Turning down opportunity for internal promotion - career suicide?

I think it depends on the culture in your organisation. MrH's lot are fairly good at encouraging work-life balance so would understand that not everyone wants to move home just to move up the ladder. Others are less so (academia, for example).

Not sure that helps much does it? ?

WSS. I guess it depends on what your long-term goals are career-wise and within the organisation. Also, if you did find a couple of years down the track that you were stalled unless you were willing to move, would there be opportunities for you at other companies?

Nope ? Culture is an odd one really as we've had two significant management changes in the last year so things have changed/are changing in that respect. Working remotely to a degree means I'm less clued in than I would ordinarily be.

As the great Donald Rumsfeld once said ""Reports that say that something hasn't happened are always interesting to me, because as we know, there are known knowns; there are things we know we know. We also know there are known unknowns; that is to say we know there are some things we do not know. But there are also unknown unknowns -- the ones we don't know we don't know."

Gah.

I think that if you explain your situation (if they dont already know) and say thats the reason, then tbh, i think thats says more about your committment to your responsibilities - any decent manager should recognise that for what it is, and if anything, should be a positive thing for you. whilst it may not lead to a positive outcome right now, i d say that its just solidifying your reputation as a solid guy for down the line.

if you have that reputation that is, i think youre a twat, for example ?

Thanks for the additional replies.

Sophie - apparently my skills should be in demand so in a couple of years there may be opportunities elsewhere. I do like working for my current employer and they seem to like me (was promoted twice in two years).

Nick - depends on who you speak to ?

I agree. so, get practising in front of a mirror "would you like to large that up mate" ?

Should I asking Glider for career advice? ?

No he ll still be too busy masturbating like portnoy over the hudson crash until his tictac looks like raw burger meat ?

Nick's piss-taking aside, amusing as it is ?, it does sound as though they would want to hang onto you, even if you turn down a promotion at this time. Though who knows how your bosses think ?

Last year my husband was sounded out for a promotion that would have meant a move to a remote town in Sweden. I think his answer was something along the lines of "not if it was the last place on earth" ?. A few months later, he was offered the same promotion, but with a move to Minneapolis. He felt that turning it down again would be career limiting, but fortunately it's something we both wanted to go for anyway.