Each week, Dr Kirstin Ferguson tackles questions on workplace, career and leadership in her advice column Got a Minute? This week: promotions, panel interviews and networking.
My manager retired late last year and I applied for his position. I thought I had a strong chance because I’d often acted in the role when he was on leave. However, a relatively junior colleague from my team was appointed instead. He starts in a few weeks, and I’ll now be reporting to him. I know I should be gracious, but I feel humiliated. How do I handle this?
I won’t sugarcoat it, missing out on the job is a real bummer and everything you are feeling is completely human. Being passed over for a promotion particularly when you’ve previously supervised the person who is about to become your boss is bound to sting. But the most important thing now is the reputation you build from this moment forward.
Start by separating the decision from the relationship you have with the person who got the job. You don’t have to pretend the outcome was fair or easy, but your new manager didn’t do anything wrong. Treating him professionally protects your own standing and will be noticed. Also remember he will be emerging from within the team to now manage it. That is not an easy transition for anyone.
If you’re able, ask for a conversation with your new manager early on. A simple line such as: “I want to make this transition work well for both of us. Please let me know how I can support you,” shows maturity and confidence.
Separately, it’s also reasonable to ask senior leadership for feedback about why you weren’t selected. That information may help you decide your next move and your professionalism in taking the feedback well and acting on it will serve you well for any future roles that may emerge.
I’m in my fifties and have been in an entry-level government role for nearly 10 years. I have more than 20 years’ experience overall, but my manager doesn’t seem to value it. I’ve tried repeatedly for promotions but keep missing out at panel interviews. I need to increase my income, and I’m starting to lose confidence. I’m not even sure what my strengths are any more. What should I do?
If you have spent years applying for roles and being unsuccessful, it is no surprise your confidence has taken a hit. It is completely understandable and most people would feel the same way. The trick now is to know when that confidence hit is also becoming part of the problem.
Panel interviews, especially in government roles, are highly structured. Candidates are assessed against specific capability frameworks and scoring criteria. Unfortunately, experience alone isn’t enough; it has to be demonstrated through clear examples that match those criteria.
If you are not doing this already, I would be sure to ask for detailed feedback after every interview and hear the feedback with curiosity and objectivity. What capability areas are you scoring lower in? What answers are you not as well-prepared for? How well can you communicate all you have done? Where can you improve?
It may also be worth stepping outside the immediate promotion path. Temporary projects, secondments or acting roles can rebuild confidence and help demonstrate capability in new areas.
Please don’t let knock-backs convince you that you have nothing to offer. After 20 years in the workforce, you almost certainly have more strengths than you realise.
I’ve worked in occupational health and safety for decades and am now in my 60s looking for a new role. I strongly believe worker safety should be prioritised, yet recruiters often tell OHS professionals not to be seen as “blockers” and to support business objectives. I worry that my values are making me less employable. Should I bypass formal recruitment and rely on professional networks instead?
You don’t need to abandon your values, but you may need to reframe how you present them.
Employers rarely want any professional in a role they fear will have a strongly held, myopic viewpoint that will cause them always to say “no”. Who they want are people who can look at the business as a whole and think strategically about how their specific area of expertise, in your case health and safety, can assist in driving business excellence. The most effective OHS professionals aren’t blockers; they’re strategic, and they help solve business problems.
Instead of positioning yourself as someone who insists that safety must override commercial considerations, try describing your role as helping leaders make better, informed decisions – identifying risks, explaining consequences and suggesting workable solutions. You’re not stopping the business – you’re helping it avoid costly mistakes.
However, professional networks are essential and may help you find your next role.
To submit a question about work, careers or leadership, visit kirstinferguson.com/ask. You will not be asked to provide your name or any identifying information. Letters may be edited.
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Dr Kirstin Ferguson AM is the author of Blindspotting: How to See What Others Miss and Head & Heart: The Art of Modern Leadership. Kirstin is ranked in the world’s Thinkers50 list and holds a PhD in leadership and culture. www.kirstinferguson.com.Connect via X, Facebook or email.
