Acting roles as an enticement toward career advancement should be avoided by both employees and employers. Yet, companies still offer these, and employees still fall for these performance-inducing titles. In my career, I have rarely seen an acting role work out well for an employee—more often, it leads to their detriment.
Why Do Companies Offer “Acting Roles”?
Typically, these roles are used to fill a vacancy caused by the sudden departure of a long-term employee with extensive institutional knowledge. Management approaches a promising internal candidate, offering them an “acting” position as a trial period. They may sweeten the deal with a modest pay bump, a bonus and promises of future consideration for the permanent role. Often, they emphasize that this is part of HR’s formal process, though a formality: the position will be posted externally, resumes will be reviewed, and the acting candidate will be “most likely” selected in the end.
What’s Really Happening Behind the Scenes
In reality, management is often using the acting role as a stopgap. The internal candidate serves as a placeholder to maintain continuity and keep the department functioning smoothly. Meanwhile, management is actively recruiting external talent, aiming for someone who mirrors the previous employee but with updated skills or a better alignment with future goals, etc. Management has no intention of grooming / developing the incumbent for a higher management role.
The acting role becomes a tool for buying time. The internal candidate provides stability and reassurance to the team while management searches for their ideal candidate elsewhere. In many cases, they never intended to promote the acting employee permanently. If the internal candidate was a serious contender ‘and actually as touted the chosen one” for the role, he or she would have been simply promoted, without a job positing and entire interview process which is expensive to the organization financially and through consuming HR and management time with reviewing resumes and interviewing candidates. Overall, as an employee, you should know that that majority of acting roles go to the outside candidate. The external hire does not come into the company in an “acting role”, rather, they have the full rights and privileges of the role and job title from day one of their new employ. Lastly, the real risk to the internal employee when their is an external candidate selected, is that of reporting to that individual. Often, incoming external hires know more about the management decision process and will either view the passed-over internal as “damaged goods” or have the view they are a threat as “runner-up.” From my experience, most internal candidates are gone within a year after their “successor” came aboard. Many were fired for a variety of reasons or simply quickly interviewed and left for another, almost any job, since their reputation and image was so damaged.
The Risk for Employees
Accepting an acting role can be a career gamble. By taking on additional responsibilities without long-term assurances, employees risk:
- Increased Workload with No Certainty: Acting roles often come with more duties and stress but without a guarantee of permanency. I have seen the acting role process drag-on for up to eight months as management has the luxury of time now to really determine what they are seeking, and even how to restructure processes and departments accordingly.
- Missed Opportunities: While focused on proving themselves in the acting role, employees may neglect external opportunities that could lead to real advancement.
- Career Stagnation: If the permanent role goes to someone else, the acting employee might feel undervalued or trapped in their current position, especially after being publicly passed over, which is demoralizing, at a minimum.
What Should You Do Instead?
If offered an acting role, consider these steps before accepting:
- Clarify Intentions: Ask for clear, written expectations and timelines for evaluating the role’s permanency.
- Negotiate Compensation: Acting roles often come with increased responsibilities. Ensure you’re fairly compensated, even on a temporary basis.
- Request in writing a performance review immediately at the end of the acting role … by current management, not by whomever may be hired into the role.
- Evaluate the Risks: Understand that the acting title may not guarantee a permanent promotion. Assess whether the short-term gain aligns with your long-term career goals.
- Explore Alternatives: Keep your options open. Continue networking and exploring external opportunities in case the acting role doesn’t lead to a permanent position.
One exception to the above I recall was an assistant controller who filled in for the role of CFO for only a month. His well-known intention upfront, was that a limited duration and he was not interested at that late point in his career actually becoming the CFO. He worked this one-month stint to his resume advantage, and had the bragging rights at later work functions and holiday dinners as it may for great speech material extolling the junior staff to not just persevere, but work as hard as they could since one day a phone call may be from the board of directors to be the next (acting) CFO …
Final Thoughts
An acting role may seem like a stepping stone to career advancement, but it’s often a strategic move by companies to fill a gap while minimizing disruption. Employees should approach such opportunities with caution, asking tough questions and ensuring their efforts align with their long-term aspirations.
Remember, your career deserves more than temporary titles and vague promises. Prioritize opportunities that offer real growth and acknowledgment of your value. As always, never settle for less than you’re worth, keep your resume current, continue networking and look to your long-term career goals.