Promotion Pay Advice

[TheGreatDane]

Hi All,

So I will be getting promoted soon and I have been information gathering and something has been bugging me a touch.

I'm going to be moving up and getting X amount which is fine, however we are hiring someone new at my old level who will be getting the same X amount I'm moving to.

On paper there should be at least £10k between the two roles at a minimum.

How would you handle this as I feel I am being a touch short changed?

[boombang]

First deal always your best (in vast majority of cases anyhow). Either accept it or realise you could get a similar jump if went elsewhere. Internal job moves in my experience usually leave people short-changed. This is speaking as a people manager with lots of salary knowledge.

[DanL]

It’s annoying, but also what happens when you stay at one firm for long enough.

It depends on how patient you are. You could ask about it now, but I’d do the new role for a year and raise the level of pay when coming up to pay review time. Ideally mentioning that you’ve seen similar roles elsewhere paying £X, and that while you like working for the company you can’t afford to miss out on the extra money.

You’ll need to be prepared to leave if taking this route, mind you, but it’s worked out for me well in the past.

Doing the job for a year does two things:
1. Allows you to show that you’re good at it, and they were right to promote you.
2. Gain experience at that level to allow you to move on if necessary.

[Vee]

I encountered something similar many years ago in a UK plc.
I was offered £50K for a role being advertised externally at £55-£60K (the point of giving the amounts is to demonstrate the materiality of the difference).
I knew I was the best candidate and that was proved in the recruitment process, but as an internal hire I felt they were short changing me.
In a meeting with the FD and HR I stated that I expected the minimum of that range otherwise I'd be declining the offer.
They paid it but with hindsight I'm certain that was held against me after that. No matter what I did I was not going to be promoted further. When I eventually left 3 years later after no progression despite excellent performance reviews, a board director offered to intervene if it would make me change my mind. Not all organisations are like that though.

[Countdown]

TheGreatDane said:

Hi All,

So I will be getting promoted soon and I have been information gathering and something has been bugging me a touch.

I'm going to be moving up and getting X amount which is fine, however we are hiring someone new at my old level who will be getting the same X amount I'm moving to.

On paper there should be at least £10k between the two roles at a minimum.

How would you handle this as I feel I am being a touch short changed?

If you don't ask you don't get.

If they give you what you want then all well and good. if they don't then get your head down and look elsewhere for something that pays you what you feel your skills/experience deserve.

[Terminator X]

boombang said:

First deal always your best (in vast majority of cases anyhow). Either accept it or realise you could get a similar jump if went elsewhere. Internal job moves in my experience usually leave people short-changed. This is speaking as a people manager with lots of salary knowledge.

I have always found that curious as surely you should treat your best people better than a random stranger to avoid them just fking off?

TX.

[Muzzer79]

I wouldn’t accept the same salary as someone a level below me

There has to be a step up, otherwise what’s the point?

[UpTheIron]

Muzzer79 said:

I wouldn’t accept the same salary as someone a level below me

There has to be a step up, otherwise what’s the point?

Agree, unless (as I doubt is the case here) the new role is about being a manager rather than an SME and the new guy has particular skills that justify the salary.

OP, unless you can live with it then make your demands and don't undersell yourself BUT be prepared to leave.

[Flooble]

Muzzer79 said:

I wouldn’t accept the same salary as someone a level below me

There has to be a step up, otherwise what’s the point?

That really depends on if the two roles are just points on a curve, or there is a radical break between them.

I've managed people who earned more than me, and been happy to pay them their salary. They could do things I couldn't do and they were only theoretically "below" me thanks to the way the corporate structure worked. I was just glad there was enough flexibility in the bandings that we could actually recruit people with those skills. It doesn't really work well if there is a rigid approach of "Techie = Grade 5 max, Manager = Grade 6 Min", i.e. the only way to earn more money is to move into management.

But to the OP, yes, always ask. Sometimes (as with the other poster where he was resented) it can ultimately go against you. But as always, do you want to work for someone who will hold a grudge. That sort of person will probably always begrudge you (e.g. "he took holiday and I had to cover his role"; his kid was sick and he had a day off); better to be well paid and resented than poorly paid and still resented.

[TheGreatDane]

Thank you all and I agree with what the majority have said.

It will be tough if I do have to leave as its a great role, people (immediate team) and company but on principle it would eat away at me and I can see myself being resentful.

Will update in due course on the outcome.

[vulture1]

I'd stay for now learn the new role so that when you jump ship for the same role in a different company you are already competent at the role. Rather than being new at the company and new in the role. Also worth saying to your boss once you have the new role potentially secured I have been offered xxxx would you do anything to keep me there?

[Muzzer79]

vulture1 said:

Also worth saying to your boss once you have the new role potentially secured I have been offered xxxx would you do anything to keep me there?

I never advocate this strategy.

If you're going to leave then leave. Leave for something better - better prospects, better environment, better development. Leaving just for money is foolish.

Staying just for more money is usually an error too - I've rarely seen it work out where someone has another offer that's good and have used that to get more from their existing role.

Either

a) the person stays, takes the increased salary and regrets not taking the opportunity with the other job
b) the company resents them for 'blackmailing' them into a higher salary and therefore freezes their pay for years along with their development....