I had worked for Qlik for 6 years, where I had worked very hard and performed well, getting great reviews every year. After about 4 years, I essentially was already doing a senior marketing manager role. The last year working there, my manager who hired me was let go, where I then reported to someone else, who essentially was able to be completely hands-off, as I knew the role extremely well and was able to manage things with no supervision. I had asked every single quarter what I needed to do to get promoted. I was told I was already doing the role and I was doing a great job. I also never had any formal reviews, which I had asked about, but was told they weren't needed. When it was time for promotions, I was given a raise, but no promotion because "I didn't do enough presentations". And ironically, I had tried to push initiatives that I came up with, where I would get to do presentations, but felt like I would get road blocked, where my manager would want to go over things and no action would come out of it.
Once I learned I wasn't going to get promoted and realized this was going nowhere, I started looking for other jobs and within 2 weeks I had 6 interviews. All with salaries of at least 30k higher. Senior manager roles and roles with the same title, but a lot more responsibility and opportunity for major growth. Now, at my current company, I have done about 6 presentations, including one to the CEO. I have been able to take the ball and run with it. Already, I am seeing a lift in conversions and performance... and I'm just getting started.
I have seen men get promoted based on potential, but women having to extensively prove themselves. I have seen men get promoted when they have made major mistakes costing leads, then women held back from minor things they did or didn't do. I hope that this mentality changes one day.
