Internal Promotion Criteria

As a recruiter, I see it all the time:   talented people stuck in the same role, frustrated that no one’s noticing their hard work. 🙁   Know this: being ready for a promotion AND showing you’re ready are two different things.   Here are 7 signs you’re already there, (and might not even realize it):   1/ You’re Exceeding Expectations. ↳ You’re not just hitting targets. ↳ You’re consistently going above & beyond.   2/ You’re Already Acting Like a Leader. ↳ Without the title, you’re guiding and mentoring. ↳ You solve problems and lead by impact, not rank.   3/ You’re The Go-To Person. ↳ When your team’s in a jam, they turn to you. ↳ This shows you’re trusted and ready for more.   4/ You Take Initiative. ↳ You don’t wait to be told what to do. ↳ You spot issues, propose solutions, and act fast.   5/ You’re Adding Value Beyond Your Role. ↳ You see opportunities outside your job description. ↳ You drive the company forward with those actions.   6/ You’ve Been Mentoring Others. ↳ Training peers or new hires? That’s leadership in action. ↳ You’re proving you’re ready to manage, not just do.   7/ You’re Actively Seeking Feedback. ↳ You’re always looking to improve. ↳ Taking criticism head-on shows you’re growth-minded.   👉 Sound like you? Then it’s time to make a move.   But here’s the catch: your boss might not see it yet. Don’t sit back, waiting for someone to notice. Schedule that conversation. Show them why you’re ready to step up!   Because if they still don’t see it? It’s time to find someone who will. P.S. Think I missed something? Let me know what you'd add ⤵ --- ♻ Repost this to help someone in your network! 🔔 And follow Shulin Lee, for more like this.

You want a meritocracy? A workplace where results and performance are the strongest predictors of success? I spend all day helping leaders actually create those, and the work isn't what you might think. 💡 Creating a true meritocracy means creating and stewarding rigorous systems for hiring, feedback, and promotion. If a single person can act on their biases to hire people who they like, promote their friends, or offer career-limiting feedback with no basis in reality, you don't have a meritocracy. Strong systems include guardrails to mitigate individual and group bias from compromising merit-based processes. Structured interviewing, scoring rubrics, defined promotion criteria, hiring panels, and other practices that bring rigor and standardization into decision making can help protect against bias. 💡 Creating a true meritocracy means creating shared definitions of "merit." What truly makes a candidate "the best?" Is it their domain expertise? The volume of work product they produce? The quality of their work? Their communication skills, ability to work in a team, voice important feedback? Some combination of all of these? True meritocracies create shared definitions of "merit" based on what matters most to the organization, and institutionalize these definitions through their recruitment and outreach, decision making processes, internal communications, and reward structure. 💡 Creating a true meritocracy means stamping out discrimination. An organization's culture is defined by the worst behavior it is willing to tolerate. Every case of discrimination, prejudice, and mistreatment — or corruption, nepotism, and favoritism, for that matter — undermines meritocracy. If merit truly matters, then leaders must exercise their power to swiftly address every violation of it, and identify their root cause to make sure it cannot happen again. Failure to do so risks the entire project of meritocracy being seen as only for show. I find it ironic that, as someone who has been doing this work of creating FAIR workplaces that aspire to meritocracy for nearly a decade, the people clamoring most loudly for "meritocracy" right now seem the least informed about what that actually looks like. They seem to operate under the principle that TAKING AWAY intentionality and rigor from decision making, REMOVING accountability and standardization, and ENABLING mistreatment and corruption is best for workplaces. There's a word for that — mediocracy, workplaces where incompetence rules, where the best talent is driven away or overlooked. #Diversity, #equity, and #inclusion and #FAIR practitioners, the false dichotomy of DEI vs. merit is a sleight of hand meant to put us on the defensive. Recognize the truth: that DEI done right is how we achieve our aspirations of meritocracy, a meritocracy that has never existed in the past and does not yet exist in the present — but if we succeed, might exist in the future.

The Retention Riddle: Why Loyalty Doesn't Always Pay (Literally) Question: "Have you noticed that companies are often willing to pay a 40% salary increase to hire a new employee but are unwilling to offer a 15% raise to keep a current, experienced one?" This question hits hard, doesn't it? It's a frustrating reality in many organizations: the willingness to shell out big bucks for new talent while undervaluing the experience and loyalty of existing employees. Why does this happen? >Market Pressure: Companies often feel compelled to match or exceed market rates to attract top candidates, especially in competitive industries. >Budget Silos: Hiring budgets and compensation budgets are often separate, making it easier to justify a larger salary for a new role than to increase an existing one. >Short-Term Thinking: Companies may focus on immediate needs rather than the long-term benefits of retaining experienced employees who already know the business. >Lack of Visibility: The contributions of long-term employees may be taken for granted, while the potential of a new hire is often overhyped. But here's the thing: retention is almost always more cost-effective than recruitment. Losing experienced employees means losing valuable knowledge, disrupting team dynamics, and incurring the costs of hiring and training replacements. So, what can we do to address this imbalance? >Advocate for Fair Compensation: Employees need to be proactive in understanding their market value and advocating for fair compensation. >Promote Internal Mobility: Companies should create opportunities for growth and advancement within the organization. >Recognize and Reward Loyalty: Acknowledge the contributions of long-term employees and reward them accordingly. >Focus on Employee Value Proposition: Create a workplace culture that attracts and retains talent by offering competitive compensation, meaningful work, and opportunities for growth. It's time to shift the focus from simply attracting new talent to valuing and retaining the talent we already have. What are your thoughts? Have you experienced this salary imbalance firsthand? #compensation #retention #employeeengagement #leadership #HR #salary #fairness #workplace 🤝 Let's connect --> https://lnkd.in/gRnZYyZi 📞 Let's collaborate --> https://lnkd.in/gEG83dMA

Why Employees Leave: The Untold Truth In my recent interaction during an event, I dived deep into a topic that hits home for many organizations: Employee Value Proposition (EVP) and its undeniable impact on retention. The hard truth? Employees don’t just leave for better salaries or perks. They leave when they "don’t feel valued" When organizations fail to: ✅ Acknowledge contributions ✅ Create opportunities for growth ✅ Foster a culture of respect and inclusivity ✅ Fulfil Socio-economic goals of employees … they inadvertently create an environment where top talent starts looking for the door. In the session, I emphasized that building a strong EVP isn’t just about "what you offer"; it’s about making employees feel seen, heard, and empowered. Let’s rethink: Are we truly valuing the people who drive our business forward? Watch this snippet from the session and share your thoughts below. How is your organization ensuring employees feel valued? #EmployeeValueProposition #Leadership #Retention #Masterclass

Why rely solely on surveys when you can uncover the true state of DEI through concrete metrics? This is a question that echoes in my mind each time I embark on a new journey with a client. Surveys can provide valuable opinions, but they often fall short of capturing real facts and the nuanced realities of individuals within an organization. 🔎 Here are 6 key DEI metrics that truly matter: 📍 Attrition Rates: Take a closer look at why employees are leaving, especially among different groups. This will help you understand if there are specific challenges or issues that need to be addressed to improve retention. 📍 Leadership Pipeline Diversity: Evaluate the diversity within your leadership team. Are there opportunities for underrepresented individuals to rise into leadership roles? Are they equally represented on all levels of leadership? 📍 Promotion and Advancement Rates: Assess if all employees, regardless of background, are getting equal opportunities to advance in their careers. By monitoring promotion and advancement rates, you can identify any biases and work towards creating a level playing field. 📍 Pay Equity: Ensure that everyone is paid fairly and equally for their work. Address any discrepancies in pay based on not only gender, but also race, age, ethnicity or other intersectional factors. 📍 Hiring Pipeline Diversity: Examine the diversity of candidates in your hiring process. Are you attracting a wide range of talent from different backgrounds? Tracking this metric helps you gauge the effectiveness of your recruitment efforts in creating a diverse workforce. 📍 Employee Engagement by Demographic: Measure the level of engagement and satisfaction among employees from various groups. Are there any disparities in engagement levels? Run the crossings of identity diversity and organizational one. By focusing on these 6 concrete metrics, you can gain real insights into your organization's DEI progress based on actionable data that drives progress. ________________________________________ Are you looking for more HR tips and DEI content like this?  📨 Join my free DEI Newsletter: https://lnkd.in/dtgdB6XX

Are you measuring what matters in your organization? A comprehensive measure of organizational effectiveness includes much more than profit margins and growth rates. The market and media often celebrate companies that show rapid financial growth or high profitability, leading to a cultural bias towards these metrics as signs of success BUT the tide is slowly turning- more businesses are recognizing the long-term value of a holistic approach to effectiveness and success. Many more businesses are embracing the concept of the "Triple Bottom Line," which measures success not just by financial profit ("Profit"), but also by the company's impact on people ("People") and the planet ("Planet"). HOWEVER 🚨 There is more work to be done! The prioritization of non-financial elements of organizational success can get pushed aside when financial pressures hit or quick results are valued. You have probably heard the phrase "What gets measured gets managed". This is generally true. Quantifying and measuring non-financial aspects of effectiveness, such as employee well-being, social impact, and workplace culture, is hugely important but remains challenging. 💡 Here's some straightforward steps to move you towards a more holistic approach to measuring success: 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐠𝐨𝐚𝐥𝐬: Define what holistic success means for your organization. This could include specific targets related to employee well-being, social impact, and environmental sustainability. 𝐄𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬: Talk to employees, customers, and community members to understand what aspects of your business matter most to them. Their insights can help shape your holistic success framework. 𝐂𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐬: Based on your goals and stakeholder feedback, pick metrics that are meaningful and manageable. For example, employee satisfaction can be measured through regular surveys, while environmental impact can be tracked through energy consumption or waste reduction metrics. 𝐔𝐬𝐞 𝐞𝐱𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬: Look into established frameworks (like GRI or B Corp standards for sustainability; Gallups Q12 Engagement Survey for employee engagement or the Denison Organizational Culture Model to measure workplace culture). There are existing frameworks for most known elements of organizational effectiveness so it's just a matter of looking into them. 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧-𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠: Ensure that these holistic metrics are part of regular business reviews and decision-making processes, not just side projects. 𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐥𝐲: Share your progress openly, including both successes and areas for improvement. Transparency builds trust and credibility. 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐮𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠: Be prepared to adapt and refine your approach as you learn what works and what doesn't. This is a journey, not a one-time task. #organizationaleffectiveness #measurewhatmatters #leaders

What does it take to land a role at one of the companies on this year’s LinkedIn Top Startups list? According to CEOs and co-founders, it comes down to a mix of skills, motivation and cultural fit. 🛠️ Expertise Candidates need best-in-class skills and sound judgement, says Varun Bhanot, co-founder and CEO of MAGIC AI, a startup that develops intelligent holographic mirrors for home fitness. “We hire for a combination of capability, character and culture fit aligned to our purpose,” he says. “The best people raise the bar for the group, not just their function. We hire adults who take ownership, move fast, care deeply about members, and make others more effective.” Ben Freeman, co-founder and CEO of Omnea, says the company interviewed more than 10,000 people for its first 50 roles and has kept the bar high. “We are looking for ‘top percentile’ performers,” he says. “Our org structure is very flat so high-agency people can move fast and own outcomes.” 🧠 Growth mindset Subject-matter expertise, however, isn’t the only key to success – a learning-driven approach and entrepreneurial spirit can matter even more. “What matters is curiosity, care and a drive to do better every day,” says Greg Freeman, founder and CEO of Data Literacy Academy. “If you bring the right mindset, we’ll teach you the skills. What we can’t teach is the spark: that mix of passion, curiosity and responsibility that drives our culture forward.” Ben Peters, co-founder and CEO of Cogna, reinforces the importance of a growth mindset. “Whatever the role, technical and functional excellence is non-negotiable but what sets our new hires apart is their growth mindset – the drive to learn fast, think deeply, and solve what matters,” he says. 🤝 Values alignment AI and robotics company Humanoid focuses primarily on cultural fit. “That alignment between values and vision is at the core of what we’re looking for,” says CEO and founder Artem Sokolov. But he also talks about the importance of having a diverse team. “Our team is truly international, people come from diverse backgrounds and many different countries. This approach gives us an immediate advantage: diversity of thinking, inspiration and talent, which directly shape the culture and knowledge behind what we’re building.” Olly Sloboda, co-founder and CEO of Zero100, emphasises how critical it is for candidates to align with the company’s guiding principles, a set of behaviours that define its culture and quality standards. “It’s a very practical way of ensuring that anyone we bring in will be a great fit,” he says. “I'd summarise the essence of a Zwunder (a Zero100 employee) as someone who’s hungry, humble and curious, with incredibly high standards.” Think you have what it takes? Check out this year’s UK Top Startups list and explore open roles at these companies: https://lnkd.in/g84NGuRD ✍️ Edson Caldas

Measuring Success: How Competency-Based Assessments Can Accelerate Your Leadership If it’s you who feels stuck in your career despite putting in the effort. To help you gain measurable progress, one can use competency-based assessments to track skills development over time. 💢Why Competency-Based Assessments Matter: They provide measurable insights into where you stand, which areas you need improvement, and how to create a focused growth plan. This clarity can break through #career stagnation and ensure continuous development. 💡 Key Action Points: ⚜️Take Competency-Based Assessments: Track your skills and performance against defined standards. ⚜️Review Metrics Regularly: Ensure you’re making continuous progress in key areas. ⚜️Act on Feedback: Focus on areas that need development and take actionable steps for growth. 💢Recommended Assessments for Leadership Growth: For leaders looking to transition from Team Leader (TL) to Assistant Manager (AM) roles, here are some assessments that can help: 💥Hogan Leadership Assessment – Measures leadership potential, strengths, and areas for development. 💥Emotional Intelligence (EQ-i 2.0) – Evaluates emotional intelligence, crucial for leadership and collaboration. 💥DISC Personality Assessment – Focuses on behavior and communication styles, helping leaders understand team dynamics and improve collaboration. 💥Gallup CliftonStrengths – Identifies your top strengths and how to leverage them for leadership growth. 💥360-Degree Feedback Assessment – A holistic approach that gathers feedback from peers, managers, and subordinates to give you a well-rounded view of your leadership abilities. By using these tools, leaders can see where they excel and where they need development, providing a clear path toward promotion and career growth. Start tracking your progress with these competency-based assessments and unlock your full potential. #CompetencyAssessment #LeadershipGrowth #CareerDevelopment #LeadershipSkills

218 CVs in a day. 120 interviews in a week. And in the end… I select maybe 2 or 3 people. …why so few? It’s not that the rest aren’t capable — many are smart, well-spoken, even experienced. But hiring isn’t just about skills on paper. It’s about fit. Over time, I’ve started noticing patterns. — Too many job hops (especially in the mid-years) often show a lack of commitment. — When I ask about KPIs, they start describing KRAs. — When I ask about results or targets, they change the topic. — Case scenarios? I get diplomatic answers — afraid to be real. — Simple questions turn into long, stretched explanations. — And often, they talk a lot about the work done, but not the impact created. The people who’ve truly done the work never have to prove it. Their calm confidence says it all. Because when you’ve been through the grind — your results speak louder than your words. With my years experience, I’ve also learned : Hiring someone who isn’t culturally aligned with your organisation can be disastrous. At Cambridge Court Group of Schools -one of our strongest core values that we preach every day is:  “Nothing at the cost of culture.” You might be incredibly result-oriented, but if you don’t align with the culture — it just doesn’t work. And the reverse is also true — being a great cultural fit but not delivering results can only go on for so long before credibility fades. Here’s a truth I’ve come to believe: Everyone — including me (Executive Director)— is replaceable. Titles don’t make us irreplaceable. Value and alignment do. So when I hire, I look for that rare balance — someone who fits our culture, walks the talk, and lets their work speak for them. Because at the end of the day — skills can be taught, but culture… that’s built deep within. #Leadership #Hiring #WorkCulture #TeamBuilding #CambridgeCourtGroup

"We've decided to go with someone who's a better cultural fit." That's what they told Mike. IT Director. Manchester. He'd just done FIVE rounds of interviews. Technical test. Panel interview. Meet the team. Presentation to the board. Final chat with the CEO. Five. Rounds. They loved him at every stage. "Your experience is exactly what we need." "The team really connected with you." Then silence for two weeks. Then that email. "Cultural fit" means one thing when you're over 50: You're too old. They just can't say it. The worst part? The job's back online. Three months later. Same role. Here's what "cultural fit" actually meant: The team was mostly under 35. Ping pong table. Friday drinks at 4pm. Mike has teenage kids to pick up from football practice. He wasn't staying till 7pm "for the vibe." So he didn't "fit." Not because he couldn't do the job. Because he had a life outside work. The recruiter told him (off the record): "They thought he seemed... tired. Like he wouldn't bring energy." Mike had run IT infrastructure for a £200M business. He'd managed teams through three major system migrations. But he didn't high-five people in the office, so he was "low energy." This is what we're up against. Not "can you do the job?" Can you pretend you're 28? Can you be excited about pizza Fridays? Can you act like this job is your whole personality? And if you can't, you're "not a culture fit." Mike called me three weeks after that rejection. I don't know what I'm doing wrong. You're not doing anything wrong. You're just playing a game nobody explained the rules to. Here's what changed: We stopped applying to startups with "dynamic, fast-paced culture!" in the job description. Translation: They want unpaid overtime. We targeted companies who valued experience. The ones sick of expensive mistakes because no one's done it before. I rewrote his CV so it didn't scream "I've been around forever." It screamed "I've solved this exact problem and I can do it again." And I gave him the script for "culture" questions. Not: "Oh, I'm very adaptable! I love team activities!" But: "I'm here to deliver results, not play ping pong. If you want someone strategic who makes you money, I'm your person. If you want someone for pub quiz night, hire a graduate." Mike got hired six weeks later. Fintech company. Leeds. They specifically wanted someone who'd "seen it all before." £95k. Fully remote. No ping pong table in sight. But here's what keeps me up at night: For every Mike I help, there are fifty others still stuck. Still getting five rounds deep just to be rejected for invisible reasons. Still thinking it's them. It's not you. If you're ready to stop guessing what's going wrong in your job search, here are all the ways we can work together: https://lnkd.in/gPTwK2W2 Let's get you hired by people who actually value what you bring. Tag someone who needs to see this. #queenofcareers #ageism #over50 #jobsearch