[ryandrake]

> Sit your employer down and say "I am applying for Jobs in the 80-100K range because <list of reasons>. When I get an offer I will take it, you are welcome to make me an offer to stick around now"

I don't know if I would recommend that. No upside to the employee. A large "egoless value maximizer" business will simply do nothing until employee shows them an actual offer, and only then counter-offer if they want to retain. A small business where manager's ego is a factor may just fire the employee on the spot for disloyalty. Pretty close to zero companies will respond by immediately raising employee's salary to what he wants.

[ErrantX]

So I'd agree if he were in the US, but in the UK you couldn't fire someone for that (well you could but you'd lose the tribunal).

I've been in his shoes at a small company; they are taking his requests and ignoring them as is because right now they have a great deal! He needs to tip the balance more in his favor.

OP seems critical to the business; assuming that's true triggering an oh shit moment is how you get movement.

[aaaaaaaaata]

Unless the candidate is disproportionately valuable to the org.

Then, people start jumping. Usually implying they should have been jumping previously.