Should I stay or should I go?

szam_

Just to add, you may also find, depending on the size of the company, that there is a company policy/restriction to how much you can have your pay risen by in one go/in a year. I believe it's somewhere around 7% a year maximum where I work - that includes being promoted (for example, earn 20k a year, new job is worth 35k, but you can only go up 7% to 21.4k for the first year of that new role.)

The only way you can earn the rate an external candidate will get is to leave and hope another position comes up in the future. This has been done a few times from what I hear however.

If the above similarly applies where you work, you wouldn't be looking at that big of an increase anyway.

HollieRox

Yes, leave. You deserve better.

That's a really low paid reception job for London. I have had 2 receptionist jobs in London, one at 25k and one at 28k. Find something better.

Tiddlywinks

No. Stick it out until you find something better.

HollieRox wrote: »

That's a really low paid reception job for London. I have had 2 receptionist jobs in London, one at 25k and one at 28k. Find something better.

The OP is in Bristol not London.

BunnieJ

That's a really low paid reception job for London. I have had 2 receptionist jobs in London, one at 25k and one at 28k. Find something better.

I moved from just outside London to Bristol. The lowest salary I've earnt in £14,600 for a receptionist position, so I do think that this particular job is underpaid in general (considering it's right in the city centre).

My friend works as an admin and started on £16k. In 2 years it has gone up to £20k! That's at least the kind of salary I would be looking for to do an admin job.

Some of my colleagues have been on the reception desk for 10 years and still only get the same rate as me! The only person to ever get a pay rise was the head receptionist, and only because she was promoted!

There is nowhere else for me to go in this job, so it's sit tight and keep looking elsewhere I think!

HollieRox

Yes, leave. You deserve better.

Sorry I misread it as the other way around.

BunnieJ

So the two most popular choices so far are:

1) Stay put until I find another job
2) Ask for a pay rise, then leave if they say no

HELP?!

I don't think I would just leave and throw away a job when I don't have one to go to, however, I really feel let down by my company and would feel even worse if they said no to a pay increase!

Tiddlywinks

No. Stick it out until you find something better.

BunnieJ wrote: »

So the two most popular choices so far are:

1) Stay put until I find another job
2) Ask for a pay rise, then leave if they say no

HELP?!

I don't think I would just leave and throw away a job when I don't have one to go to, however, I really feel let down by my company and would feel even worse if they said no to a pay increase!

This isn't about what others think - do what YOU think is best for YOU.

bluenoseam

You were happy with the pay award I guess when you got it right? The only thing that has changed is two people have since started who rejected that pay award & demanded more for their services. Ultimately they had the bottle to ask for more before starting & got it, have to say £13.5k for a role in London isn't something I'd even begin to consider!

Problem is you have zero bargaining position here, none whatsoever - so your "ultimatum" is very hollow & empty from an employers standpoint. Simply if you issue that not only do you find yourself unemployed, but you find yourself labeled as divisive in the workplace, uncompromising & unprofessional - all of which can & will in worst case scenario be written about you in a reference. From your position it would be significantly better for you if you let this drop for now, look at getting a new job as quickly as possible & leave them without making any further waves.

Just my own two cents, you're the one in the situation.

BunnieJ

bluenoseam wrote: »

You were happy with the pay award I guess when you got it right? The only thing that has changed is two people have since started who rejected that pay award & demanded more for their services. Ultimately they had the bottle to ask for more before starting & got it, have to say £13.5k for a role in London isn't something I'd even begin to consider!

Problem is you have zero bargaining position here, none whatsoever - so your "ultimatum" is very hollow & empty from an employers standpoint. Simply if you issue that not only do you find yourself unemployed, but you find yourself labeled as divisive in the workplace, uncompromising & unprofessional - all of which can & will in worst case scenario be written about you in a reference. From your position it would be significantly better for you if you let this drop for now, look at getting a new job as quickly as possible & leave them without making any further waves.

Just my own two cents, you're the one in the situation.

To clarify: THE JOB IS NOT IN LONDON! IT IS IN BRISTOL!

I didn't chose the salary, nor did the staff they recently employed. The salary they have been given is the standard starting salary for all their front of house staff within that company.

The company I originally got the job with was taken over and I had to TUPE across to the new one. I had asked for £14-15k when I was interviewed (as I was currently on that wage before I moved to Bristol) but I get slightly less as I only work 35 hrs.

Admittedly, I did make the ultimate decision to take the slightly lower hours/wages so I could move in with my OH, but I never expected new staff to come in and jump up their salary by £4k! :mad:

I don't want to cause any problems/ill-feeling within the company or be seen as unprofessional, but I can't stand the fact that the person sat next to me is on around £1/per more than me for doing the same job!

On the other hand, I've been getting on well and making friends here, finally feeling settled since I moved away from home and in with my OH. I could end up going for a new job just to get more money and find I don't fit in at all. Then I'm stuck in another crappy job! At least being in my current job I get on with everyone and don't hate being at work, it's just the pay discrepancy!

bluenoseam

My appologies, I had read it was Bristol not London but the fact escaped my mind during my reply. Again though, I'll point out the obvious, while it grates on you that someone else is being paid more than you for the same job, professionalism dictates you should keep that to yourself. If you start kicking up a fuss there's no two ways about it you WILL be stirring up all those sorts of problems, albeit very briefly! The reason I say that is reading to me (and correct me if I'm wrong) it looks like you've been there 7 months, which isn't anywhere near long enough for you to have any protection beyond "protected characteristics". That's the point where I'd be kinda nervous about raising any issues as if it's only been the 7 months, it's easier to sack you than deal with you - in which case you lose everything AND have a dismissal on record.

You also sound like you're somewhat reluctant to change jobs incase you "don't fit in", now that's something you'll need to learn to get over quickly. Comfort is good, but in life you're going to need to leave your comfort zone from time to time, the flipside is that you don't know if a new job might not be the best thing since sliced bread. Unless you take that leap you'll never know.