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To quit or not to quit

To quit or not to quit

To quit or not to quit

(OP)
It's been 8 years since I graduated from college. Currently I'm not satisfied with what I do at work (although I've been doing good job at it) and the pay I recieve. I'm at mid 50k now and I'm told you get what you get and 2.5% raise is good. I asked if I could do design work more often he said he'd try to find some for me, but no guarantee. I used to do lots of this but lately I've been doing lots of managing and mentoring. I hate moving up into senior level but I like the money. I like the people that I work with and I'm pretty much established here. Recently I had interview with a company who is willing to pay me at least 20% more of what I'm making now. I will be doing product design. The product that I will be desinging is OK. It doesn't really wow me too much. I have to make decission soon and I'm dragging my feet. I know that it would take me another 1-2 years to establish my self in the new company, and I may not like what I see. This makes me not wanting to move and be comfortable with what I have now. Having small child is also another factor. The other flip side, if I don't move, I can't see my self grow technically and professionally with the current company. I look at my immediate supervisor, I hate what he does.

Anyone's been in this situation before? how do you approach it?

Thanks
 

RE: To quit or not to quit

Jump, no brainer suggestion.

By the way, what do you mean by "established"? Goto guy in your group? If your pay is according to your contribution, you are not established, you are being taken advantage of.

I am the goto guy in our group for technical questions and I have been given pretty good reviews. But my pay hasn't been raised much - actually slightly lower than my origianl pay given the expense increase. I would quit right away if I have a offer 20% higher. I almost began to lower my expectation to my current pay because I feel terribly underpaid when I do the math about my contribution and my pay. I would rather that I am not goto guy and then I would have peaceful mind.

I strongly suggest Leave.

RE: To quit or not to quit

(OP)
Established means: Go to guy in some areas, people come to me for ideas, solution, etc. I feel like I know company's culture pretty well and understand how to "play" the game well. I do feel that I'm still replaceable though.  

RE: To quit or not to quit

(OP)
My reviews have always been pretty good. I have been given exceptional in 3 out 8 catagories with the rest being succesfull every year, but 2.5% is pretty constant for me.

 

RE: To quit or not to quit

Sounds like you are pretty close to where I was at 8 years in.  I jumped at 8 years 1 month.  I was the go to guy for several things, did well at my work, recieved good reviews, and "one of the best raises" or "the most they would let me give", which didn't add up much.

After loosing several people, and not being able to replace them at wages they had been paying, they started paying more.

You could wait for them to maybe see the light, or move on.  I made a big change.

RE: To quit or not to quit

If you've only received a 2.5% raise each year over the last 8 years you're earning less in real terms than when you started. It's time to talk tough with management or move on.

RE: To quit or not to quit

Exactly, 2.5% a year with exceptional performance review. The management must be kidding and they know the review is totally useless even though they wouldn't say that to anybody.

Talk tough on salary if money is the only concern. Leave if no progress.

RE: To quit or not to quit

2.5% is a "cookbook" raise, the kind one gets for mediocre performance in an average year.

Quote (Kinsrow):

The product that I will be desinging is OK. It doesn't really wow me too much.
If you can't give your potential employer's product the respect it deserves then make room for someone who will.  Not everyone gets to design iPods and Harleys.  Not everyone who designs iPods and Harleys is happy with his job.  Some of the most satisfying challenges are found in improving the most mundane products.  

RE: To quit or not to quit

Tick,

I was lucky to get a raise this year. We had layoff twice already. Your point is well taken and that's why I'm dragging my feet to move on.

      

RE: To quit or not to quit

Kinsrow,

I have around three years experience and make about 30-40% more than you.  In fact from all of my college friends the lowest one makes almost 60K an year(most are in the mid 60's). And no I did not come from a fancy private school just a state school from a low cost of living state.  I did move to get the better pay but the cost of living in my new location is a little less than the previous one.  According to career builder.com the average starting salary for new ME's in 2008 is 56,429.  I have another friend who has 7 years of experience who is making 100k a year as an engineer without his PE (he is not going to sit for the exam until 2010).  He does work on offshore vessels though so that could explain the difference.  Needless to say get out of Dodge.   

Brian
SW 2007 SP 5.0

RE: To quit or not to quit

Kinsrow

You in USA or UK?

Siddharth
These are my personal views/opinions and not of my employer's.

RE: To quit or not to quit

(OP)
Sid7,

I'm in the USA.

Brian575,

I realize that the number depend upon location, type of work, and field. I do consulting on the side and that has been much great, both from tachnical and financial views. I just can't keep up doing it anymore, I won't see my family at nights.

Thanks to all of you
 

RE: To quit or not to quit

Im electrical, so take this for whats it worth, but I graduated and made 55+ out of college (1 year ago).  Of my friends, they got gov. jobs starting at 52K a year.

My mechanical friends arent making less then 55+ (out of college), but the only Mech's I knew were top of their class, so this may not be typical.

Regardless, 8 years and making 55Kish doesnt sound right based on what they are hiring recent grads.   

RE: To quit or not to quit

(OP)
well..I met with my boss again and told him that there is an opening for similar title but doing different product at other department under the same roof. He was a bit surprised but he told me to go ahead apply for it and he'll personnaly give my recommendation the other boss and let them know that I'm applying for position. This new position requires 3-5 years and the low end of the salary range is only a couple thousands below what I'm making right now and all the way up to 70k. I was pretty upaset when I found out about it. I have close to 8 years and I almost make the same as the guys who would come with 3 years experience.

Moral of the story, either my current boss didn't think I'm worth that much or he is tight up with the budget that he can't do anything about it anymore or I was stupid enough to accept his salary offer to begin with years ago. I updated my resume, talked to HR and submit my application.

  

RE: To quit or not to quit

I second Ztrain.

I don't know if pay disparity is large between ME and SE, but mid 50's 8 years out is absurd.

I'm one year out & making close to 60. That's not even counting bonuses, which in good years can be as much as 20% of salary.

Admittedly, I graduated from a good program, with a good GPA, but that kind of evens out after a few years, doesn't it?

RE: To quit or not to quit

(OP)
Frv,

There is no bonus, last christmas bonus was 5 lb turkey/ham. We do get free coffee & creamerbigsmile

RE: To quit or not to quit

Unless that coffee has golden nuggets floating in it, it seems to me that you are WAY underpaid.

I don't know if moving is an option for you, but it seems like it very well may be worthwhile.

RE: To quit or not to quit

frv-
Where are you located that you are 1 year out and making 60k?
I am 2 years out making around 55k.  My bonus isn't that good either - 1k last year.

RE: To quit or not to quit

Texas.

It's like a whole other country ;)

RE: To quit or not to quit

Just move.. .get the experience...  Then the money will come.

Never, but never question engineer's judgement

RE: To quit or not to quit

I must mention that my company is great about keeping up with market trends.

If your scheduled raise doesn't put you in line with what the market is offering, they'll give you more. In fact, that is what happened with me. If I had received the scheduled raise, I would probably be in the mid 50's, but they knew the market was hot, so they gave me a larger raise.

And the bonus is entirely dependent on company profitability. If we don't make money, we don't get a bonus. Period.

RE: To quit or not to quit

frv

who told you your company is great about keeping up with market trends?

My company tells me the same.

T

RE: To quit or not to quit

(OP)
Anyway after much consideration, I took the offer and give my 2 weeks notice. I tried to get more money, raises and responsibilities, etc from current boss, he woudln't do it. He said my 3.2% raise is already in the high end. The average is 2%. So I guess it is what it is, take it or leave it kind of thing.

Thanks for everything, It helped me to make a better decission.

kinsrow
 

RE: To quit or not to quit

Congrats, You've done the right thing.
You might regret it, but it still had to be done.

(From what you've posted I doubt that you will regret it.)

RE: To quit or not to quit

Congrats on the new job!

I was in a similar situation as you.  Horrible raises (2.8%)and the only way to get a decent raise was for promotion.  And I was told it could be years before being promoted. And the worse thing was that even after promotion I would be doing the same exact job!  No additional responsibilities.

After almost three years of working there they were hiring people with the same experience as me but at 10-15K more then what I made.  Next stop...monster.com ;)

I lose patience really fast as you can see ;)



 

RE: To quit or not to quit

(OP)
That's the thing I don't understand. You would rather pay someone new to come in at higher salary and re-train everything than to give that money to current employee(s) so that at least they are motivated to stay. At around 3% raise for being good, I'm actually making less money in the real time if you count inflation, high gas prices, rent, etc.  

RE: To quit or not to quit

Applaud - you did the right thing.

RE: To quit or not to quit

Mid $50s is not chump change.

The number of Engr's fresh out of school making that is minimal, and guess what?....they are only getting 2.5% raises too.

In my first position, after 2 years, I heard what the new engineers were making.  Very close to what I was making at the time.  Probably within 2%!

Now, with 8 years experience and finding that those fresh out of school at your company or competitors are making the same as you, then you either are not performing well and your manager doesn't have the umph to say so, or you need to jump ship.

Jump ship.

______________________________________________________________________________
This is normally the space where people post something insightful.

RE: To quit or not to quit

I've been out of school for 8 years as well. My salary last year was 2 1/2 times the salary of my first job. You move on, management will eventually see the light and probably give your replacement more money to ensure retention at the position. There are plenty of employers out there who have lost good employees and didn't know what they had till they had to hire a new recruit. Usually they don't make the same mistake twice...unless they're government.

2.5% raise doesn't even cover the cost of inflation. Sheesh.

 

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