Is there such a thing as getting a raise anymore?

Despite small raises, I will say two good things about my company: They match what we put into our 401K and after almost seven years I've acquired 22 days of vacation (not including holidays.)

 

Short answer: They don't. For all the HR blather about it being more expensive to hire and train new people, it's telling that raises are low and turnover is high. I've been in the biz for 17 years, and that hasn't changed. This always reminds me the Bond line: You expect me to get out of this? No, Mr. Bond, I expect you to die!

Dan, I hate to break it to you, but they're not lucky to have you sticking around. If you stick around, they consider themselves unlucky. I don't care what job you have, it's a warm-body job (as in, almost any warm body willing to take it will do) and they're quite happy for you to leave, because someone else will be desperate enough to take it for less. That's the reality in the majority of places as far as I can tell.

 

Thanks, and you can rest assured that I know the reality of the situation.

And I was writing in general terms. My situation was a little different in some ways, and the same in other ways.

 

I agree with that statement...

 

Wait another month or two until we start bitching about our nonexistant Christmas "bonus." You have yet to read depressing.

 

$15 gift cards, baby! I'd rather get nothing. That's just insulting.

 

Then you need to come to my shop. The Christmas bonus there is getting to wrap up at 9 p.m. on Christmas Eve.

 

Given the choice between a $15 gift card and finished a few hours early?

I'll take the extra time.

 

My company doesn't do squat for Christmas bonuses. My boss pulls money out of his pocket and gives us a $10 Blockbuster or restaurant gift card each year.

 

Certificate for a frozen turkey, anyone?

 

That's nice of your boss.

I'm sure I'll get some patronizing letter in my check with photocopied signatures from the "higher-ups" thanking us for our 'hard work and dedication in making the Bumblefuck Gazette a truly great newspaper."

 

One of my last stops didn't believe in an X-mas bonus. Instead, they donated money in our names to a charity.