WomenCo.

The song isn't over until the fat lady sings. We haven't seen the end of this. I'm not predicting doom for Kathryn. It will just be very interesting to see how you feel about not getting this promotion at this particular moment...I lay odds that you will be glad about it. I cannot foresee the reason that I think you'll be glad, but that's my prediction. Great article. Great character, Brittany.

"Everything is not meant for everyone" That is my new fav quote! You are right BBR, I needed some lessons and God knew it was time to try it out and see how I'd do. I am happy to say that I believe I did Him proud. :)

I am going through this right now. I was in line for a promotion. My outgoing manager recommended me as his replacement, his manager wanted me and was just waiting for the job to post. We're going through an integration with another company and the posting got caught up in the process. The last thing in my mind was that someone from the other company would ask to relocate and would be handed the job. My department didn't have any input into the decision. It came down through the integration process and the division manager was told 'we have someone for you, let's go meet her'. A bit of a blind side for everyone involved. I'm trying to keep an open mind and I don't blame my incoming manager for the situation. I've been through many of these processes before and I've always come out just fine on the other end, but I will admit that upset doesn't begin to describe how I felt when I was told and for the next few days my company was the last place I wanted to work.

What an awe inspiring story. A similar situation happened to me about a year and a half ago. I thought I'd had a great interview, knew and did my job to the best of my abilities, always tried to learn and do more, had what I thought was a great rapport with my colleagues and supervisors. I thought as long as no one from the outside was hired I had at least a 90% chance of getting the promotion. Woops! No I didn't get it. I was told via e-mail who did get it. Ok, I felt really bad and dejected, did my work all day, smiled and conversed with people when I had to but then went home and cried. I gave myself that one day to feel bad and question everything about myself. The next day I got up and went to work and felt better because I decided I would The other bad day happened when the person showed up for work. I was happy for her and tried to assist her in small ways so she could get to know our area. She wanted to be friends and go out socially after work. I declined, hopefully in a good manner. Since then, I did get promoted in a different agency and I'm thoroughly happy with the ways things worked out. Take care everyone.

I have been in line for a promotion for a few months now. I am still not sure that I want the responsibility, but I have been working my butt off trying to get it. Only because there are a lot of the management staff backing me up. It has given me confidence to do what I need to be doing to get the promotion, but at the same time a lot of the management team has been recruited from other companies. After months of waiting for an interview I am afraid that a manager will be recruited from without. And even though I keep my head in emergency situations, I am so afraid that I will start bawling like a baby if another person is hired for what I consider my position. After reading this I hope that I can also get through it with dignity. Thanx for the lesson. Hope it works.

I think your take (aka ending paragraphs) on focusing on the bottom line - doing your job well regardless of hopes or expectations is inspiring. It can be too easy to get carried away and over confident, but when things don't go as planned, that's when real values and personal strength comes through. I think straineous situations showcase a person's real worth. I'm being really vague, but I have never been in that kind of situation, since I am just starting to look for my first real job. But after reading your column, I did feel enlightened and more prepared in case situations like that arise, which I think will happen and can happen to anyone.

I'm really glad that she got to get through it in the end. It is never easy to have something flashed before you and have it taken right back. I was given a promotion at my current job before I recieved an interview...they gave me two sets of the uniform (smocks) and everything. The funny part is I had to do a 45 min phone interview from a separate company and the girl on the other line turned me down! So I had to drive out to another location have another interview and I was told that I was perfect for the position! I was then told that I had to wait 3-6 months for another interview from the separate company. About 1 month later my company had hired another two assosicates to go into the position I was supposed to be in! Yeah they didn't even have to nerve to tell me! Yeah and the store manager had told me that all of the managers were behind me 110%! RIGHT!!! Better luck to all of you!

I was given an unexpected promotion 3 yrs. ago. Went to Dale Carnegie Institue and took their Leadership in Management course. I was managing a 10 person customer service/data entry department. My immediate CEO and his supervisors all commented on how well my departments were running. Last month, the head of corporate came into my facility and eliminated my position, due to down-sizing! What I have learned, is that no matter how well a job is being done, when corporate makes a decision no one is safe. So here I am back on the trail of a new job!