Not getting the promotion you want?

We have all been there; we wait so long for that promotion and we are absolutely crushed when it doesn’t happen. It’s a sobering moment for us and it’s easy to over analyze and pinpoint the moment it may have gone wrong. Sometimes being passed for a promotion simply happens because of reasons outside your control, while other times you may have overlooked some critical work behavior that may have caused it. But whatever the reason, it's always a good idea to take a step back and understand some potential pitfalls that could factor into missing that prized promotion. To that end, we've outline three factors that may be in the way of your promotion below, whether you work in resort jobs or any job: being unrealistic with your goals, portraying a poor work ethic, and not taking initiative around the workplace. Truth be told, there is no magic fix to make sure you get every promotion you want, but by understanding more about and avoiding these common mistakes, and then takign the time to better your case to be promoted, you will be able to show your employer you are deserving of moving upward (or at least find yourself in contention for some upward movement during the course of your career).

1 | Setting Unrealistic Goals

While it’s perfectly fine to have lofty goals and work hard every day at them, we also must have a dose of reality injected midfully into our outlook and workflow strategies so that we aren’t devastated when things don’t go our way. If you have been in your position for three months and you are upset you aren’t a supervisor yet, you may need to manage your expectations a little more. Rome wasn’t built in a day, so don’t expect the same of your career. It takes time and effort to work your way up the ladder, and every good 'ladder' within a company sometimes has a few missing rungs that you'll take a few steps to get across - all that is to say, performance plus patience usually wins the prize. The flip side to this is that not every job has that much upward advancement. Some jobs cap out at the position you are in and don’t offer much room for advancement beyond this. There is nothing wrong with finding a new opportunity to grow, but don’t be discouraged if you haven’t been somewhere or done enough to warrant a promotion. Instead, work every day towards your goals and don't let failure sabotage your work ethic. Sometimes slow and steady wins the prize, while other times it's good to push yourself outside your comfort zone and reach for new projects and duties that can help to set you apart, and add value beyond a rigid job description. Just make sure your goals are in line with these two dynamics and you'll be well on your way.

2 | Poor Work Ethic

Working hard has never cost someone the job, but hardly working has and will continue to set you (and many other people) back. You may think no one notices you coming in late, leaving super early, or turning things in late, but someone is always watching. Ditching deadlines and fooling around on Facebook with your phone in between calls are sure ways to attract attention - only it will be the wrong kind of attention,... and not the promotable kind. If you want that promotion you need to work twice as hard as everyone in the room. Make yourself indispensable and people won’t want to imagine the day you take your day off, because they won't know what to do without you! Growing and showing this kind of value with regards to your role at a company is a key foundation to future promotability. Be the best at what you do, AND... be good at other peoples' jobs as well! If you want people to look up to you and come to you for guidance, there's no better way to do this than through a robust knowledge of how things work, and that's where work ethic comes. Poor work ethic bleeds through everything you do, and generally speaking, no one with a poor attitude towards the quantity (and quality) of their work is ever going to display guru-level aptitude for the most critical aspects of their job - the very aspects that contribute value to their company. It's key to take time to be observant of how you portray yourself in the work place. Don’t be that person that does just enough to get by, be the one who goes above and ebyond the call of duty to get things right, and get 'ahead of the game' ... because in the game of promotability, that's where you'll find the winners.

3 | Taking Initiative Today

If you wait for orders from a boss, you only sell yourself short and limit your potential. When looking for someone to promote, your boss looks for those members of the team that don’t have to be reminded or told to work on a project or accomplish a task. If you want to be a leader, you need to lead by example first, and make sure that you're one step ahead of where things need to be. Try starting up something your office always talks about doing but never gets done - you know,... the project that no one seems to want to own? If you 'grab the bull by the horns', you will own that and you create value for yourself and the company by taking on something no one could be bothered to do. You have to show your co-workers and your boss why you deserve a promotion, and have the body of work to back it up. Identify what you do best, and become the subject matter expert on it wherever you are. If you show you are the authority on something, people will value your opinion and you will have leeway and empowerment from the top down to accomplish new goals.

Final Thoughts

At Westgate Resorts, we're always looking for a few good team members to filling our resort employment opportunities and grow into the future hospitality leaders we know they can be. And while it's true that not getting the promotion you wanted may be disappointing, just remember that there is always a silver lining. You may realize after that you didn’t portray your best work or you sold yourself short, so you will go forward with a fresh perspective on what to do next time. On the other hand, maybe this company isn’t for you and your talents can be better served somewhere else. Try dusting off your resume and make sure to read our article on how to make your resume stand out (for the RIGHT reasons), if you're thinking about switching jobs. The world owes us nothing,... simply put, we have to work hard for what we want to accomplish and not let setbacks wear us down. Take the time to reflect on what went wrong, but make sure to learn and grow from this and make a decision that will truly impact your career. To quote Batman, which I feel every discussion should end with, “And why do we fall, Bruce? So we can learn to pick ourselves up.”

At Westgate Resorts, when you Check-In, there’s a LOT to Check-Out! Your vacation awaits. Start planning your next vacation today or talk with a vacation planner at 888-852-2959 or 407-355-2690.