Would you tell your boss if you're looking for a new job?

MisChief

MisChief

MisChief

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As per title. I love the company I work for, I enjoy my work, but I don't get paid enough for the amount of work I do. Plenty of opportunities to progress in this company - but it is a slow process getting there.

I feel like I've wasted enough time already and would like to move onto bigger and better things. My boss and my team are brilliant - but I don't know if I should tell them that I'm looking for a new job? Payrise and a promotion is unlikely - due to the large size of this company, there is a strict process and career structure that they simply won't give payrises/promotions to people who threaten to leave. They have lost a lot of intelligent and hardworking people due to this stupid process/structure.

I don't know what to do :o
 
What on earth do you think you'd gain by telling them that? You've already said they won't give you a pay rise/promotion because of it. You can always apply for a job at your current employer once you've left them for a reasonable period of time (6 months+ I'd say).
 
You will gain nothing by telling your current employer, make sure you do your research and go for some interviews,you dont tell your employer anything until you have a written job offer in your hand.

Money isnt everything though.... depends how underpaid you are.
 
Why not just ask for a pay rise?

I made it quite clear that with my marketing degree, this security job was only to earn a living until I get the job I'm looking for....that was in July lol

As soon as I get a job in advertising, I'm out of here. Especially since most of the interviews I've had are 17k+ and only involve working 9-5 and not Christmas lol
 
I don't think you need to tell him you are looking but certainly tell him your concerns. It might be that the issues can be resolved. You enjoy your work which counts for a lot. The grass isn't always greener.

How long have you been at your current job? With the things the way they are, you might be best staying put for a while. A job that pays is better than no job at all, which could happen if you leave, then the company lays people off.. It does happen.
 
Best bet is to mention you feel underpaid when you have a review. He may well just ignore it or may talk to you a bit.

Companies always say things like no pay rises but I have yet to find one who hasn't paid people they want to keep more money at the drop of a hat.

Currently the job market is pretty stagnant, lots of people just aren't leaving, some security once you clock up 2 years you get some redundancy etc, you cannot be let go for no real reason.
Depends on your personal circumstances a lot
 
Large company where you aren't going to be missed, no chance.

Small company where you're a key player, depends if you want to drop them in it or not.
 
Only time I'd mention it is if I was trying to negotiate a pay rise. As others have said, a lot depends on how important you are to the company. If you are a key part, then they will do whatever they can to keep you and it's often a way of obviously upping your pay if somebody else is trying to poach you.

I've also been in a position where they could technically replace me with somebody else, and in such a case it's good to know what rival companies are paying their staff in the same role if you can. If you've been offered jobs elsewhere, even if you don't take them this can also be quite a handy bargaining tool for a rise.

Ultimately though if you are looking for a new job because you don't like it, then don't mention anything and try and find something else.
 
I told my boss, and they were so afraid of losing me, they offered me another £10k and an extra weeks holiday! :D













That may or may not be a complete lie.
 
robskinner said:
Best bet is to mention you feel underpaid when you have a review. He may well just ignore it or may talk to you a bit.
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I've kinda had my review.
This is how it works.... We have an annual review and get our own individual rating of 1,2 or 3.

1 = You're doing a bad job, you better improve or you'll get asked to resign.
2 = You're doing good job, keep it up.
3 = You're doing a fantastic job, you're going to get a pay rise and promoted to the next 'level' within your role.

My boss kept telling me how great I have been - but because my review was not based on a full year (I started the company a few months after the fiscal year began), I am given a 2 rating by 'default'. This is apparently to ensure all the newbies are treated fairly.... So, now I have to wait another year for a review. And tbh, this has annoyed me quite a bit.

Me and my boss get along very well, I just thought that maybe if I tell him I'll be looking elsewhere for a job then that would at least prepare him for when/if I do finally leave - and not give me work that requires too much responsibility. At the moment I do a lot of work that only I understand what to do. I was thinking perhaps this would take some weight off my shoulders and share some of the responsibility with the team so that they're not all relying on me all the time.
 
Don't tell them you're leaving and don't use the threat of leaving to get a pay rise - it might well work but it isn't the optimum way in general and means you're having to constantly battle them over money. Better to ask for a meeting, share your concerns about pay and ask what you can do from your side to rectify it - if you're underpaid they might review but tis best to be pro active, offer to add more value yourself as it will make it easier for your boss to argue your case to his superiors. If that approach doesn't work and you are genuinely underpaid then you should be able to find a better paid job elsewhere - if you can't then perhaps consider that you're not necessarily underpaid.
 
Nexus said:
If you are a key part, then they will do whatever they can to keep you
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It's just not as clear cut as this.

Your employer has to believe you will actually change jobs and that you have the means to do so. For example, if you you live in a crap/economically challenged area, you don't drive and there is no tube/bus/etc then your employer may believe you simply have no option other than to stay in the area and thus, will likely, remain in employment with them.

Look after number one; don't mention you are looking for a new job until it's been offered but do mention, at some point, you feel you are not getting market rate for your ability/experience/etc.
They can't act surprised then when you tell them you're offski :)
 
Nope - I wouldn't tell. If you don't get yourself another job, your boss is likely (though not necessarily) to keep you at arms length and even less likely to offer you more responsibility or a chance of progression. Furthermore, humans being humans, would probably outcast you slightly.

Until you get yourself a confirmed offer, then there's no reason to share that. It could backfire on you, and others could potentially undermine your position currently.

I'd certainly approach them about development and progression, but sometimes change is good - people get too comfortable in jobs they don't love, but just get on with because they feel safe and secure.

Work doesn't owe you anything, fidelity to an employer isn't always conducive to progression/happiness.
 
MisChief said:
Me and my boss get along very well, I just thought that maybe if I tell him I'll be looking elsewhere for a job then that would at least prepare him for when/if I do finally leave - and not give me work that requires too much responsibility. At the moment I do a lot of work that only I understand what to do. I was thinking perhaps this would take some weight off my shoulders and share some of the responsibility with the team so that they're not all relying on me all the time.
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From that it sounds as if you'd essentially be writing yourself out of your role, if the management is aware that you're planning to leave in the (not too distant) future then you're right they probably will try to take responsibility off you but it's then in their interests to replace you sooner rather than later - you're a demotivated worker to them and someone who has expressed a desire to go elsewhere. Whether you will continue to give the job your all or not probably isn't important to the perception that you're now actively trying to leave. It's nice that you're trying to think of the team and not leaving them in the lurch but fundamentally you've also got to consider your position, you could suggest to your boss that you feel the workload is a little bit unbalanced or that you're worried about a lack of resilience should you not be around to do your work for a period so can you explain it to someone else in the team and have them provide cover but I don't think I'd say that it was because I was intending to leave - there's ways to address the problem without causing another issue for yourself.

If you've got no doubts you'll be able to leave in the next say 3 months and you want to give them a bit of advance notice then that's up to you but if you're possibly going to be leaving at some indeterminate point in the future then I'd be less inclined to say something unless you're trying to use it as a bargaining chip to get a raise. If you think a raise is possible and that would satisfy you but you aren't bothered if you have to move on should the gamble of mentioning it not pay off then by all means say so but otherwise I probably wouldn't.

With that said when I've been asked by my current bosses what my plans are for the future I've tended to be quite vague because I don't know what I'll be doing. It's a slightly different situation for me though as I'm on a graduate scheme with a fairly definite end point after which to get a full time job there, I don't mind staying where I am provided a suitable role is available but equally if asked I've said that I have considered moving abroad and they've been fine with that.
 
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