Experienced employee gets asked to train the new hire, leading him to discover the trainee is earning a higher salary: ‘I was honestly surprised the pay was this good for an entry-level gig’

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Emma Saven
Jun 19, 2025 4:00 PM EDT

How can you train someone to not take over your job, please and thank you?

Is there a lingering, unspoken worry that employees feel when they're asked to train a new hire, expected to pass on everything they've learned in just three days, when it took them 1,820 days to gain that knowledge? (Yes, that's five days a week for the last seven years. If you can't do the math, ask Matt's trainee in finance. He seems to know everything.)

Should your company be compensating you beyond your salary for your time and effort spent training someone else? Or is training something the company should be handling as a whole? Either way, as employees, we all have aspects of our jobs that we love, and others we could do without. Still, a job is a job, and we're responsible for meeting its expectations.

That said, if there's a part of us that feels like we're not truly receiving the fruits of our labor, it's important to face those feelings with honesty and speak up.

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  • An employee teaches his trainee all the tricks of the trade, only to be left confused and frustrated upon learning that the trainee already earns the big bucks, while he's left scrambling for more. What’s the best way to deal with this unfortunate duo? Go to the boss and insist on a raise, or sit there quietly and accept an unequal fate?

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    Cheezburger Image 10519019520
    via gettysignature

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

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    I trained my replacement. They pay him more.

    When our team started getting overwhelmed, management decided to bring someone new in. I've been here a few years, so
    via Weary-Admin
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    they asked me to train him. Said I "knew the job inside and out." So I walked him through everything how to handle the software
    via Weary-Admin
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    quirks, which clients need hand- holding, where all the unwritten rules are. I basically handed him a cheat code for the job. A few days
    via Weary-Admin
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    in, we were chatting during lunch and he casually said, "I was honestly surprised the pay was this good for an entry-level gig." I
    via Weary-Admin
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    paused. Asked what he meant. He told me his hourly rate. It was almost three bucks more than mine. I didn't say much after that.
    via Weary-Admin
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    Just smiled, nodded, and finished my lunch. But yeah. I guess loyalty just means doing more work for less money while someone else gets a better deal out of the gate.
    via Weary-Admin
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    No_Menu_6533 They've been underpaying you for 3 years they would have paid you what they - paid the new guy.
    via No_Menu_6533
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    Weary-Admin OP Yeah, that's what stings. They could have. They just didn't.
    via Weary-Admin
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    out_foxed_once_again "I would love to start training people, but I would need a raise." More duties, more pay, end of story. Lesson learned I guess.
    via out_foxed_once_again
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    Cheezburger Image 10519049728
    via wutzkoh
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    Personally I cut right to the chase and ask how much people get paid. If a new hire makes more than you and you'll both figure that out, then both of you know the company does not reward you fairly.
    via out_foxed_once_again
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    captain_andrey you get exactly the lowest amount you agree to
    via captain_andrey
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    Amosral Try not to resent that guy, he just did you a favour. You now know you need a raise or a new job.
    via amosral
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    Leading-Goal4433 Literally what's happening with my husband atm, HR guy told him wait another 3 months so they can "see where his loyalties lie" after almost 6 years WHILE hes training some guys and basically working as foreman, yeaa job hunting asap
    via Leading-Goal4433
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    Aggressive Ad211 I advise you to have a conversation and demand a higher wage and if they say no, you leave. And use company time to find a new job. Fick em
    via Aggressive_Ad211
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    No_Extent_2352 At my previous job, I trained my replacement during my two week notice period. I had been there for 6 years and they hired him from the outside at $10,000 more than I was making.
    via No_Extent_2352
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    UnitedLab6476 The budget for new hire salaries is always higher than raises. That's why job switchers usually end up making tons more money.
    via UnitedLab6476
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    Deivedux I still don't understand, why would they pay more for a less experienced employee?
    via Deivedux
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    Elise MidCiboire K....how many years exp does he have vs urs? If its 15 and ur at 5 ..
    via EliseMidCiboire
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    FluxMango You have to go for what you want and negotiate it. Remember that at the core a job is a business deal between two (or more) parties. The company will make you an
    via FluxMango
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    offer when you are hired. You could either accept that offer outright, or negotiate terns that work for you. Same when you seek a raise. Make sure
    via FluxMango
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    you document your accomplishments and your contributions to the bottom line. People will pay for value.
    via FluxMango

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