This means no advancement.  I'm not sure when it started, but I've been playing the same lot since I created it a week or so ago - my first business - and while there have been job promotions, they've stopped.  For everyone.  

I have up to OFB installed and while I have a few hacks, they were there when the game was working fine.  I've even removed some stuff.  I've herd there's a hack that disables friend requirements for advancement, but that would make it too easy.  

I have the latest Insim, used it to make one Sim best friends with everyone on the lot - 7 - but when I go to the... job screen of my Sims, it shows only one friend.

After more than a year and a half away from playing the game, I have recently reinstalled it and the first two packs - just like I had before - along with my saved games.  Things seem to work fine except that the Headmaster declines my application even when I have a score of 84 out of 90.  The house is clean, he seems impressed by things and enjoys the Salmon.  At first I had been using the "call all to dinner, but after reading that that was a mistake and reason for getting no points for food, I now call him through the "Entertain" button.  The first time, I was sure I was in with the new high score, but then admittedly, disappointed when he declined.

I never had this kind of problem before.