'He can't justify giving me a raise': Two-faced boss gives employee glowing mid-year review, then denies him a raise for not going "above and beyond"

Advertisement
  • 01
    MISS 2117 -17541
  • 02
    Didn't get a raise because I "only" did what was expected of me
  • 03
    Hey guys, I have been working in this company (unnamed bank in Canada) as a junior software developer for about 1 year since I graduated May 2023. As an intern for the first half and a full time employee since September.
  • 04
    I have a degree (B. Eng.) in computer engineering. My current salary is already lower than the average new graduate in my year (university stats).
  • 05
    Last week, my manager had the "mid-year employee review" with me where he said that he (and my team/the seniors) have no complaints about my output and I'm fulfilling the expectations, but he "can't justify giving me a raise" because I didn't do anything more than what's expected of me and basically they know I have "more potential".
  • 06
    The truth is that yes I could do more but I purposely and calculatedly do exactly what my job is and not much more. I have heard too many stories of people doing more for their work for absolutely no recognition and it's only my first year here.
  • 07
    I asked to schedule a meeting with him to clarify how one gets a promotion and what "expectations" they have of me and essentially to know what is needed for a raise normally... but just wanted to know how common this type of thing is?
  • 08
    R- Dragon_Thunderzord ⚫ 23 hr. ago. edited 23 hr. ago Real raises come from changing jobs and companies.
  • 09
    Before leaving though may wanna check your offer letter etc. about conditions attached to leaving before 1 year to see how it might affect you eg. Vacation payout etc.
  • 10
    But it's common in business for companies to expect to exploit people in this way, carrot and stick, maybe I'll pay you more if you give me more productivity now,
  • 11
    etc. but then why give you a raise later when that makes you less valuable to them (utility per dollar). Or people who make themselves way too valuable for their role and pay suddenly find they can't get promoted or change positions in the company because of the same issue, made yourself too much of a bargain to pay more or transfer out of your role.
  • 12
    Pahlevun OP. 22 hr. ago Yeah but the thing is outside the pay situation I do like this company. They loved me during my internship and the lower management (and seniors) really put in a good word for me so that higher management 'frees up more budget' so that I could get a full time position after my graduation.
  • 13
    I'm not trying to act like some "I want to be loyal to them and repay them" type, I'm just saying ideally I'd stay here if pay isn't a big issue.
  • 14
    Then again this might be a very restrictive mentality for me to have early in my career? I don't know adulting man.
  • 15
    Short-While3325. 23 hr. ago Once you start doing more, they'll move the goalpost again. Probably to "It's not in the budget right now.. but we appreciate all the extra work." The thing is, once you started doing the extra work, you're expecting to keep doing it or else they'll say it's insubordination. I had a job do this to me until I quit. Job hop or it will drive you insane chasing a raise they never planned on giving.
  • 16
    ConsistentlyWinter⚫ 23 hr. ago They're guilt tripping you into getting you to do more. You can probably job hop and get a raise for the same role in a different company. Don't let these corpos gaslight you into giving more than what they pay for.
  • 17
    Nevermind04.21 hr. ago This isn't the 1970s. Raises don't come from doing a good job anymore, they come from leveraging your years of experience towards a higher starting wage somewhere else.
  • 18
    AnotherYadaYada 23 hr. ago Yeah. Get you to do more with absolutely no promises after doing it.
  • 19
    cliopedant 20 hr. ago When I (briefly) worked in the corporate tech world, the guide for us was that if we wanted the promotion and raise, we had to perform at that level for 6 months. So you would have to go outside the bounds of your job to get the promotion. We would also have to write 30+ page promo packets that were distributed to people who would decide if we'd get the promotion.
  • 20
    The advice I got from one of my peers was to just interview for a new job somewhere else, because that's a lot easier than getting an internal promotion.

Tags

Scroll Down For The Next Article