Passed Over for a Promotion

So, here's what happened the other day at work. Background first. Every time need has arisen that I can fill, I have volunteered to do it. I am the only person on my team that has trained on all the products we service. ALL OF THEM. I've worked on three teams now and I'm the only one that has done so on the whole team. When service levels are low, they switch people around to provide coverage. I have been willing and eager. I kept thinking at some point it would be reflected in my compensation with a raise or a promotion. It's been 2.5 years and nothing. When I was offered a champ role, a pseudo-leadership role, I asked around and was told it didn't come with a bump in pay, so I declined it (later discovered this wasn't completely true). I already felt I was being asked to do more without commensurate compensation.

What I didn't think of then was I could have asked for a promotion and or raise. So young professionals out there, remember to ask! Companies apparently don't just offer you more money because YOU think you deserve it. I believe at least one of my co-workers did this because when she became champ, she was promoted to Senior and that comes with a raise. Because that wasn't the norm, I just didn't think to do it. Also, I've been trying to live a life more ordinary and just learning to adjust instead of trying to steer. It results in less heartache in the end and 80% of the time, it works just fine. This would be on time when maybe it didn't?

Read more: here and here.

Anyways, for the sake of the overshare, here's what I emailed my manager:

I am interested in the role of Senior Widgetmaker. In the event that my contributions to the team in service to the client are fragmented due to management turnover, a few are highlighted below. I copied Martin since he’s been my manager most recently for a longer stretch of time and can vouch for some of the events listed.
Some notable contributions:
*   Seamless and (quick) transition across pods and managers
*   Training on all products, including AMD (one of our products)
*   Covering all lines during periods of high volume and need
*   Weekend coverage until vacancy was filled
*   Holiday coverage
*   Pager coverage during holidays when team members asked to switch
*   Pinch hitting when supplemental evening coverage needed
*   Assistance with product recall
*   Disaster coverage for replacements during hurricane season
*   Excellent customer feedback
*   Great client feedback
*   Social committee
*   Training new team members for night and weekends (even receiving a Badge in the Performance Management System)

Please let me know if there are additional responsibilities I can take on or contributions I can make to the team or in service to the client to be considered for Senior Widgetmaker."

Her reply:

Thanks for sending below and communicating your interest in wanting to be Senior Widgetmaker. I am keeping Martin attached to this conversation, because he will doing 1:1s with you while I am out on maternity leave, and will be fully engaged in your development plan.

Please review attached job description for a Senior role from HR, as that is the first and last step with the role to be finalized. Please send me your CV as well, so I can review it...

 

Me: Really!

We literally all do the same job and people get promoted for reasons unknown.
A couple weeks later, this appeared in my inbox:

Senior Widgetmaker Promotions:
-Grant: He has been an integral part of our CV pod serving in a leadership role as a product champ, assisting the client with launch of Live Connect, training/mentoring staff, and traveling to assist our team in Mexico City.  His dedication to the team and relationship with the client...
-Christine: She quickly showcased her exceptional customer service skills and positive attitude which she continues to bring each day. Christine has been recognized on multiple occasions by the client and her calls played during client meetings. She serves as a training liaison for the CV team, is cross-trained on many products, mentors staff, and has traveled to both Mexico City and Wilmington to assist the team...
-Karina has been an integral part of the team since the initiation of the project. This year Karina has taken on the role of additional champ responsibilities which has allowed her the opportunity to work closely with different team members.  Currently, Karina serves the team as being a product champion for 3 complex products. In her role as Champ and as a member of this team since launch, Karina frequently provides suggestions on program resources or processes and is ready to provide resolutions to any issues that may arise. Karina has built strong relationships with the client over the years. She has earned their trust and they value her opinion on daily operations...
-Monica:  was one of the first product champs.  Traveling to the Widget Making Factory to learn her new role, Monica returned to RTP, sharing her expertise and best practices with the team.  Shortly thereafter, Monica helped to develop and deliver the first advanced MIR training.  More recently, Monica transitioned champ roles and quickly came up to speed to support another product.  In both of her champ roles, Monica has developed and maintained strong client relationships, and she quickly impressed the client with her knowledge and proficiency.  Monica is also a mentor and resource ...

Ugh the world! 
The Single Girl - 11 pts (I mean let's not be hyperbolic here 😀)
The World - all the points!

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