Passed over for a promotion—is it time to leave?

Long days at the office, going the extra mile for clients, and stepping up to support your team when there are gaps—most of us work hard at our jobs because we believe in the integrity of our work. However, as employees we always have career goals of our own, and the promise of promotion can be a key motivator for going above and beyond.

That’s why it can be so disappointing when you’re passed up for a promotion that you feel you deserve. As a former employee at several large companies and now owner of a small company, I have experienced and witnessed many great and qualified employees get passed over for promotions.

So the big question is: what next? Does the company’s oversight signal that it’s time to start over in a new role, or is there something to be gained from this professional obstacle?

Let’s begin with the simplest and often most difficult mindset shift: despite how it may feel and seem, being passed over for a promotion is almost never personal. Your career path may feel very personal to you, and it should be, but to the company, it’s just one of many moving parts that they are coordinating in order to run their business as efficiently as possible.

Rather than consider this setback as the end of your career, you can use it as a fruitful time to ask yourself important questions about the direction you’re headed. Of course, it may be a good time to assess whether you do enjoy your current role, and whether you are still gaining something from it. But it’s safe to say that if you were hoping to be promoted, you have an affinity for the company, your colleagues, and the work that you do.

In that case, there are some other questions to consider.

Are there skills that this new role required that you might still be developing? What can you do to accelerate your growth in this area? Are you able to identify a mentor to elevate you to the next level? If you know the person who received the promotion, can you identify the strengths they bring, and ways to improve on these in your own portfolio?

The old adage is true: rejection is redirection. Sometimes we feel that we are set on a straight path forward, and invariably life will find a way of throwing a few hairpin turns into the mix. The key is not to be disheartened by redirection, but rather to look at it closely. This can be an opportunity, whether it lands you a similar role in the future or aligns you with something that is even better suited and more professionally fulfilling.

Any setback is an opportunity for a pause and reevaluation—this is exactly the difference between professional success and defeat. If you feel passionate about your career and know that you have a lot to offer, remember that all success comes with obstacles in the road. If you decide to move past these, there are new and exciting things on the other side.

A good attitude towards perceived failure will likely be the key to getting the promotion next time.

In short, I say no: being passed up for a promotion is not a reason to leave. It is an opportunity to look at what you’ve built, give yourself credit where credit is due, and get back to work so you can hit your future goals out of the park. Perseverance always pays off.