My promises of promotion were broken

Question

I am working in a three-star Michelin restaurant as chef de rang. When I took the position, I was promised a promotion within the first few months to maitre d'.

Unfortunately the position has not become available. I am stuck and frustrated because I made a big step backwards and the position of chef de rang is way below my capability.

I have been an assistant restaurant manager before and I know I can do a lot better than this.

I am a person who needs a challenge and chance to prove myself, but somehow I never seem to have any success with recruitment agencies. What can I do to improve my prospects?

What the expert says

Lesley Reynolds, managing director, Portfolio International

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I feel for you because you've been sucked into a no-win situation. It's likely that your employer genuinely thought the promotion might be on the cards. However, there's always a risk in taking a new job, and maybe you were too distracted with the excitement of a new job to concern yourself with what would happen if the promotion didn't come about. However, you are in the position now and you must consider what to do. My advice is: don't do anything too quickly. First, the way you feel is entirely natural and you feel cheated. I would suggest that you discuss this with your employer and see if there is anything they can do to improve the present situation. After all, they will probably not want to lose you. Second, be patient and start looking around for another job. But when you move, it must be to a role that you can see yourself staying in for a good stint, because on your CV, you don't want to look like you are moving around too often. You must be really sure of the job and take fewer risks. This may take you a couple of months. Look for advertisements in the local trade press and ask people you know in the industry. In order to be more successful with recruitment agencies, look carefully at your CV and make sure the experience you have is clear.