Company rules are too strict making a challenge to upgrade your title even if you are already performing at desired level. Even your CV sometimes tailored to higher level and you represented to a customer as a specialist with level above than in your profile e.g. mid level dev represented as a senior.
This rules are often becoming obstacle to get new title or being ready to interview with a potential customer. As I understand, there is pre-defined "acceptable" phrases or answers when English level check is performed, and, if you are answering differently, you are definitely not ready for either assessment or interview with a customer.
Another obstacle is the extra mile activities which you should have a lot in order to get bonuses otherwise employee have to do these activities for free decent amount of time.
Additionally, I experienced miscommunication between me and management (both project and company) when I performed extra activities which led to payment refusal due to company policies.
This building a feeling that company forces employees to ask for their money instead of helping and providing transparency in terms of compensation.
