Overworked engineer gets passed up for promotion, uses company training to secure 200% raise at new job: 'That's more than I make'

After four years of grinding for a defense contractor, one engineer finally hit his breaking point. He'd done everything right by climbing the ranks, leading a team that built a system bringing in $1.6 million in its first year, securing a company patent, and even getting flown to D.C. for a Defense Department award. His annual review was a flawless 10/10, but his raise? The same 3% everyone else got.

To add insult to injury, a member of his own team (who had a different manager) was promoted instead. When he asked why, his boss said, "I didn't think they deserved it either, but I'm not their boss. Try again next year." That was the last straw.

He didn't quit outright; he quiet quit. No late nights, no unpaid travel, no heroic overtime. Instead, he used the company's own resources to his advantage, signing up for every paid class he could. Within months, he built up his skills, applied elsewhere, and landed a job paying double his salary — with overtime that brought it to nearly triple.

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