I have seen junior employees run up against a hard cap before. Programming might not be for you, BUT just as likely my bet is that your employer and peers have

I have seen junior employees run up against a hard cap before. Programming might not be for you, BUT just as likely my bet is that your employer and peers have permanently pegged you as "the junior dev". I have consulted at large, medium, and small companies and have seen this behavior frequently even to the point where employees with 10 years of experience are still referred to as "junior devs" (always will be) and treated as such. I know it is not a great time to be looking for a new employer, I encourage you to at least cast about for new opportunities outside your current employer. Also, with five years under your belt, you at not a junior programmer and you should be looking for intermediate or senior positions. If you have ALL the qualifications of a job posting then it is likely beneath you. Look for opportunities you can grow into but still ones where your skills can be taken advantage of. If after a second or third appointment you still feel like this is not your cup of tea then move on to some other career but one that hopefully can leverage your experience.