(Looking for advice, but also just want to tell someone.)
I am 23. I had to drop out of highschool for medical reasons, and never got a diploma or GED.
I got a job working a production manufacturing job at 20, which somehow led to me doing small office jobs. And now I have a two title desk job.
I am extremely underpaid. Not only for cost of living and inflation, but for my position. The excuse is me being “entry level without education.”
My last raise was in April, I planned to talk about a raise on the anniversary. But, my boss just took me aside and gave a choice:
To stay in my position now, or I can get a job in a higher position but with A LOT more responsibilities that I'll have to learn. This will come with, once again, being “entry” level.
I 100% know that they hired me, an uneducated person for this position vs. Hiring someone actually qualified, because they could get away with paying me much much less. This is exactly why they are offering me this higher position first before reaching elsewhere.
There's a folder in my phone, of all the research I have done about inflation, cost of living, and my job(s) average salary. All of this for the position I have NOW.
I've been very afraid of putting my foot down about this, because I am extremely lucky and thankful to have this experience, for this opportunity despite my education… But this isn't fair…
My point is, I am underpaid now. And I very likely will with this promotion as well.
I won't lie, I kind of really want this promotion. It definitely puts me in a position I want to be in as well as some awesome perks I already was begging for from my boss haha.
But. But. I don't want to be walked all over in the process. If I get this promotion, and I only get a raise that I already should have gotten… I'm gonna lose it.
What should I do? Technically, none of this is official yet. This is all stuff that is planning to come up in the next few months.
What should I do here, what should be my game plan?
I'll put my ideas I have so far in the comments. This post is already so long, thank you so much for reading this. I don't have a lot of friends to share this with.
TLDR: I'm underpaid, and probably will be for a promotion. Wat do?