Being a business owner for many years, I may have a differing opinion.
Instead of working for someone for 7 years, and then being discouraged that your boss(es) do nothing " to assist you" in growth and promotions...why don't you take it upon yourself to be proactive in your work performance and be the kind of employee that is obviously more valuable to the company than the other employees you work with.
"Seven years" means nothing today, longevity does not translate into profits.
Results, productivity and good employee relations get you ahead in any job.
No boss is required ( or should be) to help make an average or mediocre employee gain promotions or raises. The employee needs to find and take advantage of opportunities within the system as they present themselves.
That has been my personal work ethic my whole life, and it has served me well. I typically was one of the higher-paid if not highest paid employee in every job I have ever had...and based ONLY on my work performance. God knows it wasn't my "winning personality"!
I employee roughly 45 full-time and 20 part-timers. I am CONSTANTLY dealing with employees who call in "sick" every Saturday after partying Friday night, beg to leave early, ask for days off wjth little or no appropriate notice, are chronically late to work and typically just drag thier feet through thier work day.
At week's end, these are typically the very same employees who complain about how small thier paychecks are.
I have several hard-working, loyal and productive employees, and I pay them well. The others complain they don't make as much, yet typically produce a 1/4 to a 1/3 of the results...go figure.
I absolutely guarantee you 100% that there is not an employer anywhere that will not pay you more than you think you deserve if you were the best employee there.
No employer ever wants to lose great people, and will alway pay a fair wage to keep them.
The problem is mediocre employees: Not really bad enough to fire, but certainly not good enough to promote or give a raise to. These are the ones that I can't wait to hear say " Hey boss, I got some bad news for ya..."