The company I work at just got acquired by private equity and they are flush with cash. Like we just spent $300,000 on a conference for the sales force and there is even a proposed plan to spend $200,000 on billboards of all things.
I work in IT as an IT Manager and make roughly $63,000 a year, which according to even *-the united states government-*, means I am underpaid (for my level of experience, degree, and area I live in) by around $17,000.
I voiced my concerns with my boss awhile ago and was told something along the lines of “it will take 5 to 7 years for the company to be at a growth stage to where we can afford to pay you something like that as a salary.”
Now let's talk more about the job specifics. I am the IT Manager, subsequently, I am IT. No really, I am the IT department – it's just me. I am expected to handle IT alone for around 100 employees in our off-season and up to 300 during peak season with seasonal employees.
On top of that, I'm expected to, at my rate, come up with new initiatives and see through their onboarding, installation, and management. In our tech stack we have approximately 20-30 different services and I have to support and oversee most of them.
You'd think that given such power over the company that I have I'd likely be included in our executive meetings to – nope, that's a part of the 5-7 year plan baaaaaaaaby!!! Which sucks because, in these meetings, they discuss functions of my role and things that IT should *REALLY* have a say in, each time I or even others bring this idea up – no explanation – I'm never included in the idea of being in the meetings.
Meanwhile, I keep seeing another employee (my manager) at the company, who happens to be my age, getting all of these opportunities. He's included in the meetings, the company gave him a mentorship from one of the members of the equity team that acquired us, and there are even chats of giving him a partner/consulting role with this firm down the line as well as moving up to the C-suite.
Bear in mind, according to the government, I should be making more than this person, but I in fact make significantly less. Even though he is my manager, he does not have a background in IT and to my knowledge knows bare minimum of my job function so I really cannot use him as a career resource.
I'm really at a tipping point, man. I want to believe that this company is a great opportunity to grow with should they grow by mergers and acquisitions but I feel like no one is being forward with me about what my 5-7 year plan is. I even asked my manager today if he thought it was fair that people discuss my growth and role at the company and not tell me about it and he hasn't responded.
He said something along the lines of look – things may not be set in stone, nothing in life is guaranteed, but you could take the risk here and get something great in that timeline, the company just needs to grow to where it can afford someone like you – I'd be cautious of other opportunities that offer you everything you want, the grass isn't always greener.
Idk man, I just feel so taken advantage of, gaslighted, used-and-abused, and disappointed because I feel like the company could be awesome with a lot of opportunity for myself professionally but at what point do I just have to stop smelling the roses?
That was a lot and if anyone needs clarification, please ask, I didn't think I'd ever make a post here truthfully, but I'm seriously getting stressed out negatively and need some advice/help on this one from you guys.
P.S. (felt like it may be important) I have two years of experience in working and a bachelors degree.