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Advice Needed - SUPER long.
As an intro, I'm a nerdy scientist at a small company with not a lot of money... which is the root of most of the problem here.
I've been at my job for a little over 3 years now, and I absolutely love it. I love the people I work with, and I love (almost everything) that I get to do in the lab everyday. It's challenging, and I get to think and make up my own experiments and everything. My boss is amazing and lets me have free reign over my work and I really appreciate it.
Here's the problem. It's been 3 years and I've never gotten a promotion, so I'm still in this 'entry level' position. Granted, promotions in our company are few and far between - 3 years before you get one (if you get one) is pretty standard. The problem is that I completely deserve it (and my boss tells me this on a regular basis). I'm currently writing (and winning) proposals on a semi-regular basis, which is a LOT of work and is the job description of people two to three levels above me. I'm also working really hard to put myself through school part-time to get my masters degree, all on my own dime.
My boss is really great and has put in to corporate for my promotion a while ago and is always telling me how appreciative he is that I take on these challenging proposals even though it's definitely not in my job description. I know he's fighting for me, but the company is sorta struggling so they aren't very willing to put out the $$ for me to get promoted.
I'm just really frustrated. My boss is great at making me feel appreciated and valued, but the company is unwilling to give me this promotion that I've deserved for well over a year now which makes me feel unappreciated and under-valued. Why am I working so hard if they're unwilling to recognize it and reward me? I'm performing WAY above my paygrade (and bringing significant $$ and programs into the company), and I don't really know what to do. Hubby is frustrated for me and keeps telling me that I need to get a promotion or stop working so hard, but that's not the way to go about it I know.
Agh. Help!
Re: Advice Needed - SUPER long.
If you really do love your job and the company, and you don't necessarily NEED a raise, I would continue to wait it out. Good jobs are hard to come by. Good jobs that you actually enjoy, even harder.
I understand your frustration, I just now received a raise after 3 years of going above and beyond at a company that does make money.
MIT sounds like your boss is pulling for you so hopefully it happens sooner than later.
I agree. Good jobs are few and far between now. Especially jobs that you enjoy. If you like the company, you like what you're doing, and can make it on what you're making now, I would wait it out as well. If you were to look for another job, you may find out that you hate it after the fact.
Hopefully you'll get a promotion/raise soon!
TTC since June 2012
You're both totally right. I need to just relax and let it happen when it happens. My biggest problem is that it's harder to be happy here when I feel underappreciated, so I really do just need to let it go and stop letting it bug me. I am so lucky to have a job that I love - I need to stop letting this bug me so much!
If I still haven't been promoted by the end of the year, then maybe I'll start fighting for it.
It sounds like your direct supervisor/ boss knows how hard you work and is fighting for your promotion. That to me shows a bunch of apreciation. I am sure they show it in other ways. Is it the money and lake of promotion that is making you feel under-appreciated?
Can you get a raise without being promoted? H gets raises( very tiny ones) and bonuses from time to time. But there is no way for him to get promoted in his company unless he wants to do something other then the job he loves. He found his dream job and I couldn't be happier for him.
It sounds like you found your dream job. A place where you are happy, enjoy what you do, people like you and you make ok money (not minimum wage). Stick it out. Finding a job you enjoy and are happy to go to is very hard to come by.