askST Jobs: A colleague with less experience was promoted ahead of me. How should I react?

Initiate a conversation with your supervisor about what it takes to be promotion-ready. askST Jobs: A colleague with less experience was promoted ahead of me. How should I react? Sign up now: Get tips on how to grow your career and moneyPromotions are usually not based just on tenure.ST ILLUSTRATION: MANNY FRANCISCOTimothy GohPublished Feb 16, 2026, 05:00 AMUpdated Feb 16, 2026, 05:00 AMIn this series, business journalist Timothy Goh offers practical answers to candid questions on navigating workplace challenges and getting ahead in your career. Get more tips by signing up to The Straits Times’ Headstart newsletter.Q: A colleague with less experience was promoted ahead of me. What should I do? It’s normal to feel disappointed, but promotions are usually not based just on tenure. They usually reflect a combination of strong performance, the ability to execute well and influence others, alignment with leadership direction, managerial readiness and the skills the company needs for its next phase of growth, said Mr Derrick Teo, a certified senior professional at the Institute for Human Resource Professionals (IHRP).A constructive next step is to initiate a review conversation with a direct supervisor, and ask for clarity on which criteria were used for the decision, and where the employee currently stands against those criteria. “If you want to work towards a promotion, be explicit – ask your supervisor what ‘promotion-ready’ looks like for your role, what gaps you should close and what a realistic timeline could be so expectations are clear on both sides,” said Mr Teo. Ms Stephanie Chua, founder and principal consultant of HR consultancy Vault Personnel, said employees can ask their supervisors what competencies or outcomes set the successful candidate apart and how they measure up against next-level expectations. At the same time, employees should also clarify what results or behaviours would demonstrate readiness at the next performance review.“To position yourself for future promotion, you must demonstrate that you are already operating at the next level,” she said. “At a foundational level, you must meet your key performance indicators – this includes not only deliverables, but also maintaining positive working relationships, communicating effectively and being a team player.”Ms Chua noted that promotion decisions are influenced not only by immediate supervisors, but also by feedback from stakeholders such as higher-level leaders.“To be promotable, you must build relationships across levels and functions and ensure your contributions are visible to the people who influence advancement decisions,” she said. “Volunteer for cross-functional projects, internal task forces or company initiatives that broaden your exposure beyond your core responsibilities – these signal your willingness to step up.” Ms Chua also said that career advancement into senior roles requires shifting from being a strong individual contributor to an effective leader. To be promoted into a senior role, employees must demonstrate the ability to guide teams towards shared key performance indicators, influence stakeholders, delegate work and develop talent. Leaders are expected to operate across business units and understand how decisions affect the wider organisation. “Your ability to build trust, foster accountability and inspire performance becomes key – seek opportunities to collaborate with senior leaders, stay open to feedback, and strengthen your business acumen,” said Ms Chua. “Being passed over for a promotion does not define your career trajectory, but how you respond does.”Mr Teo said employees can also seek guidance from “someone two to three levels above” if a company has an open-door policy or mentorship system.The goal is not to challenge the decision, but to understand the organisation’s direction and how employees can align their skills and impact to where the business is headed.“The key is to shift the conversation from ‘why not me’ to ‘what would it take’ and then turn that into a concrete development plan,” said Mr Teo. More on this topicaskST Jobs: What to do when your motivation plummets after a promotionaskST Jobs: What to do when you are passed over for a promotion in favour of a new hireSee more onST HeadstartaskST JobsWork BestieWorking lifeaskST