Its been 2 years I am assoc. consultant, and I have not been promoted. Everytime that conversation comes up -- there is always "room for improvement" were on a rating scale, and to get promoted you have to score a "5" and I have scored "3/4.3" project managers are extremely reluctant to give a score of 5, for whatever reason. They want to make an excuse to pay you assoc. pay, while you work and operate as a consultant/ senior consultant.