The data is clear: most people who advance their careers do so by leaving, not by waiting for a promotion. But that doesn’t mean every exit is strategic. Here’s how to decide when to fight for the next level where you are—and when walking away is the power move.
You’ve been in your role for two years. You’ve exceeded expectations, taken on additional responsibilities, and demonstrated leadership. Your annual review was glowing. But when promotion time came? Someone else got the role.
So now you’re wondering: Do I stay and try again next year? Or is it time to move on?
It’s a question millions of professionals face every year, and the answer matters enormously for your career trajectory. Because here’s what the data shows: 75% of workers leave before ever getting promoted. Of the 97% of Americans who advance their careers each year, only 7% do so within their existing organization.
For women, the picture is even more stark. According to the 2025 Women in the Workplace report from McKinsey and LeanIn.Org, for every 100 men promoted to manager, only 93 women are promoted—and the numbers are worse for women of color: just 82 Asian women and Latinas, and 60 Black women.
But before you start updating your resume, understand this: not every exit is strategic. Some moves accelerate your career. Others just reset the clock.
This guide will help you decide which path makes sense for you right now.
The Uncomfortable Truth About Internal Advancement
Let’s start with what the research tells us about waiting for a promotion.
The average raise when you stay? 3% per year.
The average tenure before people give up and leave? 3.9 years according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The percentage of workers who learn new skills on the job within two years of being hired? Only 3.8%, per ADP research.
This isn’t about being disloyal or impatient. This is about recognizing that the old employment contract—where you stay loyal and the company rewards you with steady advancement—has fundamentally broken down.
The Structural Barriers Women Face
For women, internal advancement faces additional headwinds:
Less career support. Only 31% of entry-level women have sponsors compared to 45% of men at their level. Women are also less likely to have senior colleagues introduce them to people who can help their careers or put them up for promotion.
The “potential” gap. Research from MIT Sloan found that women receive higher performance ratings than men but 8.3% lower ratings for “potential.” This perception gap makes women 14% less likely to be promoted—even when they’re outperforming male colleagues.
The broken rung. Women are far less likely than men to become first-time managers. Only 31% of entry-level women hold people manager roles. Since management experience is often required for advancement, this creates a bottleneck that compounds over time.
The flexibility penalty. Women who work remotely three or more days per week are less likely to have been promoted in the past two years than men in identical working arrangements.
Declining company commitment. For the first time, only 54% of companies say they place a high priority on women’s career advancement. One in six companies have cut DEI staff or resources, and some have scaled back career development programs designed to support women.
These aren’t excuses. They’re data points that should inform your strategy.
When Staying Makes Sense
Despite the challenges, sometimes staying and fighting for advancement is the right strategic move. Here’s when:
1. You Have Real Sponsors, Not Just Mentors
Mentors give advice. Sponsors open doors.
The Women in the Workplace report found that employees with sponsors are promoted at nearly twice the rate of those without. At senior levels, 66% of women have sponsors versus 72% of men. At entry level, the gap is much wider: 31% of women versus 45% of men.
You have real sponsorship if:
- Senior leaders actively advocate for you in rooms where decisions are made
- You’re being given stretch assignments that build visible leadership skills
- Someone is explicitly telling you “I’m putting you up for the next promotion opportunity”
- You’re being introduced to people who can advance your career
- You’ve seen this sponsor successfully advocate for others’ promotions
If you have this level of sponsorship, it may be worth staying to see it through—but set a timeline. If that promotion doesn’t materialize within 6-12 months, reassess.
2. There’s a Clear, Time-Bound Path to the Role You Want
“We’re thinking about promoting you next year” is not a plan.
A real path looks like:
- Specific criteria you need to meet (and confirmation you’re on track)
- A defined timeline (Q2 promotion cycle, end of fiscal year, etc.)
- Evidence that others have advanced on similar timelines
- Written documentation of the expectations and timeline
According to iHire’s 2025 Talent Retention Report, 54.8% of employees say clear advancement paths make them more likely to stay. But “clear” is the operative word. Vague promises don’t count.
3. You’re Building Highly Valuable, Portable Skills
Sometimes the role itself is the prize, even without the title bump.
Stay if you’re:
- Leading high-profile projects that will make your resume stand out
- Working directly with senior leadership
- Building expertise in an emerging area that’s highly marketable
- Gaining experience that would typically require a more senior title elsewhere
The key question: Will this experience make me more competitive when I do decide to leave?
If staying another 12 months means you can leave with demonstrable leadership experience, a major project completion, or specialized expertise that doubles your market value—that’s strategic patience, not stagnation.
4. The Culture Genuinely Supports Women’s Advancement
Some companies actually do promote women at similar rates to men. You might be at one if:
- Women hold manager and senior leadership roles in meaningful numbers (not just one token female executive)
- You see women regularly getting promoted, including women who work flexibly
- The company hasn’t cut DEI programs or resources
- Performance evaluations use structured criteria (which reduces bias)
- Remote and flexible work is genuinely supported without penalty
The research shows that companies committed to women’s advancement see accelerated progress. If you’re at one of those companies, your odds are better.
5. You’re Within Two Years of a Major Vesting Event
If you’re close to stock vesting, a significant bonus payout, or another financial milestone, the math may favor staying even if the advancement picture isn’t perfect.
But be honest about the opportunity cost. If waiting for that payout means another year or two without career growth, calculate what you’re actually giving up in long-term earning potential.
When Leaving Is the Strategic Move
Now let’s talk about when staying is just delaying the inevitable—and costing you money and opportunities.
1. You’ve Been Passed Over Multiple Times
Once might be timing. Twice is a pattern. Three times is a message.
According to the 2025 Women in the Workplace report, senior-level women who don’t want promotions are more likely than men to say it’s because they’ve been passed over in the past and don’t see a realistic path to the top.
If you’ve been explicitly promised a promotion that didn’t materialize, or you’ve been passed over for people with less experience or weaker performance, that’s not a pipeline issue. That’s organizational resistance.
Your choice is to accept that you’ve hit a ceiling, or go somewhere that values what you bring.
2. There’s No Evidence Women Advance at Your Company
Look around. How many women are at the next level? Two levels up? In senior leadership?
If women are consistently underrepresented at higher levels, and you don’t see female colleagues getting promoted at rates similar to men, you’re looking at a systemic issue.
The data shows that four in ten entry-level women have not received a promotion, stretch assignment, or leadership training opportunity in the past two years.
You can’t be what you can’t see. If there’s no evidence that women like you advance, why would you be the exception?
3. Your Skills Are Stagnating
Only 3.8% of workers learn new skills on the job within two years of being hired. If you’re not growing, you’re actually moving backward relative to the market.
Leave if:
- You’re doing the same work you were doing two years ago
- There’s no professional development, training, or learning opportunities
- You’re not building skills that would be valued elsewhere
- The work has become routine and you’re just executing
The iHire report found that 57.4% of employees are more likely to stay when employers provide professional development and upskilling. If your employer isn’t investing in your growth, they’re telling you something.
4. External Market Value Significantly Exceeds Your Current Compensation
Remember: the average raise for staying is 3% per year.
Meanwhile, career coaches report helping clients achieve salary increases of $10,000 to $100,000 more per year through strategic job changes.
Do the math:
- Research what your role commands in the current market
- Look at job postings for the next level up
- Talk to recruiters about what you could command elsewhere
- Calculate the compounding effect of a 20-30% increase now versus 3% annual increases
If you’re significantly underpaid relative to market and your company isn’t willing to correct it, every month you stay is money you’re leaving on the table.
5. You’re Not Getting the Support Women Need to Advance
The research is unequivocal: when women receive the same career support as men—including sponsorship, manager advocacy, and stretch opportunities—the ambition gap disappears entirely at all career levels.
But if you’re not getting that support, and there’s no indication it’s coming, staying means accepting a structural disadvantage.
Signs you’re not getting the support you need:
- Your manager doesn’t actively advocate for your advancement
- You’re not being considered for high-visibility projects
- You’re rarely included in important meetings or strategic discussions
- Your manager hasn’t had a meaningful career development conversation with you in over a year
- You’ve asked for opportunities and consistently been told “not yet”
6. The Company Is Rolling Back Commitments to Advancement
If your company has:
- Cut DEI programs, staff, or resources
- Reduced or eliminated flexible work options
- Scaled back career development programs designed for women
- Reduced formal sponsorship opportunities
…they’re telling you their priorities. Believe them.
How to Make the Decision
Still not sure? Here’s a framework:
The 90-Day Clarity Plan
Step 1: Get explicit about advancement
Schedule a direct conversation with your manager. Don’t hint. Don’t wait for your annual review. Say:
“I want to advance to [specific role] and I’d like to understand exactly what I need to do to get there. Can we create a specific plan with measurable milestones and a timeline?”
Their response will tell you everything.
Step 2: Document the plan
If they give you a real plan with specific criteria and timeline, get it in writing. Follow up with an email: “Thanks for the conversation. To make sure I’m clear, here’s my understanding of the path forward…”
If they’re vague or non-committal, that’s also information.
Step 3: Test the market
Whether you’re actively looking or not, talk to recruiters. Apply for a few stretch roles. See what’s available and at what level/compensation.
You need to know your market value to make an informed decision.
Step 4: Set a decision date
Give it 90 days. If at the end of that period:
- The promised advancement hasn’t materialized
- You haven’t seen meaningful progress toward the goals
- The conversation about your future remains vague
- You’ve found better opportunities externally
…you have your answer.
The Ambition Check
The 2025 research found that only 69% of entry-level women want promotions compared to 80% of entry-level men.
But here’s the crucial finding: when women receive the same career support as men, they’re equally enthusiastic about advancement at every level. The gap falls away entirely.
So ask yourself: Do I not want advancement? Or do I not want to keep fighting against structural barriers to advancement?
These are very different questions with very different answers.
If You Decide to Leave: Do It Strategically
Leaving isn’t just about quitting. It’s about positioning yourself for the next level.
Before You Resign
Secure the next role. It’s easier to get hired when you’re employed. 67% of career changers report better job satisfaction after transitioning, but don’t leave until you know where you’re going.
Document your wins. Create a detailed record of your accomplishments, projects, metrics, and impact. You’ll need these for interviews and salary negotiations.
Negotiate your exit. Sometimes the threat of leaving prompts a serious counteroffer. But be careful—research shows most people who accept counteroffers end up leaving within a year anyway. Only accept if the offer addresses the underlying reasons you wanted to leave.
Protect your reputation. Leave professionally. Don’t burn bridges. The world is small.
In Your Job Search
Target companies that actually promote women. In interviews, ask:
- “What percentage of women are at senior levels?”
- “Can you share promotion rates by gender at different levels?”
- “How does the company support women’s career advancement specifically?”
- “What does the sponsorship structure look like?”
Watch for red flags like vague answers or defensiveness.
Negotiate for the role and the next one. Don’t just negotiate salary. Negotiate for:
- A clear path to the next level
- Specific advancement timeline
- Professional development budget
- Sponsorship from senior leadership
- Flexibility arrangements in writing
Consider skipping a level. If you’ve been doing manager-level work without the title, apply for senior manager roles externally. Many professionals find that external moves allow them to “skip” levels they would have had to wait years for internally.
If You Decide to Stay: Make It Count
If you’re staying, don’t just wait passively for things to change. Make staying an active strategy.
Build Sponsorship Deliberately
Since only 31% of entry-level women have sponsors versus 45% of men, you need to be intentional.
Identify potential sponsors: Who are the senior leaders who make promotion decisions? Who has successfully sponsored others like you?
Make yourself visible: Volunteer for high-profile projects. Share your work in forums where leaders will see it. Make sure your contributions are credited by name.
Ask explicitly: “I’m working toward [specific goal]. Would you be willing to advocate for me and create opportunities for me to demonstrate my capability at the next level?”
Create Documentation
Keep a running record of:
- Promises made about your advancement
- Performance feedback
- Projects led and results achieved
- Skills developed
- Recognition received
This protects you if the advancement doesn’t materialize and you need to leave. It also gives you concrete evidence to advocate for yourself.
Set Hard Boundaries on Your Timeline
Don’t let “next year” turn into three years. If you’re staying with the expectation of advancement, put a deadline on it. If it doesn’t happen by [specific date], you’ll start your search.
According to Coursera’s research, the average tenure is 3.9 years. For Millennials, it’s 2.8 years; for Gen Z, 2.3 years. Employers understand that people move.
What Success Looks Like
Whether you stay or go, you should be moving toward:
- Increased responsibility and visibility – You’re taking on more complex work and getting recognition for it
- Compensation that reflects your value – You’re earning what the market says you’re worth
- Skills that compound – Each year makes you more valuable, not just older
- A clear path forward – You know what the next level looks like and how to get there
- Support from leadership – Someone is actively invested in your success
If staying gets you there faster than leaving, stay. If leaving is the only way to get there, go.
The point isn’t to job hop for the sake of it. The point is to make strategic moves that accelerate your trajectory rather than accepting structural barriers that slow it down.
Your Career Is a Portfolio, Not a Marriage
The old model of loyalty-for-advancement is dead. The new model is: create value wherever you are, but optimize for your own growth.
Companies will restructure. Priorities will shift. Commitments to women’s advancement will wax and wane based on economic conditions and leadership changes.
You cannot control any of that. What you can control is how long you stay in a situation that isn’t serving you.
The question isn’t “Am I being disloyal by considering leaving?” The question is “Am I being strategic about where I invest my time and talent?”
Because every month you spend waiting for advancement that isn’t coming is a month you could be building your career somewhere that values what you bring.
Make the decision that moves you forward. And if that decision is to leave, leave well—with your head up, your network intact, and a better opportunity waiting.
Ready to make your move? Read our guides on salary negotiation, building your professional network, and positioning yourself for leadership. Plus, explore entrepreneurship as an alternative path and connect with women’s professional communities at WMN Magazine.
