[DigitalSea]

It's rare to find a place to work at that you actually enjoy and like the people. You'll probably find every other job you get you will compare to your current one and realise that no matter how much money you're earning if your employer or team are rubbish it won't justify the cash.

Have you thought asking for a pay rise instead of considering to leave?

[sfjobthrow]

You're right, and that's what worries me. Part of me knows I should be earning more and doing more interesting things but I am concerned about leaving a decent team for the unknown.

I've been considering asking for a pay rise, yes. Although I'm unsure if they'd be able to even match the market average as that'd be a big jump in both pay and benefits I guess. I always think through what my desired outcome would be before going into meetings like that. In this case, I think what I desire would be too much. Add to that the fact that my boss has pointedly told the team that he hates the 'mercenary' types around SV who are only in it for the money...

[001sky]

What are the barriers? This also might help you to think throught.

> Growth/Learning: If you had N+1 (degrees, title, experience) what would you be doing different at this company? Would advancement hurt the team dynamic or is it just the inertia of the system (no excuse to promote). What if your team added +1 people, would that have any effect on you/your prospects? Good/bad/indifferent

>Pay. This is also worth thinking about. What are the barriers to market pay? Do they have some-reason (stong brand, etc) or is it tactical (cash management)? Why so stingy with option/ect? How old the company is and what its brand/risk profile are are worth considering (when doing the grass is greener, both sides compare). Did you get a raw deal (because you got hired at a low rate with x% raise) or is everybody on the same bare-bones diet?

The more difficult case is when there is a team they just want to stay the same. everyone is paid the same. and everyone else but you is happy. If its a heterodox mix of pay, its easier to at least "true-up" to market. If its a heterodox mix of experience, consider saturday night live -- at some stage almost everyone moves on -- but the younger folks get a lot of exposure and skill, until they too have their fill.

Most managers won't rock the boat unless its a mission critical situation. But if you have a plan, it helps: why it makes sense you should get N+1 more $ and how PQR will make XYZ more productive and any gap ABC will be filled by LMNO...etc...no brain damage or political/ capital/blood being spilled: That helps them a lot.

[caw]

But if you're working with the understanding that you're not a "mercenary", but would rather only be compensated fairly, it's a different conversation. You're not going to be the guy who jumps for another $5k, or is changing jobs every 6 months.

You can go to some salary sites and check out what they suggest the market should be, and go into your boss talking about that, and your value to the company.

When I hear this though: >Much lower than average compensation ($95k for 10 years experience, zero equity, bad healthcare & low vacation days)

Followed by: > high profits

It makes me think that they really don't care about you.