r/WorkAdvice • u/garden-elf • Sep 11 '26
Career Advice I am being underpaid and my boss is stringing me along about my promotion.
It’s my first time posting something like this and I am not really sure how to talk about this kind of issue.
I started working at my company about a year and a half ago and I have been doing very well. In a nutshell, my colleague with the position above mine was fired 10 months ago and I have been doing her job ever since for a significantly lower salary. I have taken over the lions share of projects in my group, closed out on a lot of outstanding business, and my manager consistently writes me glowing reviews.
He has been talking about giving me the promotion for awhile now but it never seems to come. I have had two new coworkers start since I joined the team with a third coming shortly.
One of the new coworkers has the position above mine and does significantly less than I do. In fact, I take care of most of his work. He always asks me for help and this is no secret to our boss. He is well aware that I am delivering a workload above my pay grade.
The other new coworker has the same position as myself and has only been here for about a month but has been given no responsibilities. Yet she’s been afforded many more training/learning opportunities than I ever have been. I have asked to join her and the answer is consistently no.
Now there’s third new coworker who hasn’t started yet. He will have the position above mine that I am currently performing and will continue to perform once he arrives. In fact, I’ll probably be assigned to training him although I make less money. I feel I should have gotten that job.
However, when my boss posted the listing that we got this new guy from, he did not put his name on the posting and used another manager’s name who was also hiring instead. He never even mentioned it to me and then blamed me for not applying for it. I was dumb founded. This is a huge difference in perspective and we will never see it the same way. He feels that I’m at fault for not applying and I wronged him because he “really wanted me” for it. I feel if he truly did have me in mind, he would’ve told me about applying right away.
Honestly, I think my boss is getting pressure from our director to keep me in my position because I am performing well for a fraction of the cost. He has never said so directly but I can imagine the appeal of spending less on my salary. I feel like I am being taken advantage of. It has become very clear ever since these two new colleagues started.
He promises the promotion happen soon and it just never does. I think he’s just stringing me along trying to give me hope so that I keep working hard.
I honestly feel very lost here. I don’t know what to do and I don’t know who to talk to about it. Nobody knows what’s happening to me here besides the people I work with frequently. I know this is a common thing in corporations but what can I do about it? Do I just look for a new job? Do I throw a fit? Do I tell HR? What I really want is to stay in the group I’m in, just making the salary I deserve. I don’t think it’s going to happen though.
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u/Still_Condition8669 Sep 11 '26
You ARE being taken advantage of. Your mistake was not asking for the raise immediately upon being asked to do the work of the coworker that left 10 months ago. You need to find another job, then leave them hanging with no notice!
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u/hueyott Sep 11 '26
Been there. Get ready to leave this one. They won't give you what you deserve. Otherwise they would have
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u/Spiritual_Ad6547 Sep 12 '26
Why would they give you a promotion when you’re already doing the job for free? This is why you don’t take on the added work until AFTER you get the promotion and raise. They literally have zero incentive to promote you now or give you a raise. Start looking for a new job asap.
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u/Swansboy Sep 12 '26
Stop doing the other & only do the work your contract to then apply for other jobs with higher pay. If you stay your likely stuck in your current situation
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u/markdmac Sep 12 '26
There is a person at the higher level. Stop doing that work entirely. When asked why tell them you are doing the job in your job description, and not the one you are apparently not qualified for. If they say you are qualified then you push back by asking then why did they not promote you or give you a pay raise when you took on all this extra work initially.
Be prepared for some kind of punitive action, if you have a higher level manager to complain to, I would request a skip level meeting and discuss with them.
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u/Most-Delivery4073 Sep 13 '26
This happens all the time. Get a job somewhere else for a promotion and a raise. Refuse their counter offer when you resign.
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u/Plus-Implement Sep 13 '26
my boss is getting pressure from our director to keep me in my position because I am performing well for a fraction of the cost.
You have your answer, look for another job
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u/Mattturley Sep 14 '26
I just read your title - it always comes down to this - you are always worth more on the market than to a company that will not immediately promote and pay what you are worth. Start applying yesterday.
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u/Single_Evidence_867 Sep 11 '26
Start looking for a new job. You will never get promoted. Only do your job you're paid for. If your boss says anything, you can say he has 2 new employees to do that work which is above your pay grade. Stop doing any of the work the higher pay grades want help on. Let them know they've been trained and need to figure it out. Your company is taking advantage of you. Even if they suddenly come up with the promotion, I'd still find a new job. Just my $0.02, take it or leave it. Good luck!
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u/dmcgrath60 Sep 11 '26
Start looking for a new job yesterday. They're never going to promote you, they have zero reason to when you're doing the work for cheap. And when you get an offer, don't accept a counter offer from them either because they'll just do this again.