“Promotion”

I’ve been working for Anonymous Software Company for seven years – three of those as an intern, the rest in my current job title. At my last review, I requested a promotion and my boss happily put it in the works. I was excited but didn’t want to say anything in case it was turned down.

A few weeks before me, Smokin’ had asked for a promotion and was on her way to receiving one. She revealed her salary, which was almost $10,000 less than me per year, despite having a similar education.

The is the difference in our salaries in $100 bills. No wonder she still has to live at home with her parents!

“How did that happen?” I asked, aghast.

“That’s how much they offered me,” she said, a hurt look in her eye, “Did they offer you more?”

“No,” I said bluntly, “they offered me about that amount too. I negotiated.”

“Negotiated…I didn’t even think to do that.” Smokin’ said, upset.

The good news was that her promotion would raise her salary up significantly, close to my current salary. She proudly told me this and revealed that her new title would be XXXX. I gave her a hug and waited for my news.

“Good news!” Ching said to me, “management is in the works to promote you.”

“Oh!?” I asked, breathless.

“Yes, to the position of XXXX.”

I felt my face fall, especially when I heard that the raise would not be that much since I am already close to the top of average salary in my current position. While I respect Smokin’, I’ve worked at Anonymous Software company for more than three times the amount of time she has but we’ll be in the same job title. I already feel far behind one of the other interns I worked with, who is now a manager. That would be SpeedRacer.

I confided in Poww, since he’s been in the same position for 5 years and I knew he would understand my feelings.

“You and Smokin’ are both going to be XXXX?” He asked.

“Yes.”

“Wasn’t that Arch’s title when he was first hired?” Poww asked, confusion on his face. Arch, the other person who interned with me, although he interned half the amount of time I did. Arch, who made it his mission to try to learn my job to take it over and only a few months ago was given a huge promotion into management. I felt livid.

So I told Smokin’ and we used our contacts throughout the company to find out. Guess what? Poww was right. Smokin’ and I are both being promoted (even though I have much more experience) into a position that Arch was hired into directly from college. Even though he had less work experience than me and the same education that both Smokin’ and I have. We’re all the same age, we all went to high school together!

I’m upset to say the least. I feel like he was unfairly hired above me from the very beginning. If we have the same education and similar skills but I have more work experience….why was his hire position an entire level above mine?

I’ve always been loyal to my company, but I don’t know how I can be now that I have this information.