At this point, after 7 years, I have moved up from the WITCH positions into just a regular IT Department for a big bank as a back office Java API developer. I went from 98 to 130 TC just by doing it. My tenure at my company is about 2 years now and am looking to move into a product role in the next tiers of companies. My guess, based on what I’ve seen here, is that I should be able to get 160-170 TC remotely and 200-220 sitting in a tech hub. I’ve started “grinding” in May and started interviewing about a month ago. I’ve already bagged about 8 rejections though I’m booked between onsites and screenings out to 2 weeks. It’s frustrating how interest in me appears to be a mile wide and a foot deep. Are there resources available that will help me achieve my goal of getting a bid at a tier 2 company by the end of the new year rush(about 6-7 months from now?)

It is kind of disconcerting that I might of hit a Peter Principle trying to get above a Tier 3 firm (WellsFargo). If I’m still here or have been promoted to customer by this time next year, should I see it as a sign that industry or head down tech might be like trying to fit a size 8 foot in a size 5 shoe and I should consider research/PhD or management/MBA instead?

Is this just par for course?