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Little bit of background here.

My direct manager had rejected my request for pay increment few months back without 1. Giving me a proper explanation of the reason to the rejection, 2. Considering my proposals to take up more job responsibilities in order to justify the increment.

As much as I'm aware, the main reason to his behavior is largely due to the fact that he has earned a rather infamous reputation for his string unimpressive performance, including the failure to meet sales target. Also that I've had an 20% adjustment a year ago. Although it may sound a lot in paper, the actual amount barely meets the entry level of my job responsibilities after going thru all the salary benchmark reports. Happened to know that majority of my peers are getting paid higher considering I'm one of the better performer amongst the team as claimed by my direct manager.

Right now, I really love the current field of work and would definitely feel a lot more motivated with another 10%+ pay adjustment. So much so that I'm considering to approach my VP directly in order to send the message across.

What would you do given my situation? Is there any better approach to deal with this?

Thanks!

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    Not a dupe of that. Asking boss' boss for a raise is nothing like going over your boss' head in a volunteer job. The reasons are different, the dynamic is different and the resolution must be different because of what's being asked in both cases.
    – Chris E
    Oct 13, 2016 at 16:46
  • Why were you going through the salary reports? This is not something developer normally has access to.
    – HLGEM
    Oct 13, 2016 at 18:02
  • Thanks for the advice Christopher and HLGEM! Actually learnt about my peers salaries from their own words, it's a closely knitted team with the exception of the direct manager who actually just joined us recently :) Oct 14, 2016 at 0:39

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I really love the current field of work and would definitely feel a lot more motivated with another 10%+ pay adjustment. So much so that I'm considering to approach my VP directly in order to send the message across.

What would you do given my situation?

You want to go over the head of the manager who gave you a 20% raise last year, and ask his boss for another 10% ?

In my opinion, that would be a huge mistake. Going over your bosses head is almost certain to have negative repercussion for you, both from your boss, and from the VP.

You boss will resent your play for obvious reasons. And the VP will immediately go to your boss and ask about you. Can you imagine how your boss will respond? In a power play between you and your boss, you think the VP will take your side rather than the side of the person who works for him directly?

Is there any better approach to deal with this?

You deal with it in one of two ways

  • You work hard, prove your worth, and negotiate the best raises you can from your boss
  • You quit and find a job elsewhere. If you can't convince yourself to be motivated without a 10% raise, this may be your only real option
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  • The getting a new job is the better advice here. Be wise, and dot not accept counter-offers, it wont go well after that. Oct 13, 2016 at 18:24
  • Thanks Joe and Rui, will definitely think it through again. The current manager joined for barely a year and it was the previous VP who actually fought for my adjustment. Both direct manager and VP are rather new :) Oct 14, 2016 at 0:42
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Is there any better approach to deal with this?

Yes, there is. There is only two realistic ways you might get more money that I can think of. Both of which are only worth trying if a raise is a deal breaker for you.

Give your boss an ultimatum that if you don't get a raise you'll be out the door. I've had varying success with that strategy and you need to be serious and highly valued. Which quite frankly I don't see from your brief question, but you'd know better than me. If you're confident with this, then you might as well go for gold and ask for more than 10%.

Secondly get a new job, you don't have anything to lose with this strategy because you say you're being underpaid for your role as it is.

I would think that going over your bosses head with vague assurances of 'taking on more responsibility' is almost certain to fail unless you have a relationship of some sort with the VP, and it will cause issues between you and your boss whether it works or not.

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  • Thanks for the advice Kilisi! Leaving the company because of the direct managers inability and Oct 14, 2016 at 0:46
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    It will be disappointing to leave the company due to my direct managers inability to lead or direct the department, and also his lack of gesture to even rationalize my request at all. Agree with you that bypassing could be the last straw but might well worth a try if by doing nothing it means leaving the company eventually ;) Oct 14, 2016 at 0:49
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I can tell you right now that this question is going to be closed, because we can't possibly know all the politics / dynamics of your workplace, but I'll express my thought on the matter:

If you go over your boss's head, you're going to make an enemy of him, and the VP may not appreciate your move that much either.

If, on the other hand, you're the top performer on the team, and are ready to walk away, you might get a benefit from pushing your luck in this manner.

Frankly, if you're dissatisfied, and your boss is an under-performing grouch you should probably be looking for a new job, because after you pull this stunt things are only going to go downhill between the two of you.

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  • Or perhaps the boss turned him down because he knows that another pay raise would never get approved so shortly after the 20% raise.
    – HLGEM
    Oct 13, 2016 at 18:04
  • Thanks Andrei! Am thinking of probably talking to my direct manager for one more time to let him know I'll be bypassing him eventually, if he still refuse to even rationalize my request :) Oct 14, 2016 at 0:50

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