In my last job, I spent about 5 consecutive years kicking nothing but ass, getting 4.0 or higher annual reviews, customers saying how good and quick I got shit done. My “reward” for all that hard work…blanket 2.5% raise.

I would spend weeks at a time at my desk, watching youtube, reading imdb or fandoms, playing games on my phone, or online shopping. I built a new AR pistol and a PC over the span of 3 months doing all my shopping and comparison from my work PC. Then, after some personal stuff went down, and my last review (4.5), I told my boss that there’s no reason I shouldn’t be a Sr Programmer at this point. His response was “Some people get promted quicker than others, some get promoted too soon. You need to be patient”

I completely checked out at that point and started applying for new jobs. It took about 6 months but even when I went to turn in my resignation my old boss is so damn scattered detached it took me 3 tries to slip it into conversation instead of just saying “fuck it i’m out”

My new job? Kinda the same. But I make over 10% more and am far ahead of the current peer that anything I do look like magic. I still don’t care.