I have a similar situation but I am alot older than you. I am in my 50's and have 9 years experience in my field. I am a certified optician with a diploma in medical coding and billing. I specialize in ophthalmic and vision billing. I am also an optometric assistant. I work in a very specialized field. At this point in my life I don't have alot of other options to explore. I have been told that I my salary has been topped out and there is not any more money to make. That is no raise for the last 2 years also. My biggest disapointment  is that several people have been hired after me starting at a higher rate of pay with less experience.  I am currently $10,000 - $15,000 per year   below the  current rate in my field. I have been searching for a new positon for more than a year now and have not had any takers.  Lots of interviews, lots of raves about my knowledge and experience but no takers. My point is you are young and still have lots of opportunities ahead of you. Please don't sit and wait for it to come to you. You need to approach you supervisor and ask for that raise again or start looking. No matter     how ideal a postion is there is more out there. Take advantage of your yourh and knowledge and take the intiative.  BEST WISHES IN YOUR CAREER.

Thanks for responding. No, no cost-of-living increases per se. My boss was actually shocked, yes shocked, to learn that I've actually made less each of the last 3 years. No issues at all with my work. In fact, clients have even gone so far as emailing the boss to say how much they enjoy working with me. I've also been told there are others in the same position. How that is supposed to make me feel better, I have not the foggiest idea. To answer your question; No, no one else in my situation ever gets a raise. Or so I have been told.

Already started looking for a new opportunity 

Thanks for respoding also. I can assure you I am not that much younger than you. I am in my 40s. Based on my skills, training, and experience my field is also somewhat specialized. I've been told also that my salary has "topped out" and I was "at my salary cap". Whatever that means. It is true. What I make, I should make. However, there is no plan to take me to the next grade level, even though there is one. It is just not my individual plan, it is the companies lack of one.  My thought is the company realizes this and wants to control costs. They must feel that ineviitably they will control costs by losing the "more expereinced" workers.  Best wishes to you too ! 

I think you have a hard decision to make. You are in a field that saw a lot of layoffs a few years back and these workers are starting to creep back into the IT field.

If I were you, I'd look outside your company and see what your job (or the next step up from your job) is paying and compare that to your current salary. If you can make more elsewhere, that may be your only choice.

If you see that current salaries are around what you make now, you may be stuck for a while until the job market swings more in your favor.

Before you quietly start a job search, I'd try sitting down with your boss, or whoever the appropriate person happens to be to ask - one more time - what can be done or what you can do to move to the next pay grade.  It the answer is the same - that you're stuck where you are with no hope of ever moving up in the organization, I'd accept it and start my job search, keeping in mind that it's always easier to find a job when you have one - so don't quit until you find a job with a better future.  When that time comes, I'd give me two-weeks notice and move on.

Paul W. Barada

The Negotiation Expert