if been in this position once, good pay, secure job, no risk of being fired even during crisis ( apoint proofen during 2009 and 2011). Yet, being under 30 back than I considered the risk of being unemployable hire than the benefits. Would I have been 50+ I would never have considered leaving.
What actually shocked me was how HARD it really was to work somewhere else. And I almost failed, so only one year more at this job would have been my career end. Yet another shock was how used I had been to that kind of security, it's right that freedom can be scarry. in retrospect, despite everything, I still consider that one my better decisions up to now.
I've basically given up on fighting the politics and instea focus on working on self-starting things that can't be derailed while studying for a career realignment.
My biggest fear is staying to so long that I atrophy and/or find myself molded by the culture such that I'm unhirable.
I'm hoping to move on without taking too dramatic a pay cut (<25%).
In an interview many years ago, an HR monkey told him, he'll just hire 3 young people for the money. One of them will certainly make it.
Golden handcuffs indeed. So the point with the missing raise is not necessarily a good point.