Submitted by MaxP on
in
Forums
The subject title is not a joke, it's something about which I've worried a lot recently.
My boss is getting ready to spend political capital on a promotion for myself to technical team manager. I've been consistently communicating my ongoing commitment to perform and advance within our company.
My family has income needs (details below) that might or might not be met by any near term promotion.
I work in a company of 20 employees. I've been subject to 12 years' salary compression, and 'title compression' over the past 18 months due to situational factors around an acquisition. It's been a challenging period in a larger team, I've grown a lot and I believe I'm ready to take the next step. Following a recent large win and further positive structural changes as the company expands, indications are accumulating that I may be promoted to a technical team manager role in the next 60 days.
Such a promotion would of course be a wonderful opportunity which I would gratefully embrace if that is possible.
Our Managing Director faces substantial medium term pressure to minimize operational cost expansion. It might be considered normal to minimize immediate pay increase while also granting a higher title. Our team have all been told that we are in a period of constrained pay increases.
My family is suffering reduced opportunity and marital strain due to a 30% shortfall between my income and our essential needs. Under that term I include no flatscreen TV's or restaurant dinners, but items like debt reduction, childcare and education to help my wife recover a badly compromised career. I estimate I could more than meet these needs by changing employers.
My question is -
Under what circumstances might it be ok to say (and mean) that I'm resolved to stay/advance at my company, while suspecting that imminent developments may lead to a change in this view? I feel very concerned about the chance of letting my boss champion a promotion if it ends so quickly in such a fashion.
I have communicated, right up to the limits of what I would consider professionally advisable, concerns about my company's ability to promote internally and compensate competitively. We may be at the beginning of a growth period I would hate to miss, and I fear I may find myself with little choice but to move on.
Any perspective or advice the community can offer would be greatly appreciated.
- EDIT -
Some time to reflect, and a PM or two, have settled my mind on this. I'll go easy till the facts are in.
I really appreciate that the forum is here to air these matters.
Also, for the benefit of anyone else experiencing something similar, there's a podcast I reached just in time. While the title might not seem like an exact fit, in fact the ideas in that cast made a substantial contribution and anyone else in a similar situation should absolutely check it out: