at every level, lead by example, build loyalty in those who work for you, build highly motivated teams who continue to perform well in your absence, etc.
Interviews / e-mail / Letters
In correspondence and in interviews, keep focused on what really matters. Direct the discussion through your questions to those specific areas where the employer needs help, then give examples in each area of how you have delivered results. The best way is with brief situation-action-result format stories which show that you know how to analyze situations properly, then take actions which get results, meeting or exceeding objectives.
Also ask about the personal qualities which will be most important in the person who wins the job, and be prepared to give more examples of how you used those very traits to get things done and deliver benefits to your employer.
At some point summarize all the areas where they need help and all the personal qualities they need, then point out that you're a good match on every count, express your enthusiasm, and ask if there are any concerns or hesitations on their part about your suitability for the job. This may well bring up the concern about your lack of frequent promotions.
Turn this to an advantage by pointing out that you have always focused on doing the job and delivering value, and could justifiably be accused of not doing enough self-promotion or paying enough attention to internal politics. Explain that in the future you intend to work harder to communicate your achievements accurately to the person you report to.
Where appropriate, you can also point out that your earnings increased steadily, or that your responsibilities expanded steadily. Employers generally recognize that these are rewards of substance, not form, and have more significance than titles, particularly if you are in a producer function.
Where appropriate, you may also choose to explain that you are using this job change as an opportunity to secure a promotion. You have positioned yourself as being ready for the next step, but are unable to secure advancement with your current employer through no fault of your own. You are confident enough about your abilities and their value in today's job marketplace, that you have initiated a search for a position with an organization that recognizes what you have to offer, and is equipped to offer you a suitable position.
Actions
Examine your contributions closely, and prepare several action-oriented stories that get across your varied talents. Look for as many specific result indications as possible. Be prepared to give as much evidence as possible in these memorable stories. They will reassure the prospective employer about your ability to perform, apart from any questions about promotions.
Develop and coach enthusiastic references from your employer organization if possible, and from outside, e.g., customers, suppliers, sales reps, consultants, etc., who will be happy to attest to your abilities and achievements, your talents for getting along well with others, and the fact that you could justifiably have been promoted several times. Review your resume with them, and make sure they keep a copy available for reference when and if they are called.
This step will enable you to make the statement in an interview that, "You've heard about Joe Smith from Joe Smith, but you really need to hear it from some of the people who know me best, and I strongly urge you to call them." That will reinforce the notion that you are the type of performer who certainly deserved to be promoted many times, and are quite confident about your ability to deliver value, and that this view is shared by others who are in a position to know.
If you're searching outside your industry, conduct research on any industry and companies you are targeting, using the Internet and/or resources in the Business Reference section of a good library. You might even consider going so far as to write a small article about the major trends in that industry as they affect someone in your function, whether it is general management, purchasing, sales, production, marketing, finance, customer service, information systems, or any other function.
In this way, you are showing extensive industry knowledge and a lot of enthusiasm, which can together focus the discussion away from questions about past promotions, toward the many ways you might help the company in the future.
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