Can being promoted too quickly be a bad thing?

Assuming an employee, say Carl, had been promoted from being an assistant executive staff (junior level) to executive staff (middle level) within the same year since he joined as an assistant executive. The next year, Carl is again being promoted, now to senior executive staff (high level); from this scenario, Carl has been promoted thrice, and within 2 years he has now gotten a senior role.

Would there be any possibilities that these fast promotions can lead to disadvantages to Carl, especially for future employments?

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 1

Aiko

Potentially, but this is largely dependant on the explanation he gives on his CV and during interviews. If a prospective employer can see a natural progression from his former to current role, and Carl has provided a logical explanation, he should be fine. There's also other factors such as his line of work and the size of the employer he's at.

Regarding the latter, it's fairly common to progress quickly in a smaller business because there are more opportunities for Carl to spread his wings, so to speak. This is because teams are generally smaller and responsiblities have to be spread more thinly, allowing Carl to demonstrate what he's capable of, not to mention his achievements will probably be a lot more visible to the senior management of the company due to its size.

Without digressing too much, this harps back to the smaller versus larger business debate. Many argue that reaching a senior level quickly in a smaller business could work against Carl if he were to apply to a larger one. For instance, if he's at management level at the smaller business, there may only be one or two people below him, whereas conversely, he'd be expected to manage a team of thirty in a larger business at the same level (of course, job titles and seniority, even in the same sector, can vary). The larger business will likely do research on the employer Carl worked at and factor its size. They will probably ask him during his interview how many people were in his team/department to gauge this. On the other hand, working at a larger company can stiffle progress because Carl would be confined to a very specialist duty with many layers of management above him. In this regard, he won't have the chance to challenge himself because there are people above him that will prevent him from doing this.

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 2

Rakas21

As a general rule its an impressive feat for most employers provided that its backed up with a stunning reference.

The biggest drawback is probably when somebody wants a like for like transfer to another business because some employers may be concerned that there's a lack of experience in his most recent promotion, hence he may have to go one role below in the new business.

Reply 3

kka25

Original post by Rakas21

Ah, yes; the "concerned that there's a lack of experience in his most recent promotion", got me thinking as well. However, wouldn't that view be the same for his previous promotions as well? As in, Carl didn't even go through a full year with his executive post.

If you were Carl, and you wanted to move to a different company, but this company that you want to move to said that since you've just been promoted to your current position, they can't give you a higher position or increase your salary; would you take the position?

By stunning reference here, do you mean the projects he did or the people he has worked with/for?

Reply 4

cole-slaw

If the new position demands skills or experience you don't have, then obviously it is a bad thing.

Reply 5

Rakas21

Original post by kka25

While that's true, I'd think that an employer would view his current employer as having judged that he's performed competently enough for the promotion. The question is whether he's been in the current role long enough to seamlessly transfer to the new company.

Ideally you want your reference from your previous manager telling the new employer that your a god amongst men when it comes to doing x and y.

The other issue with big promotions quickly though is why you'd want to change firms. It may send the message that brilliant or not, your just going to get your next promotion and then go.

Reply 6

kka25

Original post by Rakas21

I've never been in a 'senior' position but I do think that even a senior level staff would struggle when they are in a new company? I did encounter a senior where he left after a few months because he didn't like the job; so far, I haven't seen the juniors doing this.

I think you're referring to job hopping? I think job hopping can occur without being promoted as well; in this case, Carl is basically being promoted thrice within the same company and without job hoping after being promoted.

Reply 7

Andy98

If he's crap at the job it's bad. If not, he'll be fine

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Reply 8

Rakas21

Original post by kka25

Yes. I did it all the time in menial jobs.

So far but he's now leaving a company that has invested a lot in him and rewarded his efforts. A lot of employers look down on those who can't stay in one job for years. They want people who see it as a career and not just the next job.

Reply 9

kka25

Original post by Rakas21

Ayr.

Yes. I did it all the time in menial jobs.

So far but he's now leaving a company that has invested a lot in him and rewarded his efforts. A lot of employers look down on those who can't stay in one job for years. They want people who see it as a career and not just the next job.