Title Promotion w/o Raise or Bonus - happened to anyone here

[Apoc]

why don't you just go away from the internet for a little bit?

I have nothing else...

[Evan]

my company makes over $300k predictable stable annual profit off of my position with zero sales investment (I brought the contract to them). Plus software sales, and additional add-on work and contracts.
The contract has a built in annual $15k raise of which they pass on only $3k to me.

To which they thank me with treating me like shit, giving me little vaca time, refusing to pay me on government shut down days, and generally just treating me like a paycheck (thiers).

Every once in a while I get real grumpy about it (like around annual review time), but I remind myself that Im still well paid, I like my job and the people I work with, it is low stress, good hours and Im doing what I want to do. The only way I could actively change the situation is to leave and go somewhere else, which could very easily end up with a much lower quality of life. Of course if I had the chance to move the contract to another contractor I would in a heartbeat, but Im content as it is now.

People like to react to any job complaints with "get a new one!" but thats a very myopic and emotional response IMO.

[Apoc]

Im still well paid, I like my job and the people I work with, it is low stress, good hours and Im doing what I want to do.

Most people don't get that, which is a perspective a lot of people lose. People like to complain about minimal raises, but they just don't happen in this market without something big like changing jobs. Ultimately it comes down to what people value most and if they're getting what they want out of their job. In my opinion, money is one of the worst reasons to change jobs... unless you're getting shafted year after year and are clearly not making what the market values you at. Companies will get everything they can for as cheap as they can, so as long as you go home every day happy with the macro-view, I wouldn't worry about no raise.

(Although this specific instance sounds like a title change and not necessarily a promotion.)

[navin]

I think the title change came upon because i was crushing my expected performance for the level I was at... The job isnt too bad, but I think if the one person that I like on the contract leaves it might be time for me to pack my bags as well.

[Apoc]

I think the title change...

They didn't tell you and/or you didn't ask?

[navin]

Sorry, I was in a rush to type that and leave work actually. Yes, that was the reason why I got the promotion.

[Apoc]

If that's the case, I'd ask them why no raise came with it and see what they say.

[G.Irish]

I've never been in the situation where I've gotten a title change and no raise, but I have been in the situation where I didn't get the raise I wanted, asked for more, and got more.

The first question you have to answer is, for your amount of experience and expertise, what is the average pay? The way I figured that one out was by searching several job sites and compiling the results. Armed with information I was able to get an 11% raise instead of 4%. The next year I got a big raise without asking for it, but I knew it was still a bit below market rate. So I asked for and got an extra 5 days of leave as compensation.

The key is knowing what you are worth and how difficult you are to replace. If you are making near the average for your skills you can ask for more, but don't be surprised if you don't get it. If you are getting underpaid, ask for more, show that you know the market rate for your skills and make the argument for yourself.

One effective argument I used is that the cost of replacing you is far higher than just paying the raise. If you leave, the company loses money while they can't bill for your position, then they have to spend money to hire someone new. If your position is easily replaceable however, I would not use that argument.

If you are at the point where you are unhappy enough with the pay that you would leave over it, start interviewing. When you get some offers you'll have a better idea of where you stand. The only caveat is that you need to ask a lot of questions and do your research with any potential new company. Switching jobs to make more money is cool, but you don't want to switch into a shit situation.

[.RJ]

Short (sort of) story is - last summer and into the fall I was tasked with a more responsibility/accountability/hours. I had a brief discussion with my boss at the time that this should be considered come review time. At review time (January), I got the standard 2% raise as dictated by corporate, and I brought up the issue with my boss that I've taken on xyz, completed xyz, and met all my goals for the year and that a 2% raise (effectively COLA) is not what I expected for the additional responsibility I've taken on, and my job title did not match what my work was (and has been since I started).

So, my boss and our VP put together something to send to HR that involved a job title change for me and several other people and a raise for me. This all happened very quickly. Then it got bogged down in the mess that is our corporate office for 3 months, and I ended up with an extra 5% raise and no change in bonus.

Now, in restrospect - if I had to do it again - I would have had more clarity up front as to:

a) what kind of responsibility I was taking on and how it would be reflected on my paycheck at review time
2) my expectations of $$ at the end of the year when review time came
iii) when the salary change was sent to corporate, I was kept in the dark about the details. I did not push for those until it had already dragged out for 2+ months and had gotten very frustrated.

My resume is on monster and I've had a few phone calls but nothing too interesting. There have been a couple of things that have kept me from seriously pursuing another job - I did not want to change jobs while trying to buy a house, and even with the BS work situation, things are still pretty good. I have a good relationship with most of the people I work with, including my boss, I have 5-6 weeks of leave a year, I work from home (saves lots of $$/time), and have a very flexible schedule. There are downsides too, such as our clusterfuck corporate organization, the bullshit that goes along with being owned by a private holding company (they want profits), and our health coverage is pretty shitty.

If you work for a smaller company, dealing with this can be much easier in that you dont have an HR department 600 miles away to deal with, but the idea is the same. What I would do is sit down with your boss and explain the situation, and be very clear as to WHY you deserve a raise with the additional responsibility, and tell them what you want out of it. Dont expect them to read your mind. You also want to let them know reasons why you want to stay at the company, if it turns into a confrontational situation (i.e. more money or I'm leaving or I have other offers) they will probably tell you to fuck off.

[navin]

I'm supposed to receive a letter in the mail that says I have been promoted, which in the past has usually had a salary raise or bonus. But still no letter, and it was supposedly in the books July 1st.

Might just wait it out till the end of the month ( we get paid monthly) and see if there is any change if this stupid letter never comes. Then I'll be asking for the letter (to make sure its official), and possibly salary/bonus question - along with what they expect of me.

[Apoc]

Sounds like you might still get one, they're just dragging ass on the formalities of it. It's not that they've told you that you aren't getting one, they just haven't told you anything.

I got a raise effective May 7th, but didn't find out what it was until my paycheck on the 27th. I didn't get actual notice until the week after.