[quickthrower2]

When you look for another job, there may be way 10k companies recruiting.

Most will pay less than your current job. You only need to find one that pays more.

They might do that because they lack of engineers is what is holding them back from growth.

Or they desperately need a certain skill set.

There is a lot of money sloshing around and opportunities to get paid more elsewhere.

Now if you are underpaid it might be you are in the 30-percentile and 70% pay more so you can walk into a pay raise with eyes closed.

Logically you are right that the current company should pay more. I think there are too many companies whose business model can’t support all staff being paid what they can get on the market. They rely on people being loyal.

(They could survive if they became more efficient but few companies seem interested in really doing that)