applied for a promotion

[Zoe Girl]

I applied for a promotion position this week, pretty nervous. I was able to just apply and put it out of my mind for awhile and then I had a supervisor visit yesterday and I got rattled. Last year I ended the year on a very bad note, so I had a meeting in fall with my primary supervisor about my improvement plan. It was one meeting and the plan was considered complete since I had already improved in all the areas. There was one thing on the plan I questioned and she crossed it out so that was great, and the other things that I disagreed with I just let go. The end of year reviews are done as a supervisor team apparently, so of course this visiting supervisor was part of that. She brought up that she knew I wasn't happy with my last review and told me she had told the other supervisors that she had a goal that I would increase programming, and this year I am booming. I am sure she is aware I applied for this job (working very closely with her) so that is what unsettled me, plus I am trying to leave last year behind. There was so much dysfunction that we started off this year with task forces about feeling safe at work and fairness. I have no clue if they have made a connection between that and my apparent bad performance (yeah, I still have an issue with that bad of a review for many reasons).

It doesn't help that my rent is going to increase over $100 a month and I still am trying to find money for the student loans, that is one reason I did apply. But also the 'softer' reasons of feeling that I want to be a good fit and have a greater influence over more programs with my skills. I wouldn't apply if it was just money and I wasn't interested in the work. But maybe my personality is not one that is seen as promotable, well I simply don't know how I am seen at times and miss some clues (every time I am in a group and we do some personality type exercise I am pretty much the only one in my type, I know I am seen as a bit different). I can read people very well in so many ways, but I don't 'get' politics at all.

Insomnia does not help let things go, daily meditation for 28 days helps a lot!

[SteveinMN]

ZG, I hope you get the promotion!

(maybe this goes without saying but...) If I didn't get the promotion I would deploy my best social skills and ask what qualities/experiences were judged to be in need of improvement. It may be necessary to have the ability to read tea leaves in their response, but it will help identify what may have to be worked on for future opportunities.

[Zoe Girl]

Thank you Steve, I have applied for every supervisor position that has come up. One time they did give me feedback, I had a plan to get feedback on this last time in about April but neither one of us ended up with time. So I can ask someone, I think I know who I would feel the best about asking for feedback. I also know that 2 people approached me last year and told me they felt like I was being treated badly/scapegoated. I understand reading the tea leaves! One feedback session included that I talked over people while the supervisor just kept talking over anything I tried to say, sigh. I just had hoped if my talking had been that big of an issue I would have heard about it in some way other than when I didn't get an interview.

Progress is that the last time I was one of 4 that got an interview! 2 got promotions and the other one left for another job. However last time I really felt that I must be a top candidate I was wrong.