This is a tough experience — and a story I hear often.

You’ve done the work. You’ve delivered results, shown loyalty, ticked every box that was supposed to signal ready for promotion. And yet, it hasn’t happened. You’ve been looked over, again. Frustrated. Undervalued. Constantly wondering how to get promoted at work, and not quite ready to walk away. 

It’s exhausting, and it’s easy to start questioning yourself.

Understanding what’s really going on often starts with asking the deeper questions: what’s going on beneath the surface? Not being promoted doesn’t always reflect your capability. Sometimes, it says more about the system than it does about you, perhaps it’s internal politics, budget freezes, restructures, conflicting leadership priorities. Even when you’re doing everything right, the corporate environment can tie itself in knots and it’s your progression that gets delayed.

This situation can start to erode confidence, shift your mindset, and hinder your career momentum. That’s where coaching comes in.

How Career Coaching Helps You Figure Out How to Get Promoted at Work

When someone comes to career coaching feeling stuck on promotion, we start by unpacking the whole picture — and from there, we rebuild clarity and agency.

Some of the work is mindset.
 Getting back into a constructive mindset is key when you’re working on how to get promoted at work. It’s about shifting back into a space where you can hold frustration without letting it overcome you. Where you feel calm, clear, and able to have strategic developmental conversations again.

Some of the work is confidence.
 Self-doubt creeps in easily when you feel like you’re being passed over. In coaching, we bring it back to objectivity: your track record, your strengths, your value. That clearer lens is essential to stepping forward with conviction.

Some of the work is performance-focused.
We identify what the promotion really requires — and what’s missing (if anything) in your current role. From there, we build an action plan on how to get promoted at work:

  • Training or stretch assignments
  • Networking or mentoring
  • Visibility and influence
  • Technical skills or project ownership

And some of the work is perception.
 How are you seen within the business? Are there opportunities to shape that perception more intentionally — in line with how you want to be known and what’s needed at the next level?

Reframing Progress

One powerful reframe in this space is separating promotion from progress.

A formal title change isn’t the only form of career growth. Coaching can help you see the other ways you’re building experience, broadening your influence, and stepping into leadership — even if the job title hasn’t changed yet. We work on strategic thinking, positioning, and a longer-term execution plan that moves you forward, regardless of short-term blocks.

Because real progression? That’s something you can own.

If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. Get in touch to explore how career coaching can support you to rebuild momentum and take back control of your career path.

You can also explore other articles in the series for more real stories of career change.

Photo by Daniel Jiménez on Unsplash