The Glade 4.0

For those of you who don't know, I'm the typical office serf. I make a fairly pitiful amount of money for where I live to do very little for a large organization. The one ray of hope in my otherwise dismal life is to be promoted, or so I thought.

I work as an admin and was told that I would be promoted to Executive Assistant. My coworkers told me that I'd be in for a "significant raise". Turns out that this "promotion" is only worth $2,500. So I take on all of this increased responsibility, my status changed so that I can't earn overtime, I get the worst VP of all time, and they only want to up me a whole $2,500! That's a cost of living raise! I hate this place....

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"Once we realize that imperfect understanding is the human condition, there is no shame in being wrong, only in failing to correct our mistakes."
- George Soros

Its better than giving you a bump in responsibility and *no* increase in pay.

Executive Assistant looks better on a resume too.

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Holy shitsnacks!

Working towards moving back?

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"Aaaah! Emotions are weird!" - Amdee
"... Mirrorshades prevent the forces of normalcy from realizing that one is crazed and possibly dangerous. They are the symbol of the sun-staring visionary, the biker, the rocker, the policeman, and similar outlaws." - Bruce Sterling, preface to Mirrorshades

That's the goal. I've discovered I'm not of the "city" mentality after all. It's been a good experience but I need a simpler existence.

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"Once we realize that imperfect understanding is the human condition, there is no shame in being wrong, only in failing to correct our mistakes."
- George Soros

DFK! hopes for sooner rather than later.

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“The duty of a patriot is to protect his country from its government.” - Thomas Paine

A friend of mine got a promotion at work last summer... it gave him an 8% pay increase and switched him to salary instead of hourly. He not only lost the possibility of overtime, he lost his 10% performance bonus. He took a substantial pay cut for his 'promotion' and ended up working WAY more than 40 hours.

AND, unlike 40 years ago, you need a BA to do the EA job, instead of a typing certificate to do a Secretary Job.

Devaluing of the degree FTL!

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“The duty of a patriot is to protect his country from its government.” - Thomas Paine

Learn their stuff and move on as quick as you can

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"Men, it has been well said, think in herds; it will be seen that they go mad in herds, while they only recover their senses slowly, and one by one." Charles Mackay

This is pretty close to my scenario, and I'd rather not be promoted than accept a bad deal. I'm aware that EA looks better on a resume but it isn't worth the stress to benefit ratio as it stands.

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"Once we realize that imperfect understanding is the human condition, there is no shame in being wrong, only in failing to correct our mistakes."
- George Soros

Makes one wonder for the future. Are we going to need a doctorate to flip burgers 20 years from now?

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"Once we realize that imperfect understanding is the human condition, there is no shame in being wrong, only in failing to correct our mistakes."
- George Soros

Not to flip burgers. To run the register though....

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“The duty of a patriot is to protect his country from its government.” - Thomas Paine

No the new McDonald's register has pictures of the food on it instead of words.

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I got a "significant raise" of about 101 dollars this year

You got a raise this year?

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I prefer to think of them as "Fighting evil in another dimension"

I serve in the Air Force. I get a pitiful raise every year.

Raziel6K

If it is not too late, take the initiative to engage your supervisor. Explain that you definitly want an opportunity to advance, but explain the financial shortcomings of the position and indicate that you just cannot afford the pay cut, or you would consider (or take) the new position.

I had a similar discussion for this position and was offered higher pay.





In addition to your annual payb increase you get plenty of benefits which cost a ton once you are out, time in service increases, cost of living allowances, flight pay (when applicable), tax free service zones (when applicable), hazardous duty pay (when applicable) and set of rules governing promotions (based purely on time in service at lower grades, then left to your own devices as you progress).

You could have it a lot worse.

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Gorse

Of course I could. I'm a computer programmer who gives up a salary 2-3 times higher than what I make now (AFTER you factor in all the benefits) to serve in the AF (the service with the slowest promotion rate). I'm not in it for the money.

Still, the $101/month dollar raise was pretty funny coupled with all the press about the "big pay raise" Congress was congratulating itself over last year

Many companies aren't giving out increases this year at all. I was happy to get 3% more this year. (Although my up-to-15% bonus is still scheduled.)

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When he's underwater does he get wet? Or does the water get him instead?

My "raise" was having a portion of the company-wide wage cut (from early '09) reinstated. I still have a job though.

Computer programming is a saturated market, salaries are down, and most programmers live under constant threat of a layoff. I've never heard you mention your pay grade or time in service, but an E-5 with 4 years in makes more than most of the programmers I know, even before factoring in things like benefits and housing. Especially more than the ones who are flipping burgers because their job has been outsourced! The 'civilians make 3 times what I do' is a pie-in-the-sky dream, I don't know anyone whose disposable income increased after ETSing. Yes, top-end programmers make that, those jobs are being cut than the people who had them are settling for lower tier stuff. And those who had the lower tiers are stepping down. And those on the bottom are working retail. Which are you going to use as a realistic example of what is attainable? As a chef should I compare my income to the average or to Emeril?

I'm an E5 with 13 years in, before the "benefits and housing" I make less than 36k/year so I doubt I'm making more than most programmers you know (especially if they have over a decade of experience), but even if that's true, I have 14 years experience in programming on top of a fairly unimportant BS. Due largely to where I work now and the contacts I've made in the last 2 years I could get out tomorrow and make between 110 and 125k/year *shrug*.

I'm going to use the job offers I've gotten in the last 6 months (and keep having to turn down due to service commitments).

Edit - You have to factor in the cost of living in this area when talking about salary, though. It'd be the equivalent of ~75-85 in Colorado.

I spoke with both the COO and CTO to express my concerns. It didn't get me too far unfortunately but I do still have a job for the moment. Every once in a while you just have to take the hit for stability sake. Thanks for the feedback, support, and stories!

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"Once we realize that imperfect understanding is the human condition, there is no shame in being wrong, only in failing to correct our mistakes."
- George Soros

Likely what happened was they thought they were offering you a significant raise. Your facts about the reality of the situation (ie. more responsibility and likely less money overall) was not what they wanted to hear.

I get that all the time when I tell people I would lose less money if I treated people for free than take what insurance pays after all the expense and time to get insurance to pay.

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Memento Vivere

I have local knowledge.
That sandbar was not there yesterday!

Do you have to take the promotion?

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The Dude abides.

Na. He "has to" move back here to the cold.

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“The duty of a patriot is to protect his country from its government.” - Thomas Paine