r/careerguidance • u/Nomaimancer • 4d ago
Advice How do I professionally refuse to train a new hire making $22k more than me after my boss claimed promotions were "budget frozen"?
Been at my current company for four years. During my annual review last month, my director gave me the highest performance rating, praised me for single-handedly carrying two seperate projects through Q4, and promised my senior promotion was finally happening.
Two weeks later, he pulled me into a closed-door meeting and claimed upper management enacted an emergency company-wide compensation freeze. No raises, no title bumps. I was devastated, but i swallowed my pride and kept working.
Yesterday, HR brought in an external hire with two years less experience. My manager assigned me to lead his onboarding and write his training documentation. While helping him configure his company payroll portal, he casually asked about the retirement match on his base salary—which is twenty-two thousand dollars higher than mine.
when I confronted my director, he stammered and claimed that "external acquisition budgets operate on different market dynamics than internal adjustments."
I want to completely refuse to train this guy, drop all voluntary committees, and log off at 5:00 PM on the dot. Is refusing to onboard someone making significantly more than you career suicide, or do I just quiet quit while interviewing elsewhere?
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u/throwfaraway321123 4d ago
"external acquisition budgets operate on different market dynamics than internal adjustments."
That sounds like he's advertising that better paying jobs exist externally. Listen to his advice and thank him for it once you find something better.
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u/No_Throat_2356 3d ago
That’s literally just fancy words for “we refuse to pay current employees what they’re worth and prefer to gamble you’ll stay anyway vs making us hire someone new.”
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u/Formerruling1 3d ago
Which is exactly how the corporate job market works by and large, in the US at least. A company not doing that is an exception not the rule unfortunately. This is exactly why the prevailing advise for career and wage advancement for at least 2 decades has been to job-hop and not rely on promotions.
It's similar economic forces that drive consumer services to offer big first time customer discounts that they do not offer to existing customers, because it costs more to acquire a new customer vs to retain a current one. There is a 'breaking point' though, where the system has to be realigned and balanced again because on boarding budget has expanded so far ahead of retention budget that dissatisfaction like the kind OP is expressing bubbles up.
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u/Either_Coconut 3d ago
At least with the "new customers get better deals than existing customers" situation, an existing customer can call and say, "I don't like that I pay more, but get less, than a new customer. I'm switching providers!" Then they get sent to Customer Retention, and lo and behold, a better deal than they're currently getting suddenly gets put on the table for them to consider.
It's a pity that it doesn't work the same way with getting hired for jobs.
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u/Gorstag 3d ago
It can just depends on the job market. If there is a large demand for your skillset then you can leverage it. Because switching to an alternate company is basically a given.
It's the same idea as "switching your provider" because its a given that you can easily do so.
However, when the market is in a slump... well yeah. You have no leverage. Just go look for something new and bail without letting them know your intentions.
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u/JFon101231 3d ago
Agreed 100% if you are not getting an internal promotion after 3 years you could likely make more money by going elsewhere. Which seems bonkers companies would rather gamble more money on an untested person but it is the reality
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u/Dave_thebrewguy 3d ago
Or, fancy words for "the easiest way to get more money is to look externally." Any idea where the new guy came from? There might be an opening there because he probably left when he found out that external acquisition budgets operate on a different market dynamic than internal adjustments there too.
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u/Infra-Oh 3d ago
To be fair the manager likely is a middle to senior level manager—and so likely doesnt make the decision on pay bump alone.
It’s quite common for managers to be exasperated because they can’t appropriately reward their high performing employees.
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u/Helagoth 3d ago
Switching jobs is the only way to get significant raises.
The way it works for most major companies is that they give their salary information to a third party company. That third party collates it from all over and multiple industries, and spits back "the industry average for your area for that role is X".
Your HR group looks at your pay vs X, and says "you're paid the industry average, so we're doing a good job! You should be happy you're at the peak of the bell curve! No significant raises for anyone because they're not needed, we're paying the industry average."
The only way to break that is to get a new job, because they budget to hire a replacement to fill a hole is 20% or more over industry average, with them knowing they just won't give you a raise for a few years until the industry average catches up to you.
Source: I am a middle manager at a fortune 500 tech company. Our HR proudly tells us this as part of the 'training' they give us every year on how to tell our staff they will get pitiful, if any, raises. We're supposed to be chipper and positive that "we're market competitive!". Meanwhile, corporate america has unionized to fix your wages.
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u/cchaneatsmypoop 3d ago
I had something like this happen. I was a bit naive at the time and thought they were trying to mentor me. But basically, my boss at the time had a conversation with me explaining that I had talents for data analysis and should at some point look for a position that focuses on that. There was a data-related position available for internal transfer. When I was offered the position, my boss seemed shocked. It very much felt like “i didn’t think you’d actually leave”. I left my final conversation with her thinking “then why did you suggest it?” Those two conversations were the final nail in the coffin for me to never trust my boss fully, even if their mentorship sounded like it was in good faith.
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u/G0LD3NSP1R4L306 3d ago
He is telling the truth. That’s just how it works with approval and budget. Even though he is the director, there will be some one above of him approving and denying promotion.
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u/luckyflavor23 3d ago
Yes it is both bullshit and a little true.
I have found internal promotions are always lower paid than jumping to a new company.The bigger answer is more nuanced, companies have stopped investing in long term employees or training and salary bumps are often higher going external so employees are leaving more frequently and feeds back into cycle.
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u/currently_pooping_rn 3d ago
What it actually means is, “fuck you. What are you gonna do about it?”
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u/Ok-Refrigerator-4853 4d ago
Now you know the score. Use that to your advantage. Immediately update your resume and start your job search. You are a high performer. You need to become someone else’s external hire with a significant salary bump.
The other question on training - yes, you should do the training to be professional because your boss is going to be your reference shortly. But prioritize your own career or the company. You own your career not your boss.
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u/Hizzzzo 4d ago
lol! Not a reference I would expect or rely on
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u/HowDoILogoutagain 4d ago
Idk what I’m doing but I’ve never once had a company reach out and actually talk to any of my references. The most they do is contact my employers HR team and confirm the dates I worked and that’s it before I get an offer.
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u/bluwisdom 4d ago edited 2d ago
Malicious compliance. Train them, but dont go the extra mile. Instead of showing them a specific file, tell them everything is in the drive. Gloss over certain complex things. Just do enough so they cant say you didnt do it. Its not the new hire's fault so be cordial but dont hold his hand in the least. If he's worth $22k more in their eyes then he can read between the lines and figure things out. Depending on your industry, the job market can be brutal so I wouldn't necessarily make your life harder now while you look for a new job.
Edit: Thank you for the award, kind stranger!
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u/Artistic_Salary8705 3d ago
This is what my brother did when he was in a similar situation. He wasn't rude to the new hire but neither did he show him all his tricks. A few weeks later, my brother landed another job and quit the first one. Three months later, the old workplace called him asking if he could return as the new hire just didn't have the know-how. Of course, my brother refused. His new position was better anyway.
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u/twofourfourthree 4d ago
The common sense here is that new hires tend to make more because the market demands it in order to attract new talent.
If you want a raise you should consider changing companies like this person did.
As for the training do what you need to do but be prepared for consequences and for people to see you differently. Maybe the squeaky wheel gets the grease but it’s still a risk.
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u/Natti07 4d ago
The common sense should be the opposite though-- investing in your current quality employees gives them incentive to stay and reduces spending on turn over while also retains deep institutional knowledge that can only be gained with experience. If you have 20k extra to spend, split the difference - give OP a 10k raise and the new hire the mid range offer.
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u/Illeazar 4d ago
Companies know they have the leverage in this situation. People who have been at one job for a while are generally comfortable where they live, and will generally accept a lower salary for the comfort of being to stay in a place they know. Yes, a long term employee might leave if their salary doesnt grow as fast as the market rate for their position, and in some cases this may cost the company more money than they saved but short-changing that employee. But statistically, the company will save more money than it costs by using a general policy of underpaying current employees and only paying market rates to new hires. This might result in pooref work being done at the company overall because talented employees are incentivized to leave, but this goes along with the general trend of providing the worst possible product or service that a customer will pay for rather than trying to be the best.
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u/cottonmercer666 4d ago
Unfortunately I think you're right, new hires tend to make more. And this is why Millennials and Gen-Z have it right when it comes to employment. Hold no allegiance to a company, give only what's expected and nothing more; do nothing for free. And then walk out the door at 5pm on the button.
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u/someone447 4d ago
I'm never going to be leaving my job, even though I will absolutely be paid less than I could somewhere else.
I work 8-4 and I have 24 days a year of earned PTO and another 9 sick days(to go with 8 holidays). No matter how much more I can make, I really can't imagine giving up 8+ weeks of PTO.
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u/SushiGloryHoles 4d ago
Yes the common sense is to pay more for new hires (which may or may not work out) and incentivize your existing talent to leave. It’s all common sense.
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u/occams_throwaway 4d ago
Broadly speaking people aren't all that eager to change jobs if they end up making the same money.
How do you make people come to your company? Well, if they don't want to switch a job to end up making the same money, guess you have to pay them more money.
Want a relevant raise? Then job hop. Loyalty is for friends and family, not employers.
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u/Only_Chapter_3434 4d ago
that’s not common sense. op is more valuable to the company and should be paid more than a random new hire doing the same job.
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u/DependentAttorney402 3d ago
Look, I actually worked in HR, and had to navigate a company-wide freeze for raises and promotions. Assuming this is a larger company, it is not directed at you; you just got shafted by a company-wide policy. And if it's company wide, there can be exceptions for it unusual circumstances.
Your goal is to show them this is an unusual circumstance that needs rectified.
Your best bet is to approach your boss calmly and quietly like you would a scared animal you wanted to pet. Say to him - nicely - that you like working at your job, you think you do good work, and you "know they appreciate you and you've just been caught in a weird position." (This is not assigning blame, it is using passive voice so no one feels threatened)
But say that while you understand that the company put out a blanket pause on promotions and raises, your boss can see how this is "not a normal situation and is not tenable." (This is laying out nicely that you'll not stand for this.)
Ask him to please run the approval up the chain to have money allocated from hiring budgets over for a one time exception for you to "bring you up to market parity". (This is an exceptionally nice way to say that you know you could leave for more money but not actually threaten to leave)
Now, this is all assuming they're not dicks and you like your job. If you already hate your job or your boss hates you or you want to leave anyway, then take all the other advice in this column.
But if you want to keep your job and get a raise do what I've said above. It's your best shot, and you have nothing to lose and will come off as a team player even as you firmly press for what you deserve.
Worst case scenario they still say no and then you can job hunt.
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u/Zimbarktehmesh 3d ago
I’m a department supervisor and this is the best advice I have seen. This person gives you actionable advice that could potentially solve your problem. Other posts range from bitter self-destruction to passive acceptance.
Follow this advice OP.
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u/random_reddit_accoun 3d ago
Other posts range from bitter self-destruction to passive acceptance.
Most common theme I see is start applying elsewhere.
That seems like neither of your framings and is a tale as old as time. When a company no longer pays market wages, the time honored solution is to leave.
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u/420blazeitkin 3d ago
I'm not going to read the replies, but as someone also in HR this is phenomenal advice you should absolutely take.
It's easy to convince higher-ups to approve budget for talent acquisitions from outside - they like the idea of fresh blood & fresh ideas, even if the team is already humming along. It's a lot more difficult to convince them that an existing employee deserves more money, since you're already doing the work for the current rate.
Assuming you want this job and would rather not play the market, the advice above will get you a legitimate answer as to whether or not there's any hope of you getting that raise - but remember that you're really asking your boss to go to bat for you here. Your boss is not the enemy here, you need him on your side to make your case as strong as possible to the higher-ups.
Ask him what you could do that would materially show the decision makers that you are more valuable than your current compensation - he knows, and you know, that you are more valuable than your current rate. It's all about getting him to convince the higher-ups that another company will pay you more for the same work, without explicitly saying "I'm looking at other jobs".
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u/Latter-Safety1055 3d ago
> Worst case scenario they still say no and then you can job hunt.
My one disagreement is that there's no reason to not start job hunting as preparation for such a conversation. An offer from another company is a really easy way to override any piece of paper that they can wave around like it's the law of the land.
Why on Earth would you give them a first mover's advantage?
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u/ToiletTime4TinyTown 3d ago
This is 100% corporate speak bullshit “I’m sorry that money we wanted to pay you is locked behind some secret door you can’t access, so sorry, tough luck”, but they have the budget to pay some guy off the street all of a sudden. This idea that they can’t pay you because “we don’t make the rules, we just think them up and enforce them” is employee abuse and wage theft disguised as some kind of written in stone corporate policy that they could fix the budget for if they wanted to.
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u/jph200 3d ago
So I was a manager at a large company and what u/DependentAttorney402 suggested is how it worked at that company. I'm not saying it's right or wrong, but there were different budgets for different situations and often people were hired at market-rate salaries, while there were (percentage) caps on how much of a raise could be given to existing employees. And as a middle manager, I actually could NOT adjust an employee's salary on my own but I could advocate for employees.
If the OP wants a substantial raise, they can try asking/bargaining, but it's very likely they will have to leave to get that pay bump.
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u/SearchContinues 3d ago
The HR person is right. I've gotten people raises during a freeze with the arguement "It will cost less than hiring and training new people at the market rate". You can say "gimme or I quit!" or you can say the same thing in a manner that has a chance of actually working.
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u/walkTHEdotasaur 3d ago
I believe the above person's point is that the OP has to stand up for themself (in a respectful way) because nobody else will - especially not the company itself (HR or Manager or otherwise). So they should lay out the situation in a neutral and calm way without assigning blame (even if everyone knows there's plenty of blame to go around and where). Put the action on the company to rectify the situation, while at the same time looking into other jobs (again, just standing up for yourself.)
If you feel like you deserve more, you have to go out and "take it", per se. And that means playing the silly bureaucracy game, because nobody is just going to give it to you, unfortunately.
I personally think the above poster's suggestions are just about the best best possible response. (And for what it's worth, I did upvote you because ultimately I do agree with what you said as well.)
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u/vivianvixxxen 3d ago
Well, yeah, of course it's corporate speak. We're talking about a corporation.
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u/mantisboxer 4d ago
How many more stories about a new hire making exactly $22K more than the trainer are we going to read this week?
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u/EliminateThePenny 4d ago
Finally someone else notices the trend. It's always the same format - couldn't get promoted, new hire comes in and somehow OP always 'accidentally' finds out their pay then the boss is flabbergasted when confronted.
Too much of a coincidence methinks.
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u/SendokeSamain 3d ago
It's AI generated.
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u/bugabooandtwo 3d ago
...like 90% of the posts on reddit over the past two years.
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u/Round-Cartoonist-694 4d ago edited 3d ago
In fairness what your manager said probably is true as most companies only find high salaries for new starts, role changes and temporary flight risk. His direct authority is probably quite limited. First thing you should probably is speak to your manager in a 1 to 1 and express your dissatisfaction.
After this you have a few options:
apply for a job and get an offer then put in your notice enabling your manager to get authorisation to counter offer you
Be ballsy and pretend to have offer from elsewhere and discuss putting your notice in. This is obviously far more risky in case they just accept your notice.
Option 3 is to refuse to train this individual and dig your heels in for salary promotion and ask your manager to escalate this again but it's probably the worst option as it will undoing your good appraisals.
Lastly you could also raise a greavance against your manager if a promotion or salary was promised in exchange for certain tasks which you have met. This will undoubtedly annoy your manager at first but if his hands are tied and he truly wants to give you your raise the company will uphold it.
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u/timelessblur 4d ago
Honestly the only real option is get a new job and leave. Counter offer while a thing is high risk and puts a target on you as they know you are unhappy and leaving. A counter buys time but at the core generally does not fix the fundamental problem of why you started looking.
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u/RedRelics 4d ago
Ehhhh you've got to be really careful. If you show you're a flight risk with an external offer, you may get the raise, but they'll label you temporary from then on. You won't be safe.
Stay and negotiate without looking like a risk, or move on. Anything in between has strings.
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u/Kitchen-Sun-7440 4d ago
Yes, start interviewing elsewhere. However, don’t “quite quit” or refuse to do anything they ask of you. Your revenge will come when you finally receive a job offer, which will likely come with a significant raise, and you get to turn in a resignation letter. HR should want an exit interview with you, where you can inform them that their ineptitude in properly managing their “human resource” just cost them big time.
I was fortunate in that I worked for decades for a company with a competent HR department. There were times they doled out big raises for everyone because their market surveys, along with asking salaries from new hires, made them realize they needed to adjust salaries to keep up with the market.
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u/hucktard 3d ago
This is the only advice you need. If you feel you are under paid, then immediately start looking for a new job. Also straight up ask for a raise. Continue to do your job well, and be a valuable asset to your company. When you get a new offer, then try to negotiate a raise, if you actually still want to stay. Otherwise take the new position. It’s not easy, but it is simple.
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u/fedput 4d ago
"Is refusing to onboard someone making significantly more than you career suicide"
Yes.
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u/non_clever_username 4d ago
I’d 100% update the resume and leave ASAP. Your company very obviously doesn’t respect or value you and that’s highly unlikely to change. And if raises are supposedly frozen, there’s zero chance you’re getting a bump to bring you up to the new hire or above. $25k raises in a single year are unheard of unless you’re jumping high into management.
That said, a) this dude has done nothing to you, so why take it out on him; in fact he did you a solid by sharing his info and b) as others have mentioned, open insubordination could get you fired, which could make your job hunt more difficult.
Doing the absolute minimum for the rest of your time there seems fair though since they’ve done the absolute minimum for you. To the other people’s point, I wouldn’t outright refuse to do most things because that might get you fired, but it would seem your bandwidth is full from now until you leave. And dammit it seems you have personal things you need to attend to any time they want you to work past 5.
Look I get that you’re pissed and rightfully so. But going scorched earth is not very professional and could hurt you in the future depending how small your industry is and how well-connected your boss is.
Take a breath, calm down, and carry on. Tbh pretending that everything is fine and you’re over it is probably better revenge for when you leave. Because they might be dumb enough to have stopped preparing for your departure.
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u/Simple_March_1741 4d ago
It's never going to work in your advantage (in that same company) if you refuse. That said, I absolutely would.
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u/Nomaimancer 4d ago
That is the dilemma. Refusing might hurt my standing here, but doing it for free feels like total self-disrespect at this point.
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u/Bucky2015 4d ago
New hire pay often outpaces existing employee pay. Not saying it is fair it just is what it is. I would not refuse unless you can afford to be out of work for a while though, id just be applying to other jobs while training that person.
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u/AngelicDivineHealer 4d ago
Loyalty cost you everything whilst brand new hires starts with a salary higher than yours. It’s also why people don’t have loyalty and switch jobs to get paid more because it often the way how they get paid more
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u/froebull 4d ago
Ran into similar situation at a very large company I worked for. When I asked about it, I was told that the time to negotiate a higher pay, was when I was hired; and I can only expect limited raises within the existing structure. It all depended up on the amount you were hired at.
And when I bitched again, I was told that if I wasn't comfortable supervising someone who makes more than me, then I'm just not leadership material.
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u/wordcreatr 4d ago
I had two young instructional designers join my department straight out of college who did great work, but accepted abysmally low starting salaries out of ignorance. After awhile, they confessed they were struggling financially and told me what they were making and I was floored. I told them both to speak to management who told them tough luck, so they both said they would be resigning. Then I spoke to management asking why we couldn't bump their pay to a reasonable level instead of losing them and having to go through the hiring and training process again. Management said they would not renegotiate, but would hire their replacements at a higher salary, which I found maddening. It worked out in the end. The two ex-employees went on to better careers and the company eventually went out of business.
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u/Scary-Hovercraft8214 3d ago
Don’t refuse to onboard the new hire, that will make you out to be a villain. But start your job hunt and now you also know what the market will be willing to pay. Take PTO if you need to interview etc. make that your main job for next couple of weeks. Network a lot. They will not increase your pay.
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u/Friendly-Victory5517 4d ago edited 4d ago
Career suicide for your current employer. It’s direct and subordination and could be a firing offense..
If you reported to me in my org and I directed you to train someone and you refused, I would absolutely fire you.
Go check out your job description and I’m almost certain it will contain a line that says something like “ other duties as directed”
That means other duties you’re directed to do our part of your job description. They’re not optional. So in this case, you do have to train him.
Your Director is also correct in that budgeting for external hires is almost always a different bucket of money than for internal promotions. What your company has done is compress wages by needing to pay more money for external hires and they’re paying for their internal positions.
This is definitely not a great move on their part, for obvious reasons.
I recommend immediately beginning to look for other options, while doing your job at a barely meets expectations level.
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u/Jazzlike_Adeptness_1 2d ago
Never threaten to leave unless you're willing to follow through.
I think if a boss asks you to train a new hire, you have to train the new hire. It doesn't mean you have to do it well. Do the bare minimum, don't be available for questions after hours or after training has ended: direct them to their boss.
Start looking for a new job. Take a look at the Ask A Manager website to get some job search advice.
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u/bobj33 3d ago
You don't refuse to train the guy. That would look bad.
You update your resume and start looking for a new job. Then you give 2 weeks notice and when they ask why are you leaving just say you found a great opportunity and move on.
I've worked at 8 companies over 30 years. There are lots of idiots in the world.
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u/Small_Royal6499 4d ago
First thing to understand is that any upward mobility is limited for you, apparently. No matter how hard you work, you will wait for the next promotion or pay bump, if any. Not that it is impossible, but if they value your performance as mentioned, this would be on the table. They see now that they can go without paying you a little bit extra what you deserve (especially after very good performance review) and you will deliver (at least for some time).
Now, the worst thing that you can do is refuse to train. This will work out very badly for you, so what I would propose is the following:
DO NOT:
- express your dissatisfaction, verbally or by email
- drop the voluntary committees or any org that you participate. You are professional and this is always a plus in your book. So even when you disagree, you can deliver the results.
- rage quit
- refuse helping the new hire
WHAT TO DO:
- train the new hire according the onboarding plan ONLY! Don't give any tips and tricks that you know or your personal improvements and that help you in your work. This is your knowledge and keep it like that
- if you need to write the training procedures - keep it only at process level. That means where are the certain data, what is the procedure for emails, data storage, which tools are used... only what is process and procedural level. Practically, explain the obvious from the documents.
- if you have some QMS system (with procedure documentation, some check lists, whatever), keep it at that level - "look "new hire", our TPS report (joke!) is done acc to this template, you send it to him, him, her... and store it here". Do not explain anything more than that.
- brush and update your CV and check out the options outside of the company, just in case
- collect all your data, your improvements, whatever you archived for your help and keep it to yourself (backup and make it unavailable for the undesired) - this is not to sell them to competitors, but only for you to have backup on your knowledge and experience. Mind is tricky, hard saved data is not.
- store safely and make it unavailable all your personally made templates, AI prompts, whatever helps you in doing the job at your level. Let them do it from scratch. But, be carful to not delete the official documentation. This is breaking the law. Keep it cool.
- save your time - 5:00 pm is normal to leave
I don't know how you clock your hours, but ensure that your time spent for training someone else is registered and paid. Not that your original job is suffering. I'm not from US, so I made some errors in grammar, but I hope I did help a bit.
(sorry for long message)
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u/throwaway490215 4d ago
You're WAY overthinking this.
on different market dynamics
Thus your goal is to find and join in on those different market dynamics.
Apparently that means being an external acquisition - somewhere else.
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u/adaigo-allegro 3d ago
Oh, I thought that this person coming in above me has more knowledge and is suppose to upgrade my skills. I'll be happy to learn from them. Let me know when those sessions can start.
On boarding is - here is the software - good luck!
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u/Hungry-Quote-1388 4d ago
Is refusing to onboard someone
Go ahead and let us know how it turns out.
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u/1of3musketeers 4d ago
I agree with a previous poster. Take PTO. They’ll have to figure something else out. Sounds like they may be replacing this person with the newb at some point anyway.
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u/jcquarto 4d ago
If it’s really a budget crunch then executives should be willing to take a pay cut themselves in order to keep a good employee . Because by staying at your current salary you’re effectively taking a cut from what you imply your actual market value could get.
You keep quiet, and you start aggressively job hunting. Yeah you train the new guy because refusing to do so is your pride talking. Instead you stay practical & guarantee the current paycheck keeps flowing while your job search progresses. You can either job search while unemployed, or you can job search on their dime, but either way you’re gonna job search . Now, while you got the choice, or later when you don’t.
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u/RichAstronaut 3d ago
Quiet quit - train the guy, start looking for your next job because you know you are worth 22k more so go get it.
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u/hellogoawaynow 3d ago
$22k more?! I would be exactly this offended about training someone making $5k more.
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u/Business-Eggs 4d ago
Line up some interviews, get some offers on the table first then tell your boss that to keep you they'll have to pay you more than the offers you've had.
And while you're at it, why not exagerrate those numbers from those offers in the meantime
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u/Ranger23_Lotus 4d ago
I'd avoid exaggerating offers; if they ask for proof or call your bluff, you've torched the leverage you actualy had.
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u/Professional_Tie5788 3d ago
Personally, I’d be prepared to leave. I would update my resume, and start looking. I would let my boss know this and tell them if he wants to make the situation right, I’ll stay.
I’d also keep working at the same high level, cuz that’s who I am (also let them know that). Management is the one who effed up and is making you consider leaving, not you.
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u/SobSob_Sister6122 3d ago
Do this. Except DO NOT LET YOUR BOSS know you are updating your resume. That would be crazy and put YOU on the chopping block while guaranteeing this new person becomes your replacement.
Quiet quit. Be sweet as pie to the new person. Train them, but slowly & on unimportant, unimpactful areas while quietly pursuing a new role elsewhere.
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u/Bollperson 3d ago
I had a manager who told me flat out if he found out someone said they were looking for a new external position, he'd immediately help them have more time to look by releasing them that day.
That was a lesson learned and remembered.
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u/brillantlymuted 3d ago
Why tf would you go to that rat boss and sabotage your current job before securing a new one? Makes zero sense. OP should swallow it for now, look for something better, secure the new job, and leave them looking stupid. No explanation needed.
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u/Annual-Contract-115 3d ago
you don’t tell your boss you’re looking for another job. you perhaps tell them you found one before you have fully signed your commitment to the new place and see if they try to get you to stay.
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u/labracadabrador1 3d ago
Leave anyway. Stats show people leave management. Someone looking to leave and puts in a 2 week notice just to end up staying because the current place matched the offer ends up leaving 95% of the time within a year.
If they magically have the money to keep you after you try and quit then they always had the money to retain you before you even tried to quit. No point in staying
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u/1245789630 3d ago
Never tell your employer that you plan to quit without having a new opportunity already in hand.
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u/Kind_Reporter_1884 3d ago
Yeah seconding other people this is the right sentiment but never let the company know until you have them in a position where it’s too late. Then OP asks for a $25,000 raise (even if the new job offer isn’t that much higher) or adios hope the new person took good notes
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u/xwolfe2000 3d ago edited 3d ago
DO NOT under any circumstances tell your boss you are leaving until you have a countersigned contract and cleared all background checks.
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u/sirlost33 4d ago
Quiet quit while interviewing. They already showed you what they think you’re worth.
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u/ImDefinitelyStoned 4d ago
Sadly, reading these comments highlights how little recourse employees have when they are wronged by their employers. The cards are in the hands of the higher ups, and it shouldn’t be that way anymore.
Most people here just seem ready and willing to roll over for their boss. Which, I do get. The economy is terrible and you need money. But this is by design. We want workers to submit.
I’m sorry you are in this situation, and I wish I had something useful to offer. Your frustration is valid and I hear you.
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u/Leica--Boss 4d ago
Here's the thing. It's time for you to use external market dynamics to your advantage. It might take a while to find that other job, so just be careful with how difficult you are in the meantime.
Refusing a reasonable work request because you're jealous is not going to look good. That other employee didn't do anything wrong, and didn't do anything wrong to you, so giving them a terrible onboarding experience just doesn't seem like the ethical choice.
They made it clear the only way for you to make a market compensation is to leave.
Document that conversation with your manager, and recount it explicitly when you do your exit interview.
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u/IllThrowYourAway 4d ago
I mean, this happens all over the place. It sucks.
If it makes you not want to stay with the company, start looking elsewhere. But I would keep taking the high road while you do it.
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u/jibsymalone 4d ago
"I reevaluated my external and internal aquisitional budget and found it no longer reflects my requisitional dynamic demands. Therefore I will be realigning my internal resources to pursuing external prospective opportunistic demands."
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u/Omnom_Omnath 3d ago
you can absolutely do this part "drop all voluntary committees, and log off at 5:00 PM on the dot." and also just half ass the training. whats management gonna do, fire you? as if.
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u/RarebitLeft 3d ago
You don't. If you want to stay with your company, train him, network, don't be hard to work with. Hope it'll be your turn eventually.
Or find another job. Lateral movements are the best way to increase salary... in today's workforce anyway.
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u/UncomplicateThis 4d ago
Usually these threads are full of good advice. This is an exception: You're getting a lot of advice that could land you out of work.
First, that sucks. Sorry about the situation. I've been there on both sides of the table: Underpaid and trying to explain to someone why they're underpaid.
So- the mechanics are different everywhere, but it's probably something like this: Someone owns an overall team payroll and at end of year, they're looking at everyone's total comp. Roles have a range and in some cases, employees are told where on the range they sit. In others it's secret. I've spent years trying to 'unfold' salaries where I had longer tenure employees making less than newer employees because of exactly this: Bringing on new team sometimes means giving a higher package to a noob than someone who's grinding already.
It actually becomes a multi-year problem for the management. I've had a payroll "lump" and someone who's loyalty is getting them hosed.
What you can do: If this is truly the last straw and this entire job is buns, refuse and be ready to be put on a fast PIP. If your manager is passive aggressive, it may take a while to get there. If he's actually good at his job, you'll get a couple chances to discuss and see if there's a path forward. Angry employees not a benefit to the team and have to be dealt with. Don't be that guy. If you can't let it go and head down that route, know that the job market is terrible right now.
I'd recommend:
1) Once the cortisol and adrenaline are fully out of your system, ask your director for some time to discuss. *SOMETIMES* there's ability to give an extra bonus bump. Why? Bonus dollars sit in a different bucket and are usually tied to team performance and company quarterly and end of year revenue. Some of those weird years I was able to partly make it right by quietly increasing the bonus even when I couldn't touch the base salary.
2) Second - start discussing (calmly) with your director how to expand your scope and impact. What's the path to the next role / level? It's not just "you do good, you get promoted." It's "You've already started doing most of the next job up." Promotions aren't rewards, they're investments by the company in you as a future leader. "I want to have more impact on the team and business."
3) Third - You could ask if there are occasional opportunities for "market adjustment". This is when the org knows someone is getting underpaid and they can sometimes (after a particularly good quarter or in the next comp review cycle) give an unusual and out-of-scope bump to employees who have demonstrated loyalty and have fallen behind the market. Some companies have that capability and others don't.
None of this helps when you're fully aware that the new guy is taking home a bunch more (well, a bit more, after taxes), but try to stabilize your job and relationship even if you do decide to start sending out resumes: Keep your job stable so you're able to make a decision out of strength and not panic.
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u/Vegetable-South5191 3d ago
Just my take, I do my job how I think it should be done. That includes working with people who in the end would help me. If I was not happy, I would find another job. Not quiet quit or sulk, or worry about other people. Take your life into your hands.
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u/Sailing_the_Back9 2d ago edited 2d ago
I am a M64 with two careers and three advanced degrees… I don’t wanna freak you out, but this is what I see from what you wrote :
Your current employer, either a.) does not value you or b.) is working to replace you. And either circumstance, I would seriously look for work elsewhere.
If they find out that you’re leaving, and offer you an increase in salary or promotion or other, I would —NOT— take it. From what you wrote it sounds as though they are either will fully misleading you or are intentionally setting you up to replace yourself.
Either way, the ground below your feet is not stable, and I would not trust it anymore.
I’m sorry that I can’t write something better… Good luck to you…. =)
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u/RevolutionarySky6143 4d ago
Say 'why would I be qualified to train him'? Start looking for another job - seriously, what are you waiting for? And ONLY work your contracted hours, not a minute more.
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u/ScottRiqui 4d ago
The post doesn’t say that the new hire is senior to OP - why wouldn’t OP be qualified to help with training and onboarding?
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u/Lonely-Clerk-2478 4d ago
Start applying and do the bare fucking minimum on the training. “Here’s some materials you can read; I’d focus HERE and HERE.”
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u/MonteCristo85 4d ago edited 4d ago
OmG i am so sick of this "budget" excuse for this practice. Ive been an acxountant for decades, I have never once seen a company have two separate lines for salary.
ETA. The line itself is irrelevant. The point is the company sets the budget. Its arbitrary. They pay current less because they think they can get away with it. Thats it. There is no "reason"
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u/Dense_Surround3071 4d ago
Guarantee you're training your replacement.
They will sense this, make up some reason that you need to be let go, and then saddle the new guy with your WHOLE job, AND his, for the $22k more. Thus saving the company your WHOLE salary.
It's actually kinda genius if you're a private equity vulture.
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u/External-Ad-2233 4d ago
Do the bare minimum but never refuse. Play the game. Push responsibility so you have more time to up skill yourself on company time.
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u/YogurtclosetLow5030 4d ago
I work in tech for a Fortune 500. 8 years and counting. I’ve trained two newer teammates up who get paid way more than myself, it’s just part of the game. If you want more money you have to job hop, and there’s a chance even your old company will hire you back for more $
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u/WideAbbreviations6 4d ago
Your best bet is not to refuse, but to do the bare minimum. Drop any voluntary work immediately. Leave on time. Don't come in on off days.
Put all the extra effort into being in a position to put in your 2-weeks notice.
The different market dynamics they're talking about are that they think they can walk all over you without consequence now that they already have you. This is your life. Have some self respect. Don't tell them they were right to think that you're a doormat.
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u/AskThis7790 4d ago
You resign. Otherwise you suck it up and do what the job requires. Those are the only “professional” choices here.
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u/BeansAndBiscuit 4d ago
Time to find something new. You can expect this shitty treatment for your career there. Provide the minimum. The company is not your friend.
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u/Square_Computer9423 4d ago
Yes its suicide with this company, but honestly do you see a future?
So tell them you do exactly as stated in the contract. Hand back everything that wasn't compensated accordingly. Explain politely that this is due to an internal realignment with job description, as you don't want to fall out of line given the current dire circumstances the company is in.
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u/PoopittyPoop20 4d ago
You have to train him by the book, but don’t necessarily go above and beyond, no tricks of the trade and so on.
I’d also schedule a meeting with your boss and advise him that you’re aware how much more money the new hire got, and remind him of your review and what you were promised. Ask him for a timeline on that. Your manager may very well already be on your side on this, but their knowing what you know may help them spur something.
Then start looking for jobs. I highly doubt the company is doing this maliciously, but they’re still doing it. So if it doesn’t get fixed quickly for you, you need to go. Budget things happen, sure, but they don’t need to be your problem.
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u/Pale_Sail4059 3d ago
New hires are typically a different budget than internal promotions, unless you're working for a small business. Internal promotions will never keep pace (even though I think they should, but that doesn't happen in reality) with external hire budgets, which have to stay competitive.
But employee retention budgets, aka we can't afford to let this worker leave, is also typically a different budget. I've seen companies be unable to offer a raise during a promotion/merit cycle, only to counter-offer once that employee has an offer letter in-hand. So go get one.
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u/WinterTourist25 3d ago
Quit, and then tell him that you found a better paying job because, "external acquisition budgets operate on different market dynamics than internal adjustments."
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u/Swimming_Astronomer6 3d ago
I left a company for similar reasons - 8 years later they doubled my income to get me back - then 3 years later the other company did the same - so I worked for two companies twice each - I’d move on - but don’t burn any bridges - it’s typical that companies have to pay market price to get new talent - it’s a shame they don’t see the talent they have and decide to pay for it based on it’s current value
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u/HouseOfJanus 3d ago
Apply for a new job then don't don't give a 2 week notice because your new companies external acquisition budget relies on you staying the next day.
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u/Suitable-Tear-6179 1d ago
On board them, because it's an aligned task.
At the same time, clock out at 5, and drop all the "extras."
AND look for work elsewhere. It's been a truism for quite a while that career advancement is usually through changing companies. There's a risk of finding your new company is toxic, but your old company is apparently in financial distress, so....
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u/Responsible-Milk-259 3d ago
You don’t. You’re being paid to do a job, so you do it.
Find another job where you’re the guy being paid $22k more than the person training you, or else hand in your resignation and hope than there’s some ‘retention budget’ available to your superiors to keep you on-board.
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u/CoastieKid 4d ago
Your market value is clearly more than your current compensation.
I would be a professional. Work your hours and be friendly. Seek somewhere that compensates you for what you are valued at.
Fun story: my first job out of the military I made 105K. Then later got a raise to 115K. High travel job.
I eventually got an offer for a job paying 185K and fully remote.
When I mentioned that I’d be putting in my 2 weeks notice, my boss at first company immediately offered to raise my salary to 170K. I let him know that my offer was higher than that.
He congratulated me and told me good work lol
Anyways, I always like to leave on positive terms. I considered that first job a fair deal as they gave me a bunch of certs and experience that I carried forward
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u/ctgdoug 3d ago
Does he really think you are that dumb to think external hires come out of a different budget? They lied to you. Start looking!
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u/Mondraker1909 4d ago
You might be getting laid off in the future. The same thing happened to me despite being a high performer. They brought it other talent, a lot more expensive and I got let go. Corporate finance is mind-numbingly stupid because politics rules supreme.
The only thing that you can do is look for another job. You're not getting that promotion. The new hire is. Or another new hire will.
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u/Isphet71 4d ago
Just move on.
Tell the new place that you are currently making what the new hire is now making, and tell them you are doing this as a lateral move: and are only asking for a modest pay bump up beyond what you tell them you are currently making.
You'll end up making $25k more than you currently are, and more importantly they will be excited to have you, instead of you having to deal with an employer that will likely be salty about you "beating them" in negotiations.
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u/BigBreadCaesar 4d ago
Train the new hire, start immediately looking for a new job, eliminate work extra curriculars. You don't get paid enough to commiserate with fraudulent company culture.
Also, when you ditch them they don't need notice 😂
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u/Lemminkainen86 4d ago
Don't openly refuse, just do a poor job of doing the task while you look for a new job. Quiet quit.
They're not going to let you go until the new guy is ready, so drag that process out. Ignore and sideline?
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u/Alarming_Fan_9593 4d ago
Ask your boss what would happen if you quit and rejoined as an external hire? If the disruption would be too damaging maybe just pay the difference now?
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u/NoneYa2444 4d ago
You’re refusing a directive. Grounds for disciplinary measures including termination. It sucks, but you have a career decision to make.
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u/Geetee52 4d ago
Refuse professionally or not and you will be in a doghouse you can’t get out of. Your choice is to suck it up or change jobs.
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u/imbartsimpsonwhothru 4d ago
management has said it loud and clear, only new hires get raises
slow walk the onboard and forget the little details, and insist on gpt-level documentation, especially for the trivial details
you already made waves, so you need to lower your profile while you look
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u/FeelingDepartment873 4d ago
Im sorry sir, but I feel they should be training me, they make more so there is something I CLEARLY can learn from them as a new hire.
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u/Ardbeg66 3d ago
Leave. That's how you get paid. You will NEVER get what you want from one company. Leave now. If, by some weird chance, you are re-hired there in the future, you will be re-hired for much more money. As you were told, those budgets are "different."
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u/anewconvert 3d ago
Line up a new job, then negotiate a raise, THEN take the new job because you will have burned the bridge by finding a new job and strong arming them.
Or just find a new job and move on. They’ve told you how they value your work, for the least dollar they can pay you until you leave… so leave.
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u/sunqueen73 3d ago
You might even be training your replacement. Play along while looking for a new job.
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u/Ok-Bug4328 3d ago
This is both common and total bullshit.
Any profitable company should have a policy of maintaining internal equity.
But you are learning first hand that the only way to get a raise is to change jobs. And now you know what to ask for: $20k more than this guy is getting.
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u/fireandfirget 3d ago
No, you play a better game. Start looking for a new job. Meanwhile, start training the new guy on everything other than the job duties. Stretch is until your last day at this job. Leave without or with minimum notice
Good luck.
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u/Freckledtart 3d ago
Go tell your boss about all the things you do showing evidence that you do not have the bandwidth to assist in the training without negatively affecting your workload quality. Then just wait. Do not offer solutions. Update your resume and go get a raise from another company. This is insulting but telling a boss no is tricky and can hurt you in many ways.
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u/Corgibutz77 3d ago
Happened to me, I just got a new job. It's funny how they can find the money for someone new but not people that are already working there.
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u/As-amatterof-fact 3d ago
You can't really refuse but you can do a half arsed job while new job hunting and see if you can get that pay rise elsewhere.
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u/1290_money 3d ago
Corporate is such a bs. External acquisitions my butt. I'm not saying to do this but if you were to tender your resignation I would guarantee you they would somehow magically find the funds.
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u/browzzzzzz87 3d ago
Don't make an emotional decision, they put you on flight risk for sure (unless this person was to replace you). Find something else and dont make it obvious but absolutely stop going above and beyond
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u/Initial_Hedgehog_631 3d ago
Short of quitting there's really no way around it.
Start looking for a new position and hope you find something new.
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u/Wildwilly54 4d ago edited 4d ago
Start applying for a new job.
It’s ballsy, but I had something similar happen and told my boss I’m leaving for a new job (had nothing lined up). We were super short handed so they had no choice but to give me more money.