What to say when your passed over for a promotion?

When the manager tells you that you didn't get the job, about all you need to say politely is that you are very disappointed, that you really wanted the position, and that you though you had a good skill set to bring to the position. But keep it upbeat. Hard as it may seem to do, there is no point in expressing your displeasure at being passed over, and doing that may harm your prospects in being promoted in the future. Being passed over for promotion happens to every one sooner or later, and we just have to learn to deal with it in a professional manner. Anything else can cause a manager to think the person is being difficult, is a complainer, and has a severe case of 'sour grapes'. All will be remembered next time a promotion comes up. Usually in cases like this, it's better to bite the bullet, and score some points for next time by keeping our mouths shut.

Sometimes companies do start a new position at a lower pay scale. Sometimes it is a way for a company to save money. That's their right. There's a lot of reasons a company can pass someone over for promotion. They may feel they need you in the position you're already in, they may have thought you wouldn't be interested in taking a pay cut, or they may not have thought you were the best candidate for some reason you're unaware of.

One thing's for certain: maintain your professionalism. Don't say anything about this until you've been formally told that you didn't get the position. Just be direct and ask why your boss thought you fell short of being the one chosen for the promotion, and what you can do in the meantime to ensure you're competitive for the next role that opens up. If I were you, I'd also start applying to jobs elsewhere, as perhaps your current company doesn't realize your true worth.

Getting angry won't help.

Some questions:

What was the criteria for the new job (promotion)?

How did I rank among the candidates?

What can I do to be more competitive?

Are there other jobs at the company for which I would be qualified that have greater promotion opportunities?

Ask him if you take a few blows to the head and start drooling if you can be the next in line for a promotion.

Tell the 'idiot' congratulations on his/her promotion.