4 ms·

40% raise with same job title or 40% raise with a (kind of) promotion

2 points by niceless 5y ago

Hello, I work as a senior engineer at company, where I'm objectively doing good. I've recently got a new offer from another company for the same role but with a 40% increase in salary. When discussing with my current employer, they said they would really like to keep me but to kind of match that offer they need to give me a promotion too (as tech lead) but I don't really feel like it's natural for me at my current level to take that kind of job for the moment (I have 4 years experience total) especially since my team will only consist of one person (more to be recruited in the next 2 years), and it's the person that I get along with the least in the team. what's the possible career path in this case ? get the best title whenever possible ? get the job with the best salary for less responsibility ? My goal is to make tye best decision that will help move further in my career.

antasvara 5y ago
I don't think there's a downside to getting a title bump, especially when that title bump comes with (it seems) few additional responsibilities. Having management experience on your resume makes it easier to get hired as a manager in the future. That being said, I'd really think about what your goals are with respect to your career. Is management what you want in the future? If so, do you particularly care if you get there as fast as possible? Life isn't all about moving up the ladder at work. Pick the option that makes you happiest, because ultimately that's what matters. Personally, I'm taking the 40% bump with no additional responsibilities because I have no interest in being a manager. If the money is good and you like what you're doing, there's not necessarily a reason to keep moving up the ladder.
- niceless 5y ago
  Thanks for the feedback :) I share the same view that I don't really want/like to get burdened with management responsibilities and try to get as far as possible in the technical career path while I still can. I understand that (maybe) sooner or later I may reach a bottleneck and will have no choice but to switch to a more management role If I want to keep advancing in my career, and that's the source of my hesitation. But lets keep that a problem for the future
  - antasvara 5y ago
    >will have no choice but to switch to a more management role If I want to keep advancing in my career Why keep advancing? There's no requirement that you actively look for or take promotions. If you make enough money to live comfortably, why would you need to keep moving up? If the bottleneck is at 150k a year, I'd personally be cool with just stopping. There's no reason to accept a promotion if the job doesn't interest you.
    - niceless 5y ago
      yep totally agree, depend on objectives :) I've grown up in a poor family, while I'm not really obsessed with money, I do find it a pity to not try to get the best that I can get for a particular period in my life. This can of course change in the future, I may as you've said be content with whatever max salary I can have, and focus more on hobbies, family, ...
davismwfl 5y ago
Why didn't they give you increases as you delivered and showed them value? This is always the key question to ask. If you are worth 40% more to them now, why didn't they keep you happy before you went looking? Did you ask for more and they said no, so you went looking and now suddenly they are ok with it? IMO, accepting counter offers is almost always a mistake. Take the new opportunity, get new experiences and learn from others. There are times this could be bad advice, but as a general rule this is correct. You went on market for a reason, if money is the only reason you still have to ask why your current employer didn't address it along the way. If you've been there 3 years you shouldn't be 40% behind market. BTW In a good company the promotion requirement here is so they can sell it to management and try to make it not look like you are "disloyal". In some companies this is because they stick to rigid salary bands (nearly always a bad idea when based on primarily title). In bad companies this is just a trick to make you feel more valued and hold you to a different standard which they will find ways to make sure you fail to either replace you or ironically to trap you. FWIW, I think the disloyal crap is total BS, but I've been in too many meetings over my career where it is a factor so just be aware.
- niceless 5y ago
  Well, the thing is I didn't go looking, The new company contacted me with a very compelling initial speech, and I decided to go along to just see what I can get :). I've been in the company for a year and 2 months now. I'm not trying to portray the current company as the bad guy, neither I think of myself as a victim. I never asked for a raise (only been there for a year ). I think the salary they provide is the norm (a year ago it was 30% more than my old salary) it's just that I'm now able to get a better offer, and the manager (very nice guy) was very candid and told me directly that it would be easier for him to ask for matching the offer to higher management if It comes with more responsibility (or in other word, a promotion), and much harder without. Personally I would prefer for them to match it, but with keeping the same job title. since I was always planning to switch companies at some point but after I finish (or reach a point that I'm satisfied with) the projects I'm working on right now.
- niceless 5y ago
  > In bad companies this is just a trick to make you feel more valued and hold you to a different standard which they will find ways to make sure you fail to either replace you or ironically to trap you. That's what I'm afraid of, since there is really no real need for a tech lead right now. I'm afraid that it will be just an empty title that will create a bottleneck in my career.

2 points by niceless 5y ago

antasvara 5y ago

I don't think there's a downside to getting a title bump, especially when that title bump comes with (it seems) few additional responsibilities. Having management experience on your resume makes it easier to get hired as a manager in the future. That being said, I'd really think about what your goals are with respect to your career. Is management what you want in the future? If so, do you particularly care if you get there as fast as possible? Life isn't all about moving up the ladder at work. Pick the option that makes you happiest, because ultimately that's what matters. Personally, I'm taking the 40% bump with no additional responsibilities because I have no interest in being a manager. If the money is good and you like what you're doing, there's not necessarily a reason to keep moving up the ladder.

niceless 5y ago
Thanks for the feedback :) I share the same view that I don't really want/like to get burdened with management responsibilities and try to get as far as possible in the technical career path while I still can. I understand that (maybe) sooner or later I may reach a bottleneck and will have no choice but to switch to a more management role If I want to keep advancing in my career, and that's the source of my hesitation. But lets keep that a problem for the future
- antasvara 5y ago
  >will have no choice but to switch to a more management role If I want to keep advancing in my career Why keep advancing? There's no requirement that you actively look for or take promotions. If you make enough money to live comfortably, why would you need to keep moving up? If the bottleneck is at 150k a year, I'd personally be cool with just stopping. There's no reason to accept a promotion if the job doesn't interest you.
  - niceless 5y ago
    yep totally agree, depend on objectives :) I've grown up in a poor family, while I'm not really obsessed with money, I do find it a pity to not try to get the best that I can get for a particular period in my life. This can of course change in the future, I may as you've said be content with whatever max salary I can have, and focus more on hobbies, family, ...

davismwfl 5y ago

Why didn't they give you increases as you delivered and showed them value? This is always the key question to ask. If you are worth 40% more to them now, why didn't they keep you happy before you went looking? Did you ask for more and they said no, so you went looking and now suddenly they are ok with it? IMO, accepting counter offers is almost always a mistake. Take the new opportunity, get new experiences and learn from others. There are times this could be bad advice, but as a general rule this is correct. You went on market for a reason, if money is the only reason you still have to ask why your current employer didn't address it along the way. If you've been there 3 years you shouldn't be 40% behind market. BTW In a good company the promotion requirement here is so they can sell it to management and try to make it not look like you are "disloyal". In some companies this is because they stick to rigid salary bands (nearly always a bad idea when based on primarily title). In bad companies this is just a trick to make you feel more valued and hold you to a different standard which they will find ways to make sure you fail to either replace you or ironically to trap you. FWIW, I think the disloyal crap is total BS, but I've been in too many meetings over my career where it is a factor so just be aware.

niceless 5y ago
Well, the thing is I didn't go looking, The new company contacted me with a very compelling initial speech, and I decided to go along to just see what I can get :). I've been in the company for a year and 2 months now. I'm not trying to portray the current company as the bad guy, neither I think of myself as a victim. I never asked for a raise (only been there for a year ). I think the salary they provide is the norm (a year ago it was 30% more than my old salary) it's just that I'm now able to get a better offer, and the manager (very nice guy) was very candid and told me directly that it would be easier for him to ask for matching the offer to higher management if It comes with more responsibility (or in other word, a promotion), and much harder without. Personally I would prefer for them to match it, but with keeping the same job title. since I was always planning to switch companies at some point but after I finish (or reach a point that I'm satisfied with) the projects I'm working on right now.
niceless 5y ago
> In bad companies this is just a trick to make you feel more valued and hold you to a different standard which they will find ways to make sure you fail to either replace you or ironically to trap you. That's what I'm afraid of, since there is really no real need for a tech lead right now. I'm afraid that it will be just an empty title that will create a bottleneck in my career.