Turn a promotion "not yet" into a clear plan
A specific 3-6 month plan, with agreed milestones, after being passed over or told you're not ready.
The prompt
I was told "not yet" on my promotion. Help me turn that into a plan. This is step 4 of my promotion plan; it works best with the feedback and the evidence file from earlier steps.
Exact feedback I received: [QUOTE as closely as possible]
Who decided and how: [manager, committee, skip-level]
My evidence file or promotion packet: [PASTE if available]
Next promotion window: [DATE]
How I'm feeling about staying: [e.g. "committed", "frustrated, open to leaving"]
Steps:
1. Translate vague feedback ("needs more visibility", "not quite strategic enough") into 2-3 observable behaviors or outcomes. Mark any interpretation as [CONFIRM WITH MANAGER].
2. For each, propose a concrete opportunity to demonstrate it before the next window - a project, a stretch responsibility, or a presentation.
3. Build a check-in schedule with my manager to review progress.
Return:
- A short, non-defensive reply to send my manager asking for specifics and agreement on the plan.
- A milestone table: Gap | What I'll do | Evidence it will produce | Date.
- Signs the plan is working vs. signs promotion isn't realistic here.
- An honest note on when exploring roles elsewhere makes sense, without telling me what to decide.
Highlighted [brackets] are blanks to replace with your own details.
Fill in the blanks and use this promptMore Career & Job Search prompts
What to fill in
- QUOTE as closely as possible
- manager, committee, skip-level
- PASTE if available
- DATE
- e.g. "committed", "frustrated, open to leaving"
- CONFIRM WITH MANAGER
How this prompt is built
This prompt follows the RTF structure (Role, Task, Format). RTF tells the model who to be, what to do and what shape the answer should take. It is the quickest structure that still gives noticeably better results than a bare request.
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