For context, I work in IT, on a project with multiple companies involved.
The traditional pathway for my current position has generally been an external hire comes in to the sub contracted company (the company I currently work for), gets a chance to learn the custom infrastructure, and support high level customers. Once you've been in the roll for a few years (normally 2-3), the primary company will try and buy you out. Just the nature of this project because they will only hire people who know the system, and the best way in is through the job I currently have.
Additionally, when I started my current job, I didn't have my degree. I hadn't needed it up until recently (because the primary company requires them), and had qualified for my current position based purely on experience. At the time that I was hired in my current position, I had about 7-8 combined years of experience in this field. I've been doing this work since high school, and have serval industry certs.
I've been in my current role for two and some change years now, and recently one of the higher up engineers at the primary company was in town, and we got to talking. Through that discussion, a position in the primary company became available, and I applied. That position is the same level as my current job, which while not being the exact thing I wanted, would be worth it just for the progression path it provides.
I got a call from the hiring manager today that, even though I interviewed well, and he had put in the order to hire me at that level, HR and recruiting had kicked it back because I only finished my degree in Feb of this year, and they require 4-5 years with a bachelors degree. He said that they were going to try and offer me a lower level position doing the same work, and try to match the pay of the higher level position because apparently the ranges can be worked out.
This lower level position is a demotion. I'd loose my title, and have to wait another year to even be considered for a promotion because I'd be switching companies. I'd have to move for this new job, and I'd loose half of my current 401k. I was nice on the phone but I honestly just wanted to scream. I have two years of fanatic performance reviews, customer complements, hell I've had emails written by directorate level staff (at the primary company) thanking me for my dedication and ensuring their issues were handled.
This just feels like a slap in the face. Yes, I know I should just leave, but it's not as easy as that. My specific discipline of IT is pretty specialized and there aren't a ton of companies in the space, not to mention I do actually enjoy my job.
I finished my degree in 6 months. Form 0 to bachelors in 6 months. I put my entire personal life on hold to get this stupid piece of paper because I wanted to move up, and now it's a fucking problem. I started my masters recently with the goal to do the hat trick again and I'm half tempted to just quit now. What's the fucking point of getting the degree if I just have to sit in a low level job for another 2-3 years because my degree is too new.