Welcome to Pressing Questions, Fast Company’s work-life advice column. Every week, deputy editor Kathleen Davis, host of The New Way We Work podcast, will answer the biggest and most pressing workplace questions.

Q: What should I do if I’m passed over for a promotion?

A: The short answer to this is the same as that of many of the biggest workplace problems: 1. You can stay and learn to deal with it, or 2. You can decide you can’t live with it and look for another job.

Deciding which of those options to take can be a bit more fraught. My previous advice on how to know when to quit your job might be helpful. The short answer is that it’s time to move on if you’re unhappy in your current role, feel like your boss doesn’t value you, and/or you have no room for advancement.

All of those factors point to quitting being the best option and you can certainly start looking around to see what else is out there. Still, before you give notice, I’d advise you to have a conversation with your manager:

Ask your boss for actionable feedback

Just like it doesn’t hurt to ask for feedback when applying for a job, it can be helpful to ask why you weren’t given a promotion. If you decide to leave, the feedback can make you a stronger candidate. And if you decide to stay it can help set you up for a promotion the next time around.

As Fast Company contributor Mita Mallick points out, “Your boss may provide you feedback you don’t expect to hear and may be a surprise to you. They might reveal things about your performance, expectations, and areas of opportunities they may have never shared before.”

Of course, that’s only if your boss is good at giving feedback. Many people aren’t. Mallick says if the feedback is more along the lines of: “keep doing what you are doing,” or, “the promotion will come next time around.”  You should try getting them to be specific by asking detailed questions like “Can you share with me what you focused on when you were in my position and trying to get promoted?” Or: “Is there anything specific you think I should focus on over the next six months?” That way you will have measurable results to point to.

Think about what you really want

Once you understand what you need to do to get promoted, it’s worth considering if you actually want the role. Often people feel that they should always be striving for the next rung on the ladder, but there’s value in realizing what you really want. If it’s not a bigger title and more responsibility, perhaps you just want more money. (Here’s my advice for getting a raise.) But maybe you’re looking for more meaningful assignments, a lateral move to a different department, or even more flexibility. Progress doesn’t alway come with a title change.

One golden rule whether you ultimately decide to stay or leave: Don’t disparage the person who did get the promotion. Even if you think you deserved it more or they are the wrong choice. You won’t change anyone’s mind and nothing good comes from trying to pull someone down to bring yourself up.