Jobs. They’re like video games but they’re not fun and mandatory for survival. So navigating work is important, and sometimes we need help! If you wanna ask folks how to get that spreadsheet running, how to change careers, or how to avoid that write-up becoming something more- this is the place to do that!
Rule for this thread- be nice!
I am about to receive an offer to work in the same role at a different place for more money… but I’d rather stay where I am. Has anyone leveraged a competing offer to get a raise at their current job? Any advice?
If you need me to talk about how much I loathe my job, just reach out.
Start with your trusted faces at work. Ask them if they have. Then talk directly with your manager matrix manager. This would be my advice. I would not even bring up the compeating offer at first. Be ready to talk about how you have exceeded in your role. The extra work you do, the stuff you take out outside the libe of your contract. Any big project goals you have scored and geedback. Know what you want from your role if its money or benifits.
You can do your research into similar job offers in the same role. And looking into a new role at your current place. I find that they seem to think managing a person is worth 20k more… whoo-
there is a nervousness about telling them about the other offer. i would contextualize it (i didnt apply, and they are attempting to poach me), but there is the feeling that they may attempt to call my bluff (the other job is far away and the environment seems kinda toxic so i don’t really want it) which’ll leave me stuck with the job i dont want (the other offer). in that sense, it isn’t worth it, but it would also be a benefit to my family if i made more money. i also was committed an assistant months ago and frankly if they gave me the assistant, I think I could do this job for a really long time. so i have had the thought about making the conversation about fulfilling that commitment instead of a raise.
The advice I’ve been given in the past is to be very careful about leveraging a competing offer, because even if your present company enters a bidding war for you and makes an offer you want to take, you may be internally marked as more expendable to the company because you’ve been willing to leave before–so you may be passed over for opportunities or find you are first to go if layoffs come. I think @Bliceheart has a great idea here–go in and talk about the value you’ve brought to the company, and put your needs in terms of market value without mentioning a competing offer. “Presently, the median wage for someone with my experience would be X. I’d like to talk about bringing my compensation up to match the industry standard.”
HELP I need work advice. Well, I need help with work. If anyone is good at math and/or Excel, I could use a hand figuring something out.
What do you need to do? Half my job is dealing with excel sheets and report data, and I used to handle grant funds so I’m familiar with accounting math if that helps.
i also do excel stuff if you need a hand
Any suggestions on how to not be stupidly bored/ maintain motivation at work?
i will procrastinate if i dont create some structure to my day. i frequently make checklists of my goals for any given day. if i am really lacking motivation, i will order my checklist from easiest to hardest and start with easiest. sometimes i’ll even treat myself after completing a goal. it’s basic, but it does work for me.
I find I just can’t sit there for the whole time. I have to do something else. Today I finished half hour early as I felt if I had to keep looking at the screen I was gonna put it through a window.
Any social workers here? I’ve been working in the mental health/substance use disorder realm for the past 10 years and wondering if anyone else is doing this.
I’m a visiting social worker so I go to my client’s homes (sometimes campsites) and meet to talk about coping skills, meds, case management or just give them a ride somewhere.
Not a social worker, but I’m a SUDS counselor, and all I can say is…higher power love you. My last workplace thought we could do it without you, and lost nearly the entire team to burnout.
Yeah, places like to cut costs which usually does not end well. I work for a community mental health center so turnover and burn out is common.
Oh man. All the respect in the world to you–community mental health is so badly needed and so poorly handled. The super frustrating part is that so many bosses seem to think any talk about change automatically means big stuff like pay raises, 4-day workweeks, etc. that they can’t change, so there’s no point in even trying. And I’m routinely in their office going “you can’t reform the workweek, but have you ever considered what it would mean for my burnout if you just supported my clinical judgment on who is and isn’t capable of being in group counseling?”
Thank you! It’s a tough job that doesn’t pay that great. I’m lucky though because I work 4x10hr days and can flex my time, occasionally work from home, and my boss told me I’m allowed to play video games or go shopping during breaks. Sometimes I don’t have breaks but can usually park somewhere and pick up my Switch or go window shopping at a thrift store for 20 min.
I’m kind of stuck though because the only way to make decent money would be to get a masters and be a therapist which I’m not sure I want to do. Grad school is a lot of money and stress and being someone with a serious mental illness I have to be careful about stress. Other jobs posted online don’t pay much better and/or they’re something that I don’t want to do.
I do think about going back to my old career (lab tech for a biotech company) but I hated those jobs and was treated like garbage.
Yeah, I feel like your clinical judgement should be trusted. Sorry your bosses suck.
I’m in a similar boat with looking to the future, so I completely sympathize! I love what I do, even if I hate the systems I do it in, but I know I’ve got to diversify some options to help me stay running long-term. Trying to look for something that hits the balance between “what will I not passionately hate for 40 hours a week” with “what would be a sufficient return on the student loan debt I’d take on” is no joke, and of course, getting a master’s is also more time and stress on top of the very stressful jobs you and I already have. 
I’m really glad you at least have a boss who is willing to give you some flexibility. That can be key to maintaining your sanity.
Are you thinking of grad school?
I have a vacation coming up so feeling like I want to quit could be burnout from not having a break in a while. Do you have any vacations planned?
Im glad you like your job! Its a great field for sure.
I’m looking at grad school for sure–it looks like there’s some online schools that would be fairly cheap, all things considered, but I’m not a fan of writing clinical notes all day and then going home and writing papers. So, my backup plan is to stumble into some form of notoriety that gets me an honorary degree. That plan is still firmly in the “step 2, ??? step 3, profit!” stage…
I’m really glad you’re taking a vacation! I’m really trying to be better about taking planned time off myself. I keep reminding myself of how important it is and then getting overwhelmed with everything to do, then putting it off. No fun for anyone that way! I hope your time off is fantastic and relaxing.