You’re so fed up with feeling undervalued in your role that you are seriously considering quitting your job if you don’t get what you want. Thoughts like this are a clear sign that your subconscious mind wants to raise the stakes to push you into taking action. It is desperate for something to change to resolve the unease it is feeling and allow it to calm back down.
But should that action be to quit your job? For most of us, this would be a pretty drastic choice and in reality it may not be that practical. Let’s face it, we all have bills to pay. If it is literally just your salary you are unhappy with then couldn’t you try asking for a pay rise instead? Or would a higher salary just be a temporary sticking plaster for the real issue?
Contents:
- Can you afford to just quit?
- What’s your real reason for wanting a pay rise?
- Do you feel you are being underpaid for what you do?
- How long is too long without receiving a pay rise?
- Have you actually asked for a pay rise yet?
- Is quitting your only choice if you don’t get a raise?
Get the book – Because I’m Worth It: How to Ask for a Pay Rise
Can you afford to just quit your job?
Dreaming of quitting is one thing, but you also need to consider the financial implications of losing your monthly paycheck, assuming you haven’t got another role already lined up.
If you don’t, and you’re living paycheck to paycheck, then quitting unnecessarily is almost guaranteed to cause you sorts of additional stress. Especially if you have a loan, mortgage or rent to pay. If you are thinking of quitting because your current situation is stressing you out, then you ain’t seen nothing yet…
Even if you do have a job lined up, it’s worth remembering that there could be delays in your first pay packet coming through, or the complication of emergency tax being applied in the short term. So if you can, try and save some money to act as a buffer before you take the leap. This will also come in handy if your new job doesn’t work out.
Short version – if you are hellbent on quitting, make sure you have a plan in place to support yourself financially for a few months.
What’s your real reason for wanting a pay rise?
Most of us have been in the position of wanting more money at some point in our careers. But what is it that is making us feel that way?
Sometimes it is down to external pressures. The cost of living, rocketing inflation, needing a holiday, a new kitchen, a better car. Life, in other words. You want more money because you can’t afford to live on your current salary.
I think we can all relate to that, but the harsh reality is that this really isn’t your employer’s problem. It’s a valid driver for you wanting to get a raise for sure, but not for the company to actually give you one.
If this is the real problem you face, then it is worth remembering that one of the options you have open to you is reducing your spend. Cutting back may not be glamorous, but it is practical and it is a change that’s normally in your control. But let’s look at some other options.
Do you feel you are being underpaid for what you do?
Or to put it another way, are you sure that you are being paid less than you could earn somewhere else. Now this is a valid reason for your employer to consider increasing your pay. As well as a good reason for you to feel aggrieved that you aren’t on a higher salary.
Assuming you were happy enough with the package you were offered when you started, this would suggest that the going rate for your services has gone up. By going rate, I mean what your employer would have to pay someone else with the same skills and experience to replace you if you left.
In my experience, the things that can affect this include whether your overall contribution to the business has increased and whether the demand for your kind of skills and expertise has pushed up wages generally in this sector.
If you are confident you are doing a great job, then a bit of research into current salaries will help you to decide if you truly are being underpaid or not. The acid test is: could you find a better paying job elsewhere?
This is important because, if you aren’t actually being underpaid, then quitting and starting somewhere else may not gain you the salary increase you are hoping for.
How long is too long without receiving a pay raise?
This really depends on the business and industry you are in, and what’s going on in the outside world. Right now in 2023, inflation is in double figures and unionised industries across the UK are striking for higher wages. So if you haven’t had a pay rise in over a year I think it’s fair to be feeling a bit tetchy about it.
Really, though, it comes down to my point above. Has the going rate changed for what you are doing? Could you find a better paid job elsewhere?
It’s worth noting that contractually very few people are legally entitled to a pay rise at specific set intervals.
Have you actually asked for a pay rise yet?
Suffering in silence is all very well, but the fact is that most companies don’t hand out individual pay rises on an ad-hoc basis without being nudged first. They normally have budgets and procedures to follow which take into account the needs of an entire company. Not the individual.
So if you are confident that you personally deserve a pay rise, it makes sense to actually ask for one, rather than waiting patiently and then choosing to quit if one doesn’t magically appear.
The trick is having the confidence and skill to ask for your raise in the right way. Because knowing how to ask for a pay rise is a skill that most of us have to learn, rather than being something we are born with.
I’m going to suggest that asking whether you should quit if you don’t get a raise is a bit premature if you haven’t actually asked for a pay rise yet. The book Because I’m Worth It: How to Ask for a Pay Rise is available on Amazon and was written specifically to teach you the skills you need to ask for a pay rise in the right way. Why not check it out?
Get the book – Because I’m Worth It: How to Ask for a Pay Rise
Is quitting your only choice if you don’t get a raise?
Only you will know whether money is the real issue here. Would this raise really make you satisfied in your role or would it just be a sugar rush / short-term sticking plaster to cover the real problem?
If, when you are being honest with yourself, you can see that you don’t want to work for your current company any more then looking for a raise really isn’t going to solve your problems.
A fresh start in another job may turn out to be just be the tonic that you need. If that’s the case, then asking “should I quit if I don’t get a raise” is simply stalling for time.
But what happens if you ask and still don’t get a raise when you otherwise like the company? What other alternatives are there?
This is where having an honest conversation with your manager can pay dividends. Explain to them that you enjoy working there but you really want to progress and earn more money. What can they do or suggest to help you to do that within this business?
A good manager will love the fact that you are genuinely keen to grow. And they should relish the chance to help you to do it. As a manager I can say hand on heart that this was my favourite part of my job.
Head back to the How to Ask For a Pay Rise home page.