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Raise or new job?

3K views 21 replies 17 participants last post by  Mbit 
#1 ·
Hi,
Not new to this site but first post. I am looking for the more experienced for some guidance. Basically I feel as though I am underpaid for all the work that I do. I know everyone feels this way, but I am following the bosses right hand man cleaning up his mistakes or lack of caring. I feel as though i go above and beyond in worth ethic, neatness of work performed and jobsite neatness, paperwork, bidding/estimating. To me work is work and I already run circles around everyone, I just want to go to work do my job and get paid fairly. Im not saying im the best thing since sliced bread but i do my job very well. I recently got my masters license and after that he gave me a giant raise. 1 whole dollar. Ive never asked for a raise before and i feel that this one was kind of a kick in the nuts. I bust my ass for the company and dont ask for much in return. I recently went on an interview for another company, which i for sure do not want to work for but they offered me 7 more dollars an hour to do less work than i do now. Just would like some thoughts, i know you guys have gone through similar instances.
 
#19 ·
Communication. Always.

Sit down and talk with the boss. Tell him how you feel.

So much more can be accomplished by just talking things out instead of keeping them to yourself until you are at the point in which you want to quit.
You are not just a wise-azz but a very wise man when you put truth into your thoughts and typing.
 
#4 · (Edited)
If a legitimate company offered me $7 over what I was making, I'd be getting a raise, or I'd probably be leaving. That's about $14,000 - $18,000 a year more pay, that's real money to me. So ask for a raise.

I would not go too much into any of the stuff you mentioned in your post: I wouldn't complain about your co-worker, I wouldn't talk about how great your work is, or that you expected a bigger bump when you got your masters, etc.

I would just tell your boss you thought you were worth more than you're making, so you interviewed for a job and have an offer for a lot more money.

I would tell him you'd rather stay if he can match or come close to that offer, but understand if he doesn't want to counter offer.

I would not do this until I had all my ducks in a row: I'd have the offer from the other company in writing, including health insurance, retirement, and other benefits. I'd make sure the value of the benefits was considered when comparing your current pay, the offer from the other company, and the counter offer if you get one.

If you tell your employer you're out interviewing, it's very possible you'll be canned on the spot or replaced in the near future, so don't do bring it up unless you're willing to leave and you're sure you have a job waiting.
 
#6 ·
I agree with HackWork. You need to let your boss know how you feel about your work. Ask for a raise if that's what you want. A 1 dollar raise is not something to brag about but if you get raises every year your doing well. If your a Union worker raises are negotiated into each contract but if you work non union you have to ask for it or you will probably never see a raise. Remember your boss has lots of overhead to deal with like a new truck or boat and probably has to ask his Wife it's ok to give you a raise.
 
#7 ·
You have already deiced to leave you just to man up and do it.

First few weeks you may regret the decision as its better the devil you know but with in a month or two you will be fine. Plus you might find it interesting.

Even if they give you $10 a hr with in six months you will be job shopping. Once you get to the point you are with the company its way to late in the day to bother asking for a raise.
Tbh the best time to ask for a raise is when you don't need one and your happy working for the company.
 
#10 ·
2 cents....

1. We'vs all heard this before. New guy thinks he's better than the lead man, and thinks he can work circles around everyone.

2. You leave for a promise of $7/hr more, get used and laid off a month later.


3. The grass isn't always greener on the other side.


FWIW
 
#12 ·
If im under payed $7 a hr according to glass door for the area and type of work i would be willing to go with number 2.

During a interview they are going to ask how much you were payed at the last job. Holding a masters and being $7 under market is a red flag.

Now if im at market value and they offer a extra $7 that would make me ponder whats in it for them.

I may be different as ive never been job scared and i have made lots of contacts in the trade.
 
#11 ·
In today’s environment at least in the US just ask or start looking.

Even in corporate jobs where they give annual raises the raises are so pathetic they don’t even keep up with inflation and promotional raises are almost a slap in the face. I have received a good raise maybe once or twice in 25 years from those kind of places. Switching jobs was always far better increases. Except the last one where I basically took a 10% pay cut and a 99% stress cut. The 10% was well worth it and my bonuses have been 10-15% so that more than covered the difference. The stress cut was well worth it.

There are only two things holding anyone back my opinion. First is fear of the unknown and if your current boss knows they can threaten or actually fire you for looking. Other than that there is the problem of the devil you know vs the devil you don’t know. Second and this is rare is if you job hop so much or you are basically a basket case, or you suck at landing a job your market value goes way down so you get “stuck” until you fix it.

Example is my daughters boy friend. To be fair he just got out of high school and is working on building up a huge college loan bill. He started off taking a loan for everything. He was working part time (under Obamacare hour limits) for $7 something even in summers at McDonalds!! He was scheduled for 3 8 hour shifts but usually 2 out of 3 nights the manager would meet him in the parking lot and send him home so he just blew gas money and time showing up. So he was probably making around $50 a week before taxes. Ok for high school I guess but the boy isn’t lazy.

So first thing got a seasonal farm labor job at $10 and then machine shop at $20. All this time the only thing holding him back was fear and looking in all the wrong places. As an example he applied to something like 20 jobs on campus at the college. Most were $7 again and all wanted somebody that was a minority only or on some kind of welfare or work/study program, whites who can go deep into student loan debt need not apply. He makes more money in one day at the machine shop than per week at McDonalds. And in weeks when school is out the machine shop is happy if he wants to work 50 hour weeks. At an in state school with taxpayer supplemented tuition at that rate if he bears down he might not need loans any more.

Anyways the point is take your time now. Start looking. Ask for that raise but if you do go in with a plan. Point out the extra responsibility or extra work/skills you brought to the table or ask to do something bigger and connect it with you are worth more so you should get paid more. If that’s not valuable then move on. You will find out really quick how truly valuable you are.
 
#13 ·
I did leave a job for $7 an hour ,back in the mid 90's.

I suggest you research the company your thinking about going to very carefully. Learn about the work they do, do they regularly lay off, tools, benefits, quality of employees ( well educated or lazy)
The best time to look for a job is when you don't need one - you have the luxury of time to do research. Just like asking for a raise - the best time is when you don't need it.

In my case it was one of the best things I ever did as far as my career went.
 
#16 ·
I did leave a job for $7 an hour ,back in the mid 90's.
I changed my job last year for 6.50 a hr extra plus a huge benefit increase. In the interview i also got a $40k tool allowance for the first year and 2 training courses minimum per year.
Down side is i had to accept a salary position.

I should have gone for $10+ but i walked in blind thinking it was a hourly job so i was caught of guard. With 8 people interviewing you its difficult to deal with the technical questions while trying to calculate the cost of salary's in your head.

I like the job, The people and the company i work for but its going to be more difficult now to regain ground that i could have easily got in the interview. (hindsight 20/20)

As the OP has a masters its best to be prepared for all types of offers.
 
#15 ·
Without knowing what you are making, I would look at your last raise as a percentage. If that dollar is in the 3 to 6% range, that's just a cost of living increase. You could probably work that into your conversation.



"While I really appreciate the last raise, it only keeps me up with inflation. I would like to talk more about a performance based raise now that I have my license and I have worked here quite a while"


I don't think it was mentioned yet, But don't bring your bills into the conversation.
 
#17 ·
Getting a raise of just a dollar after such hard work and dedication must have been really disheartening. It's like a pat on the back when you were expecting a high-five, you know? And then going for an interview elsewhere and seeing such a big difference in pay for seemingly less work? That's tough.
 
#20 · (Edited)
I my last job I found out that the other technician who started the same time as me was making about $8 more than myself. Ok so I approached Management with this issue as was assured that it would be addressed. The CFO even told me to give him a chance to Make It Right. Ok so I trusted them to make it right, I gave them six months, as raises came around in June. Then some big projects came up where I was pretty much running the electrical end and the other technician was a helper, if you could call him that, he is no electrician anyway. My Foreman would always ask me to take lead, I always replied "I get the responsibility and he get the rate".
Anyway, the Foreman had little power to change things anyway, he was also looking for something else. One one job I told him I could do one upcoming project if I was still there. I had a few feelers out and some prospects so I was confident. I guess they thought I was bluffing. I had a one one one with the HR rep and explained the situation and he told me to talk to him before I did anything and he assured me that what they did was not ethical and it would not have happened if he was there when the hiring was done. I guess He was fed up with how they handled things and was gone before me.
Then a merger was announced and the pandemic hit. So when the announcement that there would be no raises this time around, I asked there would be any exceptions because of the statement of making it right. I was told a flat NO. I told then that this was the only reason that I was not looking for something else. I guess they felt that this job was the best thing around and I wouldn't find anything better.
I started wiring a new system going in which would take about six months of work, they asked for a commitment to getting it done on time, I assured them I was committed. This thing was sitting in the warehouse for six months already because the former engineer wasn't much of an engineer and couldn't get it done, they pulled someone out of retirement to run the project.
So I started wiring with my non existent helper and was moving along pretty nicely. Pretty much in the beginning of project I received, and accepted an offer from a well respected Medical Company. It would take a few months for the background check to come through but I had a start date two or three months away.
I gave them between four and five week notice and assured them that I was committed to the project and would do whatever necessary to finish, even if i had to work part tie there to finish.
Again, I think that they thought I was bluffing. I received no acknowledgement from them, it was business as usual. Except for the CFO, whenever he came by the project and saw me working, he would turn around and walk the other way. This went on a few times until one time I went over to him to thank him for the opportunity of working there and he assured me if there was anything as far as letter of reference, don't hesitate to ask. Another VP said to me well you have to do what ever was best for the family.
When I said my final good buys to a couple of other higher ups, they wished me luck. As I was walking away, the VP said to the Foreman to ask me where I was going to. I told him, and he went back to report and his jaw dropped and they were amazed that I could find a job better then there. My foreman since left and his replacement also left.
The company policy was not of one to make offers to get someone to stay so before you do anything, have a plan A and B.
After I left, I guess they were a bit worried about labor, especially skilled labor. They gave an automatic raise to at least skilled guys and all OT was DT. The other tech was on call and he had a deal with an operator where they called him in a few times per week, he made out for sure.
They had another project which was taking too long to get done so they asked their outside engineer to come in to move things along. He gave me a call and I stopped by, he wanted me to finish up as a contractor, I agreed, named my price, I never head back. LOL. :) I never looked back, very happy at the new place.
 
#22 ·
You have to jump ship every couple years due US corporate culture.

They raise their prices every year based on costs, e.g., spare parts, equipment, food They pass those costs on to the customer.

If you're not getting a raise every year, they make more money off of you as the years go by.

Your boss is not your friend, there are exceptions, but that is the rule.

Take every opinion with a grain of salt, especially mine haha.

The grass is not always greener.
 
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