I Quit My Job To Get a Raise and Promotion — Here’s Why It’s Worth Trying
Written by
Chris Adam
Edited by
Zuri Anderson
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As a personal finance writer and investor of many years, I’m not one to suggest taking reckless risks. In fact, I’d say I tend to be pretty conservative when it comes to taking bold actions.
But a few years ago I took a risk that many people would consider reckless — I quit a job I liked to settle for one in a different city that didn’t really excite me in the least. Here’s what I learned and why it may be worth trying.
My Story
In early 2015, I was working as a copywriter in a large marketing department of a major university. The people were great and the work was easy. In fact, compared to my previous work as a television news producer, this was like a walk in the park.
Since I had been there for a couple of years, I decided it was time to ask for a promotion and raise. But being a conservative risk-taker, I wanted to try to ease my own anxiety.
So, I decided to apply for a news producer job in a nearby city — a position I was pretty sure I would land given the state of the industry and the constant need for producers. As expected, I pretty easily secured the producer job.
With that job offer in my back pocket, along with my resignation letter, I asked for a meeting with my vice president. Fun twist: He replied to my request and said that I better not be quitting.
We had a cordial meeting and I asked for a promotion to senior writer. He said to give him a day to think about it.
He came back the next day and said I was not yet “seasoned” enough for the promotion. My reply: “Here’s my resignation letter as I have accepted another position.”
He looked stunned, stepped back and said to give him another day. I was kind of glad since I didn’t really want to quit or take the other job.
We met again the next day. This time, the vice president said I was going to receive the promotion. I guess a day of “seasoning” made all the difference.
Expert Advice
So what do experts think of my actions? Some of them told GOBankingRates that taking risks can make sense, but perhaps such bold action isn’t always the best move.
“Sometimes the smartest move is the slow play,” said Andrew Lokenauth, a money expert from Be Fluent in Finance. “The power move is making yourself so valuable that your boss comes to you with opportunities.”
Annie Cole, EdD, money coach and founder of Money Essentials for Women, said, “For what it’s worth, I would always suggest starting your job search while you’re still employed. Quitting cold turkey might sound hugely relieving, but that relief will quickly fade away if you find yourself unemployed for months on end.”
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