Job Dilema

grainne_t

Hi, I'm wondering if someone could help me with my job/life dilemma! I've been working for a smallish company for 3 years (since college graduation) and up until about 6 months ago i really liked it and thought I was doing quite well there.
When 'annual review' time came around a few months back, I was told that I wouldn't be getting a pay rise (even though I am performing tasks outside of my original job description)..almost everyone else was told the same thing.. I was told that I could have a mid year review & my salary would be discussed again. I wasn't too happy with that so started looking around for another job, but while I have had a few interviews, nothing so far. ..My next review is coming up and I suspect my manager will not increase my salary, so should I hand in my notice, or swallow my pride and stay for another while??

Also, just to mention, I think I earn less than what I should be earning, but my role is quite difficult to identify in salary surveys etc.
Any advice would be great.

feylya

Stay there until you find another job. No matter how bad the job is, it still pays the bills.

mkem

Well if you like working there. Then your only problem is that you feel that you are being taken advantage of. What you should do is make a list of other jobs outside of your original pay and conditions that you have taken on, have a figure in your head of what you think you are worth. Go into your pay review meeting in a positive frame of mind. If your boss doesn't think you are worth the pay increase, then review your position with the Company. If you feel like putting the push on him/her, ask for a reference and see how things go ! Best of luck.

pow wow

If most people were told the same thing who, if anyone, did get a payrise? It could be that the company simply can't afford it and seeinf as you feel undervalued/underpaid to begin with you are perhaps taking it harder than you should keeping in mind virtually no-one else got a payrise either.

A similar thing happened to me at a huuuuge multinational I worked for a few years ago, we were told our business unit was in the hole (though to be truthful overall company profits were just fine) so as far as I am aware none of us got a payrise, even those who went far above and beyond what was expected of them.
It can be annoying if you feel you deserve it, but I'm sure other people felt they deserved it too. If one isn't offered this time ask why and don't be afraid to disagree with your boss about it.

grainne_t

Thanks for the advice. During my last review, I did make a list of the extra work that I was doing & I had a reasonable figure of what I thought I was worth, but it didn't make a difference. Also, we were all told that we would be getting health benefits instead of a payrise but this never happened, & doesn't seem to be in the pipeline either. The company is actually doing really well & they have taken on additional staff in the last year. Part of my problem is that its affecting daily motivation! I'm quite ambitious & generally enjoy working, but in the last few months, I'm struggling to motivate myself to do my daily work. So, my thinking is that if I do wait until I get another job, by that stage I'll be performing this job quite badly & it will affect the reference I get from my manager. Another thing thats bugging me is that a couple of the people that were told they were not getting payrises eventually did after threatening to leave. (I didn't go down this route as I thought I'd get another job quite easily, & was happy enough to just leave & not just threaten it!) Does any of this make sense?!

Skary

My partner is in the same predicament as you. There is no consistency in the company and only when threats are made to leave are salary increases implemented.
My advice would be to start looking for something else. Small companies unfortunately will try and get away with anything they can. You have a good track record in the company, so perhaps take what you have learnt there and start progressing your career with a bigger company where you know exactly where you stand and can start earning more money?

Tav

I wouldn't leave the job before finding a new one.
You mentioned that your next review is coming up soon, so why not wait and see what happens? If no joy, during the review you can say that you've expected 'more' and you aren't satisfied with the whole situation. This will save you threating to leave and again your manager will at least know what are your expectations.
That is just my opnion.
gl

nesf

OP, stay in the job until you find something else as others have said. Not getting a raise you think you deserve might be demotivating but being unemployed is (generally) even worse. Just be patient and remember that every extra week you're stuck there is another week of experience that you can count in interviews etc. So it's not all bad.

Skary wrote:

My advice would be to start looking for something else. Small companies unfortunately will try and get away with anything they can. You have a good track record in the company, so perhaps take what you have learnt there and start progressing your career with a bigger company where you know exactly where you stand and can start earning more money?

Bigger companies aren't necessarily "better companies". They are not the holy grail and the only way to progress in most industries.

dazberry

We work on scales (based on our jobs), and percentages of those scales. Reviews are then rated 1 - 5 (realistically 2 -4). Most people get a 3.

As you move up the percentage, it becomes harder and harder to get a pay increase, for instance I've been at the same point since I started C111% whereby B105% is the same salary but lower percentage. Which in turn means you might get an increase from a 3, whereby I can only now get an increase from a 4. After something like 114% you can only get a pay increase from a 5 - and a 5 is unheard of. It can be unfair but everyone is subject to these scales.

4s are a rare beast for most (beyond a select few lickar$es) - and even if you leap tall buildings you will not get one - your review needs to become a review and a preview. Basically you need to negotiate what you will achieve in the following year to reach a 4 - and get it in writing (reviews are all documented anyway).

grainne_t, it might be an idea to approach your next review with this in mind. Instead of going in with the begging bowl – negotiate the conditions of how you will get a payrise next time. Of course its not guaranteed, but it puts you in a better position, especially if you boss is a bit whimsical.

D.

Stark

Skary wrote:

Small companies unfortunately will try and get away with anything they can. You have a good track record in the company, so perhaps take what you have learnt there and start progressing your career with a bigger company where you know exactly where you stand and can start earning more money?

I work for a massive company. It's exactly the same ****e as with the OP. Like nesf said, bigger doesn't necessarily mean better.