August Topic in the Planet: Promotion

Introduction

What makes a good question?

One that sparks thinking you hadn’t done before.

A question that significantly impacted my career was:

“During a promotion presentation, what do the reviewers actually pay attention to?”

Today, we’ll explore this in depth.

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Reviewers’ Focus: Evaluation Criteria

The essence of this question lies in understanding the reviewers’ evaluation standard. From a corporate perspective, we can break it down as follows:

Q1. What defines the type of people a company needs?

• Answer: The job role — e.g., Java Engineer, Mobile Engineer, Operations Engineer.

Q2. How is a role’s capability model defined?

From the HR perspective, a competency model generally has three major dimensions:

• Knowledge
• Skills
• General Competencies

> Note: Each of these may contain sub-dimensions or more detailed elements.

Example — For a Java Engineer:

• Professional Knowledge: platform knowledge, business knowledge…
• Professional Skills: design ability, development ability, optimization ability…
• General Competencies: communication skills, innovation skills, project management skills…

Q3. How do competency models differ by level for the same role?

• Answer: For the same position, the behavioral standards (evaluation criteria) for each element vary by level.

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The Competency Model Framework

This logical framework is a key internal tool at many companies.

Structure of an Example Java Engineer Competency Model:

• First column: The three dimensions — knowledge, skills, general competencies.
• Second column: Specific competency elements under each dimension — development, testing, design…
• First row: The role, differentiated by levels (T2, T3, T4…).
• Cross cells: Behavioral standards for each level and element.

> Disclaimer: This example model is purely illustrative; actual corporate models may differ and are confidential.

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Weight Classification by Level (Example)

• T2 → Guided
• T3 → Independent Responsibility
• T4 → Subsystem Ownership
• T5 → Complex System Ownership
• T6 → Business-level System Ownership
• T7 → Division-level Impact
• T8 → Company-level Impact
• T9 → Industry-level Impact

I had the privilege of co-creating the V1 competency models for all technical positions at 58.com, as the inaugural Chairman of the Technical Committee — giving me deep insight into their logic and application.

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Why Competency Models Matter

A competency model is essential for systematic talent development — solving critical organizational issues.

Without it:

• Hiring: Interviewer’s gut feeling decides pass/fail and level.
• Promotion: Reviewer’s personal judgment dominates decisions.
• Career Development:
• No clear career path
• No clarity on expectations
• No guidance on skill improvement
• Training:
• No structure
• Not targeted to actual gaps
• Reinforces strengths only, without a full learning roadmap.

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Benefits for Employees

• Clear target level and understanding of expectations.
• Ability to improve skills strategically.
• Awareness of promotion evaluation criteria used by reviewers.

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Common Career Question

> “If I manage an entire business system (T6 impact) but don’t get opportunities to manage a division system (T7 impact), what should I do?”

In companies with strict “weight” requirements, promotion without meeting the level’s scope can be difficult.

Recommendations:

• Communicate with your leader to develop a plan for heavier responsibilities.
• Seek projects or systems that expand your scope and impact.
• If constrained (“too small a cage”), consider:
• Internal job rotation
• Transition to a new company or role

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Summary

What do reviewers focus on in a promotion presentation?

• The role’s capability model and the behavioral standards of the target level.

What’s the use of a competency model?

For companies:

• Hiring standards
• Promotion standards
• Career development guides
• Training frameworks

For individuals:

• Clarity on needed capabilities
• Guidance for targeted skill development
• Roadmap to reach promotion goals

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Reflection Questions:

• Do you understand your career path?
• Do you know the abilities required at each level?
• Are you actively improving those abilities?

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> In the workplace, these “small things” might never be explained — but they can greatly impact your growth. I can’t give the exact answers for you, only share the logic and experience that worked for me.

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Afterward: We enjoyed watching everyone’s performances.