I love my job. It’s creative, in a unique industry that I’m passionate about, and has incredible work-life balance and benefits. Salary is just ok. Liveable but much lower than that of my friends with similar education levels in different industries. This is the third year in a row I’ve asked for a promotion. I’ve taken on a ton more work and have literally been doing the job of someone in upper management but keep being told the company doesn’t have the money to promote me (meanwhile, people in other departments are being promoted and two new people on my team were brought in at higher levels). I feel like I am being punished because management is banking on me loving it here too much to leave. I am torn between staying at a stagnant job that makes me happy but where I don’t feel valued and doing something that would probably suck out my soul but improve my life outside of work and set me up financially. The kicker is the promotion I’m asking for would be very little money in the grand scheme of the company (only $5k). If it were 30 years ago, this job would be perfect, but in this economy I’m getting to the point where eventually I won’t be able to afford to work here. Sigh.