IT is no different than any other profession (Score 1)

Its not a dead end career as long as you are committed to the work, come up with solutions to real problems, promote and run with new ideas and most importantly let people know about it. It's funny to see people are still whining that IT is a dead end for reasons that are not unique to IT. All industires are outsourcing and there simply aren't enough management jobs to go around.

Some people seem to think they deserve to get promoted or get a big raise. It's those idiots in management that don't realise how brilliant or vital to the companies success they are. That's not the case and if it is your probably as much to blame as anyone else. People, who don't promote themselves, come up with more problems that solutions or who sit around goggling all day are not going to get ahead.

Generally speaking the reason the other guy was promoted was that he was better than you not that he kissed more ass. Management don't have a secret vendetta against you, there are no plots or secret pacts, how could there be no one knows who you are or what you do. That said if things aren't working out and you don't think they ever will, of course you should move on if you can, sometimes management are idiots but its not usually the case.

I was a sys admin / security contractor for a few years, turned that into a consultancy business, sold my client list and now work for a bank. I can't say I get all the promotions I go for but there are lots of opportunities you just have to persuade people you deserve them, there's nothing unusual about that.