Broken promise of a raise should spur job search

J.T.: As long as it doesn’t interfere with your ability to do your current job, there is no downside to researching other employers and doing informational interviews. However, your father has a point: While pay is always an important factor in choosing a job, it’s not the only one. There are times when a low-paying job has high-level financial advantages. That happens when you are a kind of apprentice, earning a low salary but also getting an education around job skills or meeting people who can be of great help to you later.

DALE: I hear about such relationships with certain professionals, like artists or architects. In the corporate setting, however, the “apprenticeship” position could be an urban myth. The same employer who squeezes you on salary is likely to squeeze you on training and introductions.

J.T.: It all comes down to weighing your options. That is why, Erin, you should go ahead and explore what’s available to you. Without options, you are trapped. The worst that can happen in looking for a new employer is that you either find a better one, or realize that the one you have is actually the one you want.

Dear J.T. & Dale: I am a struggling single mom. Five years ago I started at my current company as a receptionist. I eventually became office manager. Previous office managers made almost double my salary. When I got behind on rent, I went to my boss and asked for a small raise. He declined and stated that my landlord should lower my rent. I ended up being evicted. I can’t afford the Internet or a cellphone. In your opinion, is $9.50 an hour considered underpaid for my position? — Cindee

DALE: The simple answer is yes, I consider you underpaid. How much depends on your qualifications and your local labor market. The easiest way to learn how much you’re underpaid is by following postings for similar positions. Meanwhile, let’s develop a goal for your income: Go to the Living Wage Calculator (livingwage.mit.edu). It defines, by city, typical expenses and what you must earn to support a family. If, say, you are a household of one adult and one child in Fort Collins, Colo., your Poverty Wage is $7 an hour, while your Living Wage is $20.28. So, taking $20+/hour as a goal, how can you get there?

J.T.: It certainly isn’t going to be by begging your current boss for a raise.

DALE: Agreed. We could offer you negotiating tips, but even a generous raise of 20 percent isn’t going to get you to that goal, and nothing you told us about your boss leads us to be optimistic that he would be generous.

J.T.: No, your only hope of dramatically improving your income is switching jobs. You are going to need to find a way to get out and interview while keeping your current job; you may need to call in sick to get the time to interview.

DALE: As you get hiring managers interested, they’ll ask what you’ve been making. Here’s where your research will be helpful. Try saying: “I’m looking for a new job because I was not able to advance my career and my salary at my old job. I am looking to make what is fair for my experience and skills, and from my research, I think $X-$Y an hour is about right. What do you think?”

J.T.: Yes, debate fairness, not your old wage. When you do, we feel confident that X and Y are going to be considerably more than you’ve been making. Let us know how it goes.