Job passes over long term employee for internal job 3 times despite having perfect reviews and stats: 'Time for an external job promotion'

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JR Atkinson • Writer and Editor
Jan 29, 2026 10:00 AM EST

Nobody wants to feel overlooked. 

Everyone deserves recognition in the workplace, and you should not have to fight for it. The best employers know how to make their employees feel valued. They not only do this by words, but by actions. There is only so much "good job" you can hear before you start expecting something more. You want to feel like your work is valued, and that you can move up in the world if you so choose. You want to feel like you won't just stall out at the same place forever, kicking around in the same job. But often, if you're good at your job, they might want to keep you exactly where you are. They might hate to lose you and your work at your current position. Then they'd have to find someone else who might not have your aptitude for it. But they would be wrong to keep you in the same spot. 

Everyone wants mobility. Even if they like their job, they probably are thinking about where it could lead in the future. They're thinking about their lives 5, 10 years down the line and they're thinking about what they want it to look like. They're wondering where they might live, what kind of living situation they can afford, and a job is a key part of that. If you feel like you'll just be middling in the same position forever, you might want to get out of that as quickly as you can. But that's easier said than done.

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  • A person with grey hair stands in front of a job board
    via Unsplash+ (Getty Images)

  • But in this story, an employee was left with no choice but to believe that they weren't desired. After years of dedicated service and opportunities to move up, they kept getting the same feedback. It left them understandably frustrated, and unsure about what they could do to rectify their situation. So they reached out to the internet for advice, which it provided in scores. So many workers chimed in to give their own experiences, tips, and tricks. Scroll on to read what all happened in this story and decide what you think about it.

  • Passed over for internal job for the third time.

    I'm so done guys. An internal job position posted at my work that I've been trying to get the past 5 years. Have applied twice before, and I had a great feeling about it this time because my supervisor really hyped up and supported me. Got an email this morning that I wasn't even chosen for the interview process due to "stronger candidates in the mix."
    via u/spookymulder1987
  • I've been here longer than a lot of people, great attendance, almost perfect stats, am 100% on my call reviews. So WHAT exactly does a good candidate look like? I was so confused receiving that today as I've been preparing for the interview for days. No I have to work a shift at said job so how am I supposed to do that with a smile on my face knowing they don't give 2 effs about me? Supervisor says "I don't want you to get discouraged"....ok thanks
    via u/spookymulder1987
  • A woman in a suit shows a document to a man
    via Vitaly Gariev

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • Commenters wondered what else might be going on here.

    atreides78723 Are you good at your current position? Because they may consider you too valuable where you are. Which means you may have to leave to get out.
    via u/atreides78723
  • Sharp_Resolution... That's always how it is these days in most companies. You have to apply to a different company for the kind of position you want. Just like you have to change companies if you want a raise.
    via u/Sharp_Resolution89
  • PowayCa Passed over for internal job for the third time Time for an external job promotion.
    via u/PowayCa
  • Onaho At last my company, I was hyped up for a team lead position by my supervisor and the senior/other leads and interviewed for it. It went to the manager's sister-in-law who quit a few months later.
    via u/0naho
  • The QC manager wanted to pull me onto their team/department also interviewed me with the director. Management blocked it. I got the job I wanted at a new company.
    via u/0naho
  • Painted Lady5519 Time to start polishing your resume and putting feelers out at other companies
    via u/PaintedLady5519
  • phoenixangel429 I'm in the same boat. The promotion team is a clique. Bunch of overgrown high school mean girls Why I'm casting lines elsewhere and document everything. Might be a payday
    via u/phoenixangel429
  • MrPD30 Im so sorry. This really hits. home. Im currently in your position. I think its one of the worse forms of performance punishment.Simply not being able to pivot, or make career changes because your too good, to valuable, etc. I simply have to leave.
    via u/MrPD30
  • Jimmi11 Next they'll ask you to train the person they hired for that position. Tell them no.
    via u/Jimmi11
  • Independent_As... Assuming it isn't nepotism or whatever, another thing to consider is whether you're acting each day like the company would want someone to act like at the next level. For example in a call center setting you might see people who think that
    via u/Independent_Aside709
  • because they take the most calls the fastest that they should be the next team lead, but that same person would complain all the time, have a negative attitude, not get along with everyone else, etc.
    via u/Independent_Aside709
  • If they're hiring for a lead they're looking for someone who they think will do a good job as a lead. That means managing people. professionally, supporting the company's directives, projecting positivity, being willing to do extra when its
    via u/Independent_Aside709
  • really busy, cover for other leads, etc. If they're not giving you an interview they either don't like you or can't see you in the role. Think about why that may be and what you can change. If you can't come up with a good answer to this then you need to just get a new job somewhere else, it's not going to change without you doing something different.
    via u/Independent_Aside709
  • I'm not saying this is fair but it is the reality. Maybe ask a trusted peer or even your supervisor to be candid about what is holding you back and be receptive to their answer and try to change.
    via u/Independent_Aside709
  • RabidRathian Late last year I applied for a promotion that would have come with a significant payrise and would have allowed me more hours to work on a project in the department which a) needs staff to work on it desperately and b) I would have been perfectly suited for.
    via u/RabidRathian
  • The feedback I got was, "You have all the right skills and qualifications and experience, and you did really well in the presentation and interview, but we were prioritising other staff."
    via u/RabidRathian
  • In other words, "You're a perfect fit for the role but we'd already decided up front to give it to someone else, so you never actually had a shot." For now I can tolerate the lower number of hours because I'm not hurting for money and it leaves me
    via u/RabidRathian
  • more time to work on my creative projects, but there will come a day when my current salary just isn't enough, and it's obvious that when that happens, I'll have to look elsewhere. I also got the "You should feel encouraged!" schtick.
    via u/RabidRathian
  • Like... You've literally just told me you had no intention of promoting me no matter how good I was or how well I did. Why would I find that encouraging?
    via u/RabidRathian
  • thenord321 You misunderstood, you are too good a fit for your current role... you put in all the effort and do all the work at the lower pay for that roll, so they will keep you there forever.
    via u/thenord321
  • They don't care that you merit promotion for your dedication. That's not HR's world view, they see you as a convenient and well oiled kog in the machine, they pat themselves on the back for managing you so well.
    via u/thenord321
  • Take your time off, apply for other jobs at other companies and use your good reviews to get yourself a promotion or beter job offer, then take the bettr offer. Your company will never promote you, they have been clear on that.
    via u/thenord321
  • Jo... This happened to me in November. 3rd PM spot that I've applied for. Diden't even get an interview this time. Tey guy they hired is alright. Competent I guess. But they will never find another
    via u/John1The1Savage
  • person who can do what I'm doing now at what they are paying me. The PM spot pays $10 per hour more and is honestly an easier job. (but the stakes are higher). Its a much easier position to fill. If they promote me, not only do I need to be trained to adapt to the new position, but they will have to find and train my replacement which would be much more difficult.
    via u/John1The1Savage
  • My motivation is at zero now. I keep thinking that I need to stop being so valuable in my current slot.
    via u/John1The1Savage

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