Bouncing back after promotion being blocked

Failed promotions are difficult since (1) you don't have much leverage and (2) you must wait for some time, usually 6 months, before you get another attempt.

We can assume good intent by your company, but be mindful that some companies will dangle the promotion carrot in front of you even when they know the likelihood is low.

I don't have a good answer here unfortunately:

• If you feel underpaid, you can share market data to still get a comp increase. Threatening to quit is risky, but could work well depending on the company.
• Create the team and work you want. e.g. find projects you genuinely enjoy and do them with good people. Given your strong reputation at the company, your manager should help you in this effort.

Some additional helpful links:

• Asking For A Promotion: The Wrong Way vs. The Right Way
• How do I pitch for a promotion?
• What to do when you're blocked on almost everything?

Sorry to hear about this - This is happening a lot in the current market as budgets contract and almost every company is entering a "year of efficiency" type era.

My advice is to separate your drive to attain the skills of a senior engineer and your drive to get the title of a senior engineer. One is far more important than the other, and it's the former.

At the end of the day, level is just a string next to your name and is a lagging indicator. If you're truly operating at senior, you will eventually get that title - It's just a matter of time. There's a similar discussion that covers this: "Feeling stuck at Senior Software Engineer"

You seem to be in a good team where both your manager and skip are fighting for you. Most engineers aren't in such a position. If you enjoy working with your team and they push you to get better and regularly challenge your current skills with exciting work, I would continue staying within your team. If not, then you can switch.

Some more good advice here:

• [Taro Top 10] Mid-Level Engineer To Senior Engineer (L4 To L5)
• [Masterclass] How To Get Promoted Faster In Tech

From recent conversations I've had with other engineers, this seems like the new reality of the tech industry. Being good enough is no longer enough. You have to meet quotas and jump through other hoops.

It sounds like you're already doing the right things that are within your control. So, I would encourage you to explore the following questions:

1. Why is getting a promotion so important to you?
2. What will having this promotion enable you to have or do?
3. How can you start doing some of these things today?

It's important to allow your emotions to come up (whether it's disappointment, anger or something else) and have healthy ways of processing them. Answering the questions above will help you identify your unmet needs and look for ways to address them.

My experience

When I was up my Senior Engineer promo a few years ago and didn't get it for Nth time, I was pissed. When I reflected on why, I realized that I felt my effort wasn't recognized, that I was falling behind salary-wise and I was tired of my current work but kept sticking around so I could cross the finish line. What helped me was three things:

• My manager told me how much he appreciated my work and that it wasn't about my effort.
• He also got me a 10% raise (equivalent to a promo) even without the promo.
• Switching teams where I could work on something new that rekindled my passion