The salaries are often below the current market rate and annual merit increases are typically 3%. Promotions are the only way to substantially increase your salary but you may find yourself wearing a variety of hats long before you receive an actual change in job title. When promoted, HR will cap the of additional compensation that you can receive at 15% from your current base, bringing you in at the low end of the range for your new role. A common theme is to leave the company and come back, in order to escape this trap.