kqkbc's journey

I've been working as a creative project manager at my company for 10 years now, and I've consistently met or exceeded expectations in my annual reviews. However, I've recently been facing some frustrating situations regarding my position and pay. Since 2020, my team has shrunk from five people to just two of us, and we've absorbed the workload of the others, effectively doubling our responsibilities. Despite this, I've only received regular raises and two promotions that didn't really change my workload, just the title and pay grade. Recently, a job was posted for our team at a higher pay grade than mine, but when I asked my manager why, she couldn't provide a clear explanation. This left me feeling undervalued and hesitant to apply. Now, my manager has posted another position that has a similar job description to mine but offers a minimum of $13,000 more in base pay and a higher title. She encouraged me to apply, but I can't shake the feeling that there's something off about this whole situation. I've been looking for new jobs on and off, but the market is tough, and I'm feeling burnt out. I can't help but wonder why they wouldn't just promote me if they recognize my experience and capabilities. If I decide to apply, I want to present my experience and goals effectively without sounding like I'm just saying, 'I already do all of this.' It's a big company, and while not every area is problematic, mine definitely feels like it's stuck in a loop of questionable hiring practices.