Hi folks!
Looking to get some advice/input on my situation, thank you in advance!
Currently work in finance that's hybrid model (2 days a week in office) 9/80 schedule so I get every other Friday off, it's a new schedule to me and it's honestly really nice! I started at the company in January of 2022 so I recently just hit a year mark. I graduated with a masters in 2020 so I haven't been in the workforce long (I'm 26) and only have a few years of solid work experience under my belt. Last year my base salary was $80K with a $5K sign-on. This last November, after a conversation with my boss about potentially negotiating my salary, I started applying to other companies. I find, in my own experience, making an argument/request for a higher salary is WAY easier when you have another offer in hand – not to mention the process goes a lot quicker. Within a week I had three offers $100K+ range with the best being $105K base + $10K sign-on – which is a 35% increase, not too shabby! So the day I receive the offer I call my boss and tell her about it, this is the weekend before thanksgiving so everyone is already gone for the holidays. Essentially, in order for them to be able to match the offer they would have to promote me and my boss essentially said I haven't shown enough growth to justify a promotion yet – but she doesn't want to lose me. Talk about a shot to my pride. I had asked her that if I didn't take this offer, would the conversation about my salary/raise stop? She said no, although, they probably couldn't match it. So I told her I would let her know my decision on Monday (this conversation and the offer were received on a Friday) since that's when this other company wanted an answer too.
Generally speaking, I'm a great employee, well-received by everyone and I do a damn good job. The work super chill, I enjoy all the people, my boss, the environment, schedule – so on and so forth. I can understand where my boss is coming from, I haven't had to do much in the 'go above and beyond' my normal expected work functions to garner a promotion, granted I've been told countless times that my standards for myself are way too high – so take this with a grain of salt. Here's what the other offer entailed
- 35% increase in total compensation
- Upgraded to my own big office
- CFO/CEO/Manager were all really pushing for me to take the offer and meeting most of my requests
- I would have to work a normal M-F schedule where I'd have to come in everyday but could leave early and finish from home (mainly because I'd be, essentially, a finance manager who'd need to be available to chat with the CEO/CFO and various subsidiary managers and stuff arose)
- 25 cent sodas, not a soda drinker but it was a funny plus my would-be boss was telling me about
- My workload and responsibilities would increase but that would only give me a greater competitive advantage in the workplace and facilitate more personal/professional growth
So I simmered on it and decided to stay and see how much more they would give me. I've decided, despite my personality, not to go 'above and beyond' in my current role and cruise. But I followed up with my boss about the salary discussion once (maybe twice? not too sure) after the holidays but she's said nothing yet. Well, it's been two months now and still nothing. I know this all happened during the midst of the holidays so I'm trying to be patient and we have our scheduled one-on-one this week which I plan to ask her about it but I can't help but start to feel a bit slighted. I know nothing was promised but feelings of resentment / regret are starting to surface. Am I being too greedy? Maybe I should just drop the topic all together and focus on applying elsewhere again? While I don't have the 'years' of experience on my resume I most definitely blow shit out of the water with performance – not to mention, as proven, I can get paid more for the same job elsewhere so my ask isn't unjustified. I've decided to get back on indeed and start applying again, I submitted a bunch of applications yesterday – this time for full remote positions.
I have had discussions about promotion/moving up in my current company since I've pretty much milked my current role in terms of challenges/tasks/experience. But have been advised to keep doing my work and wait for an opportunity, not to mention there's no defined hierarchy for promotions so it's basically at the whim of my management and HR – which definitely made me 'Huh?' when my boss said she couldn't justify promoting me. So for growth I'd have to look laterally on other teams, but I'd still have to do my own work on top of any voluntary additional work (naturally without additional pay) I decided to pick up – which I assume would help justify a promotion.
I sincerely appreciate your feedback, thoughts, and any advice on the matter!