[rp1]

This is separate from your question, but never trust someone who says “you’ll get promoted in X time” unless that person is directly responsible for making that happen. Promotions in large companies are done by committee, and you can be denied a promotion for a variety of reasons. When applying for a new job, the hiring manager has much more discretion over the leveling of your new job, so it’s almost always easier to get promoted via changing jobs. My wife was strung along at her last job with a promotion that was just out of reach. She finally got fed up and left. Within 3 months they reached out and asked her to come back at a higher level.

As for your question, the answer actually has very little to do with promotions and more to do with the company you’re leaving and the company you’d be joining. Software engineers get a majority of their salary as stock. If you have a large grant at a company with an extremely bright future, it can be very lucrative to stay. Similarly, moving (or even getting promoted) at the wrong time can be disastrous if the stock drops significantly. Whether or not you join or leave should be mostly based on the outlook of the company.

[theshadowknows]

I work with this guy who’s sort of an “automation” guy. He’s responsible for automating or at least partially automatic really complex processes. I’ve seen the guy automate away whole departments. Generally speaking my point is that he delivers huge value for the company. And a few months ago his supervisor emailed me asking if I could send in recommendation for him as he was up for a promotion, so I created quite a detailed list of all the things we’ve worked on and how they drove substantial business value. And I fully expected this guy to get promoted…and he didn’t. The board rejected his promotion.

My theory is that he’s too valuable where he is, and that they don’t want to move him elsewhere. But he just got an offer down the road somewhere else and will be putting in his notice next week.

[CyanBird]

At that point why not give him a considerable raise or company stock and outright tell him how valuable on the grand scale of things his work is?

I just despise how companies expect strategically important workers to stay on the company without raises when it is clear for both parties just how much value they as workers bring to the table, it is insulting

[rdtwo]

There is no faster way to get someone to quit than to deny a promotion. That causes so much ill will that these stupid promotion boards never think about.

[marbletimes]

"My theory is that he’s too valuable where he is, and that they don’t want to move him elsewhere."

Assuming the "they are too valuable here to be promoted elsewhere" hypothesis is true, and it may be true in some cases (and not true in the majority of cases), there is always an increase in compensation in the form of increased base salary, bonus, or equity, depending on the company, available. A promotion is both a reward and a belief that the person would have a greater impact in another position. More money is also a reward.

[mooreds]

And why does he have to move elsewhere if he is promoted? Can't he remain where he is, with a new title and more money?

Even if he has to move to a different section of the company if promoted, I'm sure there a plan can be put in place to hire and train a replacement.

We're all speculating in the dark here, but from what has been written, it certainly seems that this person has given the company a lot and deserves to be compensated.

[grvdrm]

Wow. Haven’t seen this articulated in writing recently (maybe ever) but it is real because I hear it from senior mgmt. at my firm - “you can’t rotate to this position or try this other thing because you are very valuable where you are. Happens to many employees.

[halfdan]

It's something I really can't get into my head. Why build a structure where promotion only means upwards in responsibility/into management. Just pay good people more to extend their tenure.

[sjg007]

You’re supposed to automate your job away. That or develop enough material for someone else to take it over.

[grvdrm]

I agree with you. But the flip side is part of the value you provide is because of resource scarcity. In other words, you’re valuable because you do the job well, but automating / documenting is a drain on time that is often occupied by fire drills that come from those same senior people.