Underpaid

LegacyUser

I am currently in a role that I do like and my company is convenient and offers some flexible working (I am a single parent) but I sometimes have to return that flexibility and do work in the evening & conference calls etc at night and some travel. I am in a profession that is in demand and I frequently get contacted by recruiters and companies and the salaries offered are often 15k above what I am currently on. When I approached this last year with my company I got a good increase but still no where near what I should be paid and I was told well we give you flexibility and its a nice place to work so tough.

Now that the offers keep coming in I would like to bring it up again as it really gets me down that other companies can see my worth more than my current company but am torn as I do like my job the flexibility and the convenience.

So I am looking for advise on how to approach it again.

nibtrix

Are you actually getting "offers" i.e. you've applied and interviewed for jobs? Or you're just seeing jobs advertised or getting messages from recruiters on LinkedIn asking you to apply?

If you don't have an actual job offer then I doubt the company will pay any attention to further requests for increases.

It's always more difficult to get large increases at an existing job, changing to a new company is normally the only way to really jump your salary. Unfortunately, you'll probably have to decide whether you want more money or whether you want to keep the existing job more - that will determine how you approach your manager.

Batgurl

It depends on whether the other jobs offer you flexibility and how much value you put on that flexibility.

Can you look at alternative ways to boost your worth within the company that doesn’t mean a raise? For example additional annual leave? Or working a 4-day week so you can spend extra time with your child?

As was said above, another job may offer you more but you may have to give up the flexibility and you’ll also need to build up your clout and authority in a new role. A lot of people forget that.

It’s also worth getting actual job offers and comparing the working hours etc as they may pay more because they expect more.

GDK_11

I would be in a similar enough position myself where I could move and earn a decent chunk more. However the flexibility I have where I can work from home, come in the office early or late is priceless to me and it would take fortunes for me to give it up.

Depends on how important the flexibility is to you really but no harm in asking what the situation is.

Diemos

I've seen this many times, staff lost for a fraction of your difference.

But, here is much more to a role than just the salary, look at the full package, a nice work environment which is flexible and has good benefits are worth a lot to some people. You just need to take the time to evaluate what your priorities are. If it's salary then in my experience if you want any kind of big shift you need to move. Don't get hung up on a headline figure, it can be a negative spiral.

Tiddlypeeps

What's the harm in doing a few interviews? You can always be up front about flexibility being a firm requirement for you to move, worst they can say is no and you end up no difference than you are now. If you find a company you like that offers you more and agrees with your terms for flexibility it will be much easier to weigh up your options. Plenty of companies offer flexi time and work from home options these days so it's not like you'd be slapping them in the face by asking about these things in the interview, they are pretty normal things to inquire about.

LegacyUser

Op here - not getting offers as such I do get both recruiters and companies themselves contacting me about positions. I haven't decided what I want to do yet so do not want to waste anyones time so I haven't progressed to interviews but I would be confident I would easily pick up a new position due to my experience and the shortage in the industry.

While the flexibility is great I have to deal with people in multiple global locations so often have to work in the evenings and the odd weekend along with while I am on holidays to answer anything urgent as well so that flexibility is returned 10 fold.

Asking for a alternative ways e.g. 4 days wouldn't work as it is more than a full time role as it is I would still end up having to work on that day.

Thank you for all your advice though and while I know I should appreciate the flexibility I don't see why a nice place to work should be an excuse to pay me well below the market rate as 15k a year is alot as a single parent.

I think I will speak to my boss and if nothing comes of it I will bide my time and try to find a higher paying position with some flexibility.

krissovo

I was in a similar position 12 years ago but I looked to the future. The company were developing me into a role I would never of had the opportunity to achieve on my own or with another company. I was well below the market value for what I did but as long as you see the future it is ok

I stayed for 8 years, I have now moved on and I am now paid much higher than I would have ever been paid without that development.

Strumms

The way I always go with recruiters/employers and ‘flexibility’ is that I’m flexible as regards doing the odd early start, late finish, overtime, location of work ie. offsite work or training. I make it clear in no uncertain terms though for them to avail of that it gets appreciated that it’s reciprocated.... ie. tomorrow I have a doctors appointment .. can I be assured that the hour I’ll be away from 11-12 I’m not going to have to work through my lunch to maintain an hours pay that they want to dock... ? Goodwill needs to be a two way street...

Batgurl

Strumms wrote: »

The way I always go with recruiters/employers and ‘flexibility’ is that I’m flexible as regards doing the odd early start, late finish, overtime, location of work ie. offsite work or training. I make it clear in no uncertain terms though for them to avail of that it gets appreciated that it’s reciprocated.... ie. tomorrow I have a doctors appointment .. can I be assured that the hour I’ll be away from 11-12 I’m not going to have to work through my lunch to maintain an hours pay that they want to dock... ? Goodwill needs to be a two way street...

Another risk with job hunting is that recruiters and employers will tell you anything to get you in the door.

I would always assume I’m losing that flexibility, at least for the first 6 months or so while you build up a good reputation.

Even then, there is always the risk that “flexibility” means different things to different companies. Some may not mean work from home. Another may take it to mean “in an emergency”.

BrokenArrows

Batgurl wrote: »

Another risk with job hunting is that recruiters and employers will tell you anything to get you in the door.

I would always assume I’m losing that flexibility, at least for the first 6 months or so while you build up a good reputation.

Even then, there is always the risk that “flexibility” means different things to different companies. Some may not mean work from home. Another may take it to mean “in an emergency”.

exactly.

My wife recently moved into a new position and during the hiring process she made it very clear that she was expecting to be able to work from home 1 day a week.

When she actually started they were like, well you "can" work from home 1 day a week but you have to ask and give a reason for that specific day and it was down to the team managers discretion whether it was granted.

She kicked up a bit of a fuss and got her way, but ya, recruiters and sometimes managers will just say whatever they want.

Its especially true for recruiters. Ive had recruiters try and put me forward for jobs that i was completely unqualified for. They dont know what they're doing most of the time.

Strumms

Batgurl wrote: »

Another risk with job hunting is that recruiters and employers will tell you anything to get you in the door.

I would always assume I’m losing that flexibility, at least for the first 6 months or so while you build up a good reputation.

Even then, there is always the risk that “flexibility” means different things to different companies. Some may not mean work from home. Another may take it to mean “in an emergency”.

Yes, flexibility can and often does mean a type of one way street scenario whereby the employee is always the party going ‘over and above’....being ‘flexible ‘ yet the very odd occasion where an employee needs that reciprocated the company are like “hmmmmmm well what can you do for us to enable us to give you those couple of hours off ?”...

I’m like.... “well look at what I have done, for example just last month”...

8 hours overtime at your request, so an extra working day...

Staying back the previous month with manager who forgot their keys, my family were waiting for me...

I didn’t ask for a ‘favor’ in advance of agreeing to help out on those instances it was ‘yes ok’ ..it didn’t suit, I didn’t need the overtime but I’m prepared to be flexible, so how about that working two ways the odd time ?