Stuck as a mid-level PMET with no promotion in sight, jump or stay?

I was in your exact spot, capped because the role above me wasn't going anywhere. I jumped after seven years and honestly it was the best career move, both title and pay went up significantly because the market often values you more than your current employer who's gotten used to you. Loyalty is nice but companies rarely reward it the way a fresh negotiation does. That said, do it strategically, don't jump for a marginal raise into a worse culture. I made sure the new role had a clear growth path and a bigger scope, not just more money. Six years of solid performance is a strong story to sell. My advice: start interviewing to test your market value, you can always stay if nothing better comes up.

Counterpoint, I stayed and it worked out, but I did it deliberately, not passively. When my promotion stalled due to no vacancy, I had a frank conversation with my manager about my career path and what it would take. Turned out they valued me but genuinely had no headcount, so we negotiated an expanded role with a pay bump and a title change short of the promotion, and a commitment to promote me when a slot opened, which it eventually did. The key was making my ambition known clearly rather than silently stewing. Jumping isn't the only answer, sometimes the ceiling breaks if you push the right way. But if after an honest conversation nothing changes, then yes, jumping is the rational move. Don't stay stagnant in silence.