How to Write a Rebuttal Letter to Your Employer for Being Passed Over for a Promotion

Not getting the promotion you wanted can be devastating, especially if you believed your qualifications were better than those of other candidates. Once you've had time to think about the promotion and perhaps ask why you didn't get the job, writing a rebuttal letter might not get you the job but it could position you for consideration when future promotional opportunities arise. Don't write an emotionally driven letter to argue why you should have received the promotion. Write a rebuttal letter with a professional tone that clearly and rationally explains your point.

Validate

Review the skills, qualifications and expertise required for the promotion you wanted. Obtain the materials your human resources department or the hiring manager had to determine if you were eligible for a promotion. Compare those materials to your resume to see if the qualifications they had to go by in the selection process match your qualifications. Note any areas where your qualifications and skills exceed those required for the promotion.

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Chronology

Draft a chronology of your history with the company. Include your positions and a brief statement about your job duties, as well as promotions and raises you received during your employment. Describe instances where you've assumed higher-level responsibilities in the absence of your supervisor or manager. If you've performed the duties required in the job that you didn't get, explain when and how often you performed those duties and accolades you received for your performance.

Application

Trace your steps through the application process for the promotion. If there wasn't a formal process, describe how you expressed an interest in the promotion during conversations with your boss or someone from the HR department. Include statements made to you that indicated you might have been in the running for the promotion, such as acknowledgement for receipt of your formal application for the job.

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Justification

State why you were entitled to the promotion. Refrain from comparing yourself to the person who received the promotion -- base your rebuttal letter on the merits of your qualification, not how you are a better candidate than a colleague who was promoted. If your employer recruited external candidates for the job and ultimately hired someone from the outside to fill the position, explain why you would have been a more suitable person for the job. In this case, describe how your knowledge of the company's mission and philosophy, as well as existing relationships with employees, make selecting an internal candidate a wise decision instead of hiring from outside the organization.

Interest

Express your regret for not receiving the promotion. Reiterate your continued interest in being promoted. Restate your strengths and include an updated version of your resume to ensure HR or the hiring manager has a current record of your skills and qualifications. Ask for guidance, training or professional development opportunities to prepare you for a future promotion.