I'm feeling very discouraged. f500 marketing job. strong gPA, Undergrad, and GMAT. But No Promotions. I feel like a loser

bump

Cornell, 3.9 GPA, 770 GMAT, IBM work experience.

I would say yes you have great stats for top 15 MBA programs and possibly some T7's if you craft your story well enough.

Aww, where's your fiddle and tissues?

Have you ever considered that the problem may not be you, but the company itself (or more precisely, your fit with the firm).

Consider this: you've basically brow beat yourself to a bunch of strangers on the Internet. Anonymously yes but still. So what's the likelihood that folks around the office also pick up on that (that you're down on yourself)? You can be well-liked and not taken seriously, or well-liked and respected. And that may be mostly your fault, OR it may be a function of the work environment you're in that makes you feel that way.

Either way, you may not want to break up with IBM right now, but you may want to start looking at other places to work that may value your contributions.

IBM is a tough place, lots of tenure people with connections clogging up the middle and upper management positions. Also marketing is a tough place to be in with social media advertising and the internet.

With a decent backstory, you stand a fair shot at MBA business schools ">M7 program with those stats. Try to get a better understanding of why you're not getting promoted though. Maybe your managers think you're going to move on to greener pastures soon, so they're not wasting a promotion on you.

As for law school, only do it if law actually interests you, don't do it just to do it; you'll hate it. I did law school without really being certain I wanted to practice and wish I hadn't.

Either route, don't get so discouraged. Law school is brutal and imagine top MBA program is equally tough. You'll need some fortitude to make it through.

So you currently have 3 years of experience in total, correct? Have you given any serious thought to applying to more senior roles at other companies?

3 yrs at IBM -> ~2 years in next level role at well known company combined with your stellar stats and strong UG school would put you in a very good position.

Strong stats brah. Don't sweat it.

Why don't you just jump ship to a more senior role at another company?

Hi,

I was in a very similar position as you are in right now, so I can relate.

Was nearing 3 years in Corp Fin at a very large and bureaucratic F50 company. I could not get a promotion despite stellar performance and strong UG stats. All due to internal politics.

So I had enough and applied to another F500 company, where I got promoted fairly quickly and I am much happier with my work.

My advice it to you is - RUN! You need to get away from IBM to a company that values your contributions. Echoing what Alex said above.