I’ve been at shell for 2 1/2 years with my current team. I want to apply out to another higher JG role.My Manager said I cannot leave till I finish commitment and possibly thereafter which could be a total 5-6 years. Is there any truth to this? I just joined shell this is my first role.
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My experience as a SGP / SATP, You're stuck unless you have a higher up (higher than your GM) pull you up/out/over...but every time I saw this, the graduate burnt a bridge in my department. (all of them ended up leaving Shell within a few years anyway but they were very competent.)
At my 3.25 year mark, had my "dream job" (in IDP since my internship) opportunity come up and the hiring manager wanted me to start at 3.5 years (already done with my SGP and basically done with my SATP other than already scheduled exit interview). My department refused to let me leave at 3.5 and even at a negotiated 3.75. Then Covid hit and the position wiped away. After that, my department would not even let me apply for a Project (doing my same role but outside of a hub) at 3.9 years. The new hiring manager delayed the hiring for the posted job one month to let me hit my 4 year. I got hired on the project 1 week after my 4 year, I guess the department couldn't do anything about it at that point because it seems like they would have if they could have. More context, my department was hemorrhaging graduates. I started 2016.
Potential advice, if you seem like you don't have a chance, and you really want the role (you may never get back in your current department), have the hiring manager get their bosses boss to fight for you to be over there.
A manager has the right to hold you to a 4-year commitment, but whether or not to exercise that "right" is totally at their discretion.
We used to explicitly state in job postings that it would be a 4-year assignment. (+/-) 1 Open resourcing round... That was because some projects take many years to complete and they could not handle the churn of people and jumping every year or two. Since the last reorganization, the job offers have not had length of assignment explicitly included, but 4 years is expected in several parts of the business. In the past your manager usually would let you apply for a new job if it was a progression.
So in summary, it depends.
Entirely depends on your manager and the hiring manager.
Your manager is holding you back, plain and simple. you are not required to be in a role for any period of time. Shell Scotford is a prime example. Anyone not in a lab or production changes roles every 2-3 years.
Are you a graduate or experienced hire? If the former, you are more or less ringfenced until you complete SGP. If the latter, your line manager is full of ****