[bmdavi3]

Thanks, that's a perspective I never got. Shows how lucky I've been at the places I've worked. (Or perhaps, how underpaid I was at the time!)

I should also mention that before these conversations, I had also been interviewing with a few different companies and gotten offers, so I knew those numbers were real and I really, truly, was ready to leave if they said no. But I genuinely wanted to keep working there and be making the salary I knew I could get elsewhere, and it worked out.

[cgriswald]

Hey. I don’t know you so take this for what it’s worth. But you asked for less than 0.01% of what you saved the company. Every single one of the people who decided you don’t deserve an extra 1K earned more than that because of what you did, either through salary, bonuses, or stock price increases. It’s possible you signaled that you don’t think you’re worth much by asking for as little as you did. Whatever it is, they believe (right or wrong) that you’ll continue to earn them money even if they don’t give you an increase. Don’t let them believe that even if you have to leave to do it.

[user5994461]

To add a third perspective where you're both wrong and unlucky.

People on HN do better jobs because many live in the major tech cities, where there are more and better jobs. In big part linked to the big companies and the high cost of living.

In most cases of raises, the employee could have got much better by moving to somewhere else. It's easier to give a few percent raise per year or one time than it is to match the 50-100% raise that high performer could get.

If you change jobs often enough, you will eventually end up in a good company with a good pay, where you can stay.