Company gives new hire $54k salary after he asked for $60k, get offended when he takes a $74k job offer 3 weeks later: 'I didn't have any other offers'

Ally Perry • Writer and Editor

Oct 17, 2026 11:15 AM EDT

Not a lot of people think their next job is going to be forever these days, but some are quicker to move on than others. When they aren't getting what they need from a role, they take their business elsewhere.

Moving on from a job that you no longer want to do is often easier said than done. It is no secret that it is a difficult time to be looking for work, and many people grow to get used to roles that they don't necessarily want to do for very long. What somebody once thought they wouldn't do for more than six months can turn into several years when they're not careful.

From an employee perspective, that makes it all the more admirable when a person realizes that a job is not for them and gets out of there sooner rather than later. Management probably isn't going to see it that way, though. It takes a lot of time and money to hire somebody, and if they make the wrong decision, that is a headache that is probably not going to go away quickly.

Ultimately, this is not the problem of an employee who is moving on to better things, but it does mean that choosing to leave a job quickly can come with some consequences. Quitting can prove to be difficult at the best of times, but when it happens before a worker has even properly settled, the shock can lead a boss to do some pretty crazy things.

*_{A manager leans and raises her hands towards a male employee who is sitting in front of her. Stock photography for depiction only.}*

A new hire had requested a higher salary than he had received, and the company told him they couldn't afford to pay any more. Between that and the commute, he decided that he should keep looking for work.

It was only a matter of weeks before he got another remote job offer with significantly higher pay than he had asked for in his current job. Although he was happy, his manager wasn't, and she gave him a piece of her mind when he rejected her offer to raise his salary to his initial request.

My manager got upset when I left after 3 weeks because I got a much better offer

I accepted a new job with a $54K salary after asking for $60K. They told me $54K was the maximum they could pay, and since I didn't have any other offers at the time, I accepted. The office was also about a 35 minute commute from my home each way.

Three weeks after I started, another company offered me $74K for a fully remote position. I had run through some mock questions on a few days earlier just to make sure I was completely ready for their hiring manager screen, and it clearly paid off. It didn't take much thought, so I accepted the new offer and told my current manager I was leaving.

She immediately said she might be able to get approval to raise my salary to $60K. I explained that the other offer was $20K higher than my current salary and didn't need me to commute every day. She admitted they couldn't even come close to that offer, then started lecturing me about all the training they had given me and how I was leaving the team while they were short staffed.

His former manager was left regretting the loss.

via cart47armory

It always pays to keep looking for better opportunities when you are not happy where you are, but the transition can sometimes be bumpy. So long as you're prepared for that, it is something that you can work with. Hopefully, the experience makes you stronger in the future. If a company gets to work in its own self-interest, then so does an employee.

*_{A close-up of a man in a shirt writing on some paper. Representative only.}*

Sometimes, they don't know what they've got until it's gone.

JackofAllVehicles I had a boss try to guilt trip me once. After working there for like 9 months i found a better job. Gave my 2 weeks and everything. He started saying i lied to him during the interview because i wasnt going to stay there forever. Guy was a clown

xl129 Why some people are so silly. My teammate left for a better paid position this month and I was like: "great! Now i have a new contact at a company that can offer competitive salary"

I spent the whole month making departure as cômfortable as possible for her. That's how you ensure people remember you when something good coming up.

The red flags were there from the start.

Alarm-Solid The second she started lecturing id walk out. They low balled you and now want to pretend you owe them something for it. I'll bet they have trouble filling the spot because of their salary if nothing else

via ArrivalFantastic4324

Consistent-Movie-229 They tried to bargain hunt by offering you the 54k and then suddenly decide your worth the 60k when you decided to leave. You need to let them know that you would have stopped job hunting if they offered what you asked for.

The ability to end a contract went both ways.

knoxcos It's never personal when you're let go for the business interest, but they always act deeply and personally offended when you do what's best for you and your family. Congratulations on your new position.

MidtownKC Anyone's going to be a little miffed at that, but that's life. She's just annoyed that she has to do that part of her job again. Not a "you" problem. As for her scoping your LinkedIn page - she's probably looking for a way out herself.

Random_Guy1960 You don't owe them a thing beyond a thank you for hiring you and an apology for leaving as that certainly was not your intention. You're a professional, move on and quit looking in the rear view mirror.

They had made an investment that didn't pay off.

Commercial-Yam-4378 They invest onboarding and training in you and you bounced. Of course they're disappointed It seems a little odd how you're reacting to that. Interviewing, training. All that sh.. takes time.

That said, you were offered a significantly better job, take it. Try to navigate this in the future to avoid this. It IS kind of a douch move. Or be upfront "I'll accept this lower salary but I may have other offers coming in".

Brownie-0109 Supply and demand, baby. It's economics. As long as this remains a free market, there'll be instances like this.

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