So this all happened a few months ago, but I wanted to make sure I was settled into my new job before posting. For the sake of anonymity, I have kept a few specific details rather vague, but it should still be easy enough to follow.
I had been working at company A for just over 5 years and was earning a salary of £35,000. I felt I had hit a ceiling and wasn’t really developing any further as a professional, and was just doing the same thing over and over. I decided to upload my CV onto a few recruitment sites and within a week I had accepted an offer from Company W, which offered a much greater variety of work more suited with what I wanted to be doing. It also came with a significantly improved salary of £46,000.
As soon as I had signed the contract from Company W, I went about informing my various bosses that I was going to be leaving. I first called my Immediate Manager and told him the news. He said he was sad to hear this and asked if there was anything that could be done to change my mind. I told him no, and that I thought this would be a good career move for me. He said ok and wished me all the best for the future.
Although not specifically company policy, I thought it would be courteous of me to inform my Project Manger. I knew he would take the news the hardest, because he used to be my Immediate Manger at Company A. He had helped train me and we had been working together very closely for 5+ years. So I call him up and tell him that I have accepted an offer from another company. He tells me he is devastated to hear this and asks if there is anything that can be done to change my mind. I once again say no, and that I think this will be a good career move for me. He then asks me where I’m going and what my new salary will be. I think screw it and tell him. He looks shocked and tells me that he thinks this is a very good salary for someone with my experience. We agree what parts of the project I will be finishing off during my notice period and then end the call.
Half an hour or so later, I get a call from my office lead telling me that he has heard the news and is sad to hear I’m leaving. He even goes as far as to describe me as a “superstar”. He then asks if there is anything that can be done to change my mind. I once again say no, and tell him that I think this will be a good career move for me. He says ok and wishes me all the best for the future.
Half an hour or so after that, I get a call back from Project Manger again. Thus begins a conversation which was quite frankly desperate to the point of being cringeworthy. The conversation was as follows:
PM: Hello again. I’ve just had a word with the CO and he agreed we can maybe bump your salary up to £39,000 or maybe even £40,000, and you won’t have to work as often on the weekend and and –
Me: Tbh boss, it’s not really about the money. I just think this move would be a good career change for me and I can get some more variety in the sort of work I do.
PM: Well if you want more variety, I’m sure I can have a word with Office Lead and he can get you more involved with modelling and design work.
Me: Honestly, I think it would just be a good professional decision to take on a new challenge and get some experience seeing how another company works.
PM: Well are you sure that it’s going to go that well with Company W, when you don’t have that much experience with modelling and design yet?
Me: They’ve seen my CV.
PM: Well all I’m saying is that if I was with Company W, I would want you to have more modelling and design experience before offering you such a good contract.
Me: That sounds like a problem for Company W, not a problem for you.
I think that eventually got the message through, as he then starts wishing me the best for the future and telling me that Company A will happily take me back in the future if it doesn’t pan out.
I could’ve mentioned that £39,000 was still way less than £46,000. I could’ve pointed out the absurdity of him begging me to stay and do modelling and design work, whilst simultaneously telling me that I’m not good enough at modelling and design. I could’ve even pointed out that I have been repeatedly promised more modelling and design opportunities for years, only to be told “not now, but later” every time I asked. But in the end I thought the best case of action was to bite my tongue and remain as professional as possible.*
The whole ordeal has taught me that even if you’re not a manager, you’re probably more valuable to your company than you think. And that it’s funny how in the modern world of work, you’re only suddenly worth an improved salary the moment you decide to leave.
*Btw, for anyone wondering why I didn’t go completely ape on my boss, there are two very good reasons. Firstly, it is a somewhat niche industry, and there is a reasonable chance that I may end up returning to Company A in the far far future. Secondly, despite this ridiculous conversation, I still have quite a lot of respect for Project Manager. He gave me a chance hiring me in the first place and did a good job developing and training me up to the point where I am at now. I therefore, didn’t want to completely sour the relationship for the last few weeks, whilst I worked out my notice.