Need Desperate Career Advice :(

So Long! Sorry!

 

I have been working as an Administrative Assistant for approximately five years now. I started p/t while attending college and was paid a basic salary which was substantially raised every year. Now that I am working f/t this year, I make about 33K without benefits (it’s a small business/home office). Although I was recently placed on a profit sharing plan – which is amazing and bossman is super generous – I am starting to realize that my worth is much more than just $33k a year considering that I have received a college degree in that time and my administrative skills have had time to mature. This was made super obvious to me when I updated my resume the other day; who knew so much could change in five years!

 

The problem lies in that my employer and I are very close; we run like a family business. During these five years, I’ve done things (besides obvious administrative stuff) like take him to the hospital, water his plants, and random odd jobs which were sometimes fun to do and sometimes “you wouldn’t believe it if I told you†stuff lol, but it was a great p/t and I didn’t mind it at the end of the day.

 

In this case, it’s completely hard for me to detach personal feelings from business, but I finally mustered up the courage to tell him that I was looking for a p/t at nights/weekends (which was my original plan) in order for him not to freak out when receiving reference calls. I also mildly planted the seed that I glanced at some f/t positions in my p/t search and realized the starting salary in positions for someone with my current qualifications ranged from a minimum of 40k to 55k WITH benefits! But I told him not to worry because I wasn’t looking to switch jobs, just need a little extra income.

 

We had a long talk about what would warrant my search for a p/t and he said he needed some time to think about what he could do for me first (if extra hours or more money) and would let me know by Monday at latest. The slow season is starting which is understandable that it would be difficult to give me more hours, but he did ask if an extra hour a day would help. I said it would, but not by much and I would still need a p/t job. I didn’t want to outright ask for a large raise in my salary. Some recent factors just made me chicken out: he flew to my DW, gave me a substantial gift, and all the super nice stuff over the last five years which were all “personalâ€. But today was killer...and I think it’s because I was too nice in negotiating the “business†side into a dead end.

 

We work in the oddest industry: insurance claim adjusting. Every day is different and you do get placed in the worst ghettos with the most random people/situations. Hence my odd jobs. So... he asked me if I wanted to go with him Saturday to a construction site to scrub toilets and clean as the insured is bitching and moaning about random stuff before they move in. He does this sometimes just to get the insured to shut up about the contractor's mess…BUT…he asked me if I wanted to go with him because “money is moneyâ€. To this I said “you are right!â€â€¦not because I was accepting his offer, but because it pushed my train of thought over the edge and maybe it is time for a BIG change in my career

 

I don’t know if I came across like a greedy b**** yesterday (considering the recent events between him and I), but it really pissed me off that he didn’t even inform me of any pay raise/more OFFICE HOURS before asking me if I wanted to work a (literally) shit job on the weekend that has nothing to do with what my position is! Yeah i did stuff like this before, but I just feel like I was snubbed and he's treating me like a p/t worker who is desperate for money. I want a p/t for more money, but its not because i'm broke, and I’m not 20 years old anymore

 

I need some advice to get a level head before I officially start a new f/t job hunt. I love what I do and really care about my boss/his business/and my wonderful work environment. But I dont know if my run here is coming to a close…so you tell me if it sounds like it is!

im sorry if this sounds harsh --- you have a degree, and its time you start using it. dont let your personal feelings get in the way of what is best for you. when you start to think about the ways that your boss treats you (that you never thought were in any way offensive or bad before), that should make it easier. you have a degree and it is not too much to ask to want to be paid closer to what you are worth. its offensive to me that he suggesting going to a construction site to scrub toilets on the weekend because "money is money" - REALLY TRULY offensive. IMHO, go get a job where they pay you what you're worth and give you benefits to boot.

I don't think he probably meant it the way you took it - but if you really want to leave then you should just be straight up with him. Cause the more softly softly you go it will be worse to leave. I only know this because I left after 13 years and it was difficult but something I needed to do

I understand where you are coming from. I have almost always worked for a family owned business. It is so different from a corporate position. More feelings are involved. BUT to me it does sound like you have outgrown this position. I think in order to keep a relationship with them (if that is what you want) you need to quit in an admirable way. Maybe tell him that with the economy the way it is you just really need to make more money. Let him know you will train someone new for him if he wants. That way if you leave it doesn't leave them empy handed. If you don't care either way though I say start applying away and good luck to you. You went to college to further your career. Not just stay in one place. I know it is scarey sometimes but you deserve it. Just remember you may not like your new job as much and it is going to be different. But you are a smart girl and I know you can handle yourself. Good luck!

IMO as much as you like working for him I would try to find a new job. Maybe after you find one he will realize how much you mean to that company and offer you a raise.

I am going to be pretty blunt I dont want you in my shoes later on down the road. If the starting salary for your role is 40 to 55 and you have been doing it for a number of years that is where you SHOULD be. Because you have a close relationship with your boss and you started before you had your degree it should NOT effect how much you make. Since you have a good bond he should want you to succeed and not want you to get a pt job and increase your pay; you know the work and the industry if he brought in a new person they would have to pay them the starting range and would have no idea as to the quality of the work the new person will perform.

 

Good Luck!!! Remember you have a degree, know the job so that makes you a asset to the company!

I definitely know he didn’t say it to be mean or anything. But that type of extra income he offered me was not what I was looking to get out of our discussion yesterday and I had hoped that he would be a bit more savvy to realize it...He still hasnt told me of a potential salary increase, but the more I think about it the more Kat81 is right: I did grown out of this position and hadn’t realized it.

I read something today describing how many older/smaller employers are totally out of touch with the market especially if they use older equipment, aren’t too computer savvy, ect. Totally the case here…I honestly believe he thinks I’m overpaid :/

I'm almost sure that come summer i'll be on the hunt...which is sad to think about, but promising for me, my hubby, & our future

I'm in the same position so I understand feeling almost obligated to work for this person/company. You are going to have to be strong when you tell him that you are leaving and he's going to have to understand that we all have to move on.

Update: Because I need to vent out these emotions!

 

After a few days of anxiously waiting for a solid reply from my boss, I got declined for a raise and more hours. This really upset me, but was ok because during that wait I decided (with help from you ladies!) that it was time for a change anyway. The crazy part… I already got called for two interviews!!! OMG…I only had my resume exposed for one week and I am so not prepared for things to go this fast!!!

 

Tomorrow morning is at a realty company’s corporate office for an Exec-Assist position and Friday is a phone interview for a Senior Admin-Assist position at a Financial/Retirement company which just happens to be in the 80’s of the Fortune 500 list lolol!!! I feel so blessed for even getting call backs, but I’m incredibly nervous that my first two interviews are with huge players like this!!!

 

I feel like I’m going to die from excitement!!! I dont even know what excuse im going to give to miss work for a few hours tommorow (at least Friday will be on my lunch break - of which i never take so somethings going to look suspect lmao lmao) Wish me much luck that I don’t stammer or stutter or even freeze this week…I don’t even remember what an interview is like lololol!

YAY! I am so excited for you. You are going to do great. What a great line up of interviews. And POO on your boss. He doesn't know what a good thing he has going.