A few years ago I worked for a small contracting company as an inspector. While I was treated fairly, I was under-compensated and micromanaged by the owner despite having a direct supervisor who oversaw my position.
I interviewed with a soon-to-open commuter train agency and was offered a position at the pay I requested because despite being young, I had a few years of relevant experience and they saw me as being able to be with the agency for a long time and be a valuable asset. Taking this job would require me to relocate about three hours from where I lived at the time. Commuting was out of the question and I ultimately decided against taking the job due to the lack of housing in my budget in the area.
My micromanaging owner caught wind of my interview and called me in from the field one day to talk with me. He confronted me about the interview. I told him that yes, I did have an interview with that agency and they offered me $6/hour more than I was making currently and their benefit package was better. I told him I ultimately decided agains taking the job due to needing to relocate and the lack of housing in my budget.
He tells me that if/when I do decide to quit that I need to give him two months’ notice so he can hire a replacement and I can train said person. I asked him how it would be my responsibility and how it would be necessary for me to stay on long enough for him to hire and then me train the replacement? Shouldn’t he be hiring a competent and knowledgeable replacement? Did he really think whatever job I potentially took in the future would wait two months for me to start with them while training my replacement?
We go back and forth about this for a bit until he asks me what I want to do. I told him I have all of the property of his company in my vehicle and I’m willing to return it to him and quit right now if he’s not willing to increase my compensation; seeing as how I’m vital enough that he “requires” me to give two months’ notice…. He reluctantly agrees to give me a $4/hour pay raise and informs me he’s going to be keeping an eye on me. That’s fine, I’ll be keeping an eye out for a better job.