When you’re offered a promotion it's the natural reaction be flattered, but what happens when it’s not the next step you were hoping for?

You may have been hoping for a promotion to a different job, you may not even really want any promotion at all and feel quite happy where you are. But if you turn down the chance it may never come again, so what should you do?

Saying ‘No’
Usually, a promotion at work is a good thing - more money and more prestige are associated benefits- but it’s not always welcome. You may feel it will infringe on family time with the extra hours you're required to work, or it may mean you have to relocate. It might even place you in hard ethical situations.

Whatever your reasons, if you really don’t want to take the promotion, then saying no is the direct option. However, you should really only do this once you have talked through exactly what the job entails and tried to see it as objectively as possible. Saying no without even considering a promotion offer is a snub for the company that offered it to you, and you better have a very good reason if you don't want them to take great offence..

There may be a reason why you’ve been offered this particular promotion, and not the one you wanted. In some cases, the job you currently hold may be under threat and a promotion has been deemed to be the only way forward for you.

Equally likely, even if you are performing well and your job isn’t threatened, an employer may simply be determined not to let you continue doing it indefinitely. Your employer may wish to move you ‘out of your comfort zone’ and put you to work on more challenging tasks.

Most global organisations, and especially the more ambitious ones, are facing a ‘war for talent’ which means they are constantly battling to attract and retain the best people to take the company forward. Organisations are striving to put in place more sophisticated talent management systems to support this new generation.

In this type of organisation there may be no place for the self-satisfied or ‘content’ employees who want to stay exactly where they are or wait for exactly the promotion they feel they are worth. In these cases saying no to a move will sooner or later impact negatively on your career.

Making the wise move
Turning down a promotion just because it looks to be inconvenient or unsatisfactory isn’t wise.

It makes sense if the economy is humming along and jobs are easy to come by, but if budget cuts are being made it is a time to become more valuable, more flexible and more productive at work. Turning down a promotion for personal convenience makes you less valuable, less flexible, and less of a team player. Saying no to any offer also means that you don’t want to be considered for similar opportunities when they come up – and this could severely limit your aspirations later on.

The fact is, no promotional opportunity should ever be dismissed out of hand so you should at least meet your employer half way and enter talks about the nature of the promotion and exactly what it entails. Explain to your employer about your career goals and how you wish you progress. It may be the case taht they have misunderstood your desires and that a position more in line with the one you want can be created.

If you are still not sure, perhaps you could offer to take the promotion on a temporary basis. This will show your reasonableness and team-spirit and put you in line for the promotion you really seek.