A little background: I have 15+ years of experience in my field (A/E/C marketing) and applied and got, a job in a regional office of a well-respected firm. The position and job description was for a more junior role, but once they saw what I could bring, they were excited by the opportunities, as I was. My prior firm was poorly managed and failing and this couldn’t have happened at a better time, but I took a 37% pay cut! I have an out-of-state boss and a regional principal that feed me work (about 70/30%).
HR and my out-of-state boss stated that they couldn’t change the title or pay as that what was approved and budgeted (I never did believe this). They did offer yearly and quarterly bonuses and mentioned in previous years they were nearly 20% but they couldn’t guarantee what the future will hold. They both said that they’d re-title the position in January when they adjusted everyone’s salary. Nothing in writing, nor do I recall words like might, could, perhaps, etc. (although a valuable lesson was learned)
During the ensuing months of work since I started, my out-of-state boss has mentioned me handling marketing more regionally – Which is what I thought was the long-term plan. Well, In January, my out-of-state boss said that there was to be no title change and the pay increase was 3%. To date, the total of my bonuses has been 2.6% of my yearly salary. By the way, my review was very good and I’ve brought some sizable wins to the firm, but my out-of-state boss never bothered to write any comments on the review forms nor is there a process for my comments. I made it very clear with my out-of-state boss during my review that this was not what we had planned, and you know I took a beating on the salary with the promise of a better future.
Since this news, I’ve been asked to do more corporate work and to continue to be involved in helping the regional offices. I now have my regional boss asking for my advice and help in long-term strategy. Do I mention to her the issues I’m having? Do I go back to HR as I don’t know if they are fully aware of the situation. Or do I just leave (as others have in the past) Thoughts?
Volunteer
Feb 1, 17 2:43 pm
A 37% pay cut is absurd. Have them match your old salary plus 10%. On a month-to-month basis your new adjusted salary is still not much. If they don't think you are worth it after a couple of months you can part company (give adequate notice). HR is for idiots (kudos to a line from a Clint Eastwood movie). HR will do whatever they are told to do. Honestly no company worth a s - - - would have low-balled you that way. They must have seen you fall off the turnip truck.
Josh Mings
Feb 1, 17 2:50 pm
I never would have taken such a pay cut. Volunteer is on point.
SneakyPete
Feb 1, 17 4:45 pm
HR isn't there to help you, HR is there to protect the company.
Quentin
Feb 1, 17 4:58 pm
Abandon ship.
midlander
Feb 2, 17 12:44 am
giving up income to pursue freelance work or get your firm started makes sense, and maybe even to pursue a different path in another industry. But this is just getting taken advantage of. You must have seemed desperate. No possibility to fix this without leaving for a better job.
archiwutm8
Feb 2, 17 2:04 am
Leave.
gruen
Feb 2, 17 11:24 am
Oh, is NBBJ still up to their old tricks? LOL, legendary.
shellarchitect
Feb 2, 17 1:17 pm
I've some experience working in large companies and the dysfunction can be astounding!
I suggest that you keep doing a great job and find out who you "really" work for. It could be that there is an internal power struggle going on that you are not aware of.
Having the local manager on your side is a great ally, they will be able to say to corp. "I need this person for ___ reasons"
I have a hard time believing that people would be purposely deceitful (wishful thinking?)
More likely the decision makers have changed.
shellarchitect
Feb 2, 17 1:39 pm
my favorite story....
offered a job by giant EA firm...
Couple weeks later get a phone call that the corp office won't let them pay me the previously agreed amount because I'd be making more that people in some other office, offered a couple other perks, free parking etc.
Couple weeks later another phone call with another offer that was better than the first!
also got laid off via phone call w/ an out of state manager, apparently my local boss had no idea and was furious that he didn't at least get a heads up that someone working in his office was about it get canned
mbcube2
Mar 30, 17 1:52 pm
FOLLOW UP: Several local firms have been having openings (in a niche field like mine, its like a domino effect). I interviewed at a couple and had a large construction company pick me up for their regional marketing efforts - Oh, and the new offer is nearly 39% more.
kjdt
Mar 30, 17 10:54 pm
If you took a 37% pay cut when you left Firm A for Firm B, and now Firm C is offering you 139% of what Firm B is paying, then you'd still be making 12.5% less at Firm C than you were at Firm A.
Push back! Negotiate harder, or look harder elsewhere.
Everyday Intern
Mar 31, 17 12:40 pm
^ Math FTW. This is why people say you don't have to be good at math to be an architect. Those people are your bosses.
geezertect
Mar 31, 17 2:23 pm
Better not to be good at math. Otherwise, you might start calculating what a bad business proposition this profession is and bail out before freshman year. Then where would the starchitects get lackeys?
A little background:
I have 15+ years of experience in my field (A/E/C marketing) and applied and got, a job in a regional office of a well-respected firm. The position and job description was for a more junior role, but once they saw what I could bring, they were excited by the opportunities, as I was. My prior firm was poorly managed and failing and this couldn’t have happened at a better time, but I took a 37% pay cut! I have an out-of-state boss and a regional principal that feed me work (about 70/30%).
HR and my out-of-state boss stated that they couldn’t change the title or pay as that what was approved and budgeted (I never did believe this). They did offer yearly and quarterly bonuses and mentioned in previous years they were nearly 20% but they couldn’t guarantee what the future will hold. They both said that they’d re-title the position in January when they adjusted everyone’s salary. Nothing in writing, nor do I recall words like might, could, perhaps, etc. (although a valuable lesson was learned)
During the ensuing months of work since I started, my out-of-state boss has mentioned me handling marketing more regionally – Which is what I thought was the long-term plan. Well, In January, my out-of-state boss said that there was to be no title change and the pay increase was 3%. To date, the total of my bonuses has been 2.6% of my yearly salary. By the way, my review was very good and I’ve brought some sizable wins to the firm, but my out-of-state boss never bothered to write any comments on the review forms nor is there a process for my comments. I made it very clear with my out-of-state boss during my review that this was not what we had planned, and you know I took a beating on the salary with the promise of a better future.
Since this news, I’ve been asked to do more corporate work and to continue to be involved in helping the regional offices. I now have my regional boss asking for my advice and help in long-term strategy. Do I mention to her the issues I’m having? Do I go back to HR as I don’t know if they are fully aware of the situation. Or do I just leave (as others have in the past) Thoughts?
A 37% pay cut is absurd. Have them match your old salary plus 10%. On a month-to-month basis your new adjusted salary is still not much. If they don't think you are worth it after a couple of months you can part company (give adequate notice). HR is for idiots (kudos to a line from a Clint Eastwood movie). HR will do whatever they are told to do. Honestly no company worth a s - - - would have low-balled you that way. They must have seen you fall off the turnip truck.
I never would have taken such a pay cut. Volunteer is on point.
HR isn't there to help you, HR is there to protect the company.
Abandon ship.
giving up income to pursue freelance work or get your firm started makes sense, and maybe even to pursue a different path in another industry. But this is just getting taken advantage of. You must have seemed desperate. No possibility to fix this without leaving for a better job.
Leave.
Oh, is NBBJ still up to their old tricks? LOL, legendary.
I've some experience working in large companies and the dysfunction can be astounding!
I suggest that you keep doing a great job and find out who you "really" work for. It could be that there is an internal power struggle going on that you are not aware of.
Having the local manager on your side is a great ally, they will be able to say to corp. "I need this person for ___ reasons"
I have a hard time believing that people would be purposely deceitful (wishful thinking?)
More likely the decision makers have changed.
my favorite story....
offered a job by giant EA firm...
Couple weeks later get a phone call that the corp office won't let them pay me the previously agreed amount because I'd be making more that people in some other office, offered a couple other perks, free parking etc.
Couple weeks later another phone call with another offer that was better than the first!
also got laid off via phone call w/ an out of state manager, apparently my local boss had no idea and was furious that he didn't at least get a heads up that someone working in his office was about it get canned
FOLLOW UP:
Several local firms have been having openings (in a niche field like mine, its like a domino effect). I interviewed at a couple and had a large construction company pick me up for their regional marketing efforts - Oh, and the new offer is nearly 39% more.
If you took a 37% pay cut when you left Firm A for Firm B, and now Firm C is offering you 139% of what Firm B is paying, then you'd still be making 12.5% less at Firm C than you were at Firm A.
Push back! Negotiate harder, or look harder elsewhere.
^ Math FTW. This is why people say you don't have to be good at math to be an architect. Those people are your bosses.
Better not to be good at math. Otherwise, you might start calculating what a bad business proposition this profession is and bail out before freshman year. Then where would the starchitects get lackeys?