I was promoted and given a pay rise but it doesn’t feel like enough. What are my options?

Each week, Dr Kirstin Ferguson tackles questions on workplace, career and leadership in her advice column, “Got a Minute?” This week: the woes of an internal promotion and withdrawing a verbal job acceptance.

Illustration by Dionne GainCredit:

I was promoted last year and given a pay rise. However, I didn’t feel it was commensurate with the promotion. I’ve raised this several times but keep getting assured that my salary is on par with that of my peers. I have asked for salary benchmarking information, but this has not been forthcoming. I had a pay uplift eight years ago because of the gender pay gap and now my concern is this being repeated. I’m finding it difficult to get any information or open conversations on salary – I am asking people about salary who are in the same salary band, so it feels more personal.

Internal promotions often come with a lower salary than you might expect. I can’t tell you how many people I have counselled who expected to get a much bigger uplift when they took on more responsibility. Part of it comes from aspiring to get a promotion for so long, and watching those more senior than you, and imagining what you will be paid. The reality is you’ve most likely moved from the top of your previous salary band to the bottom of the higher salary band, and the jump is probably not all that large.

I wouldn’t breach the trust of your friends and speak with HR using other people’s pay data. I also wouldn’t put your colleagues in a difficult position by asking them how much they earn. You have already spoken to HR about your concerns so it sounds like this is the pay you are going to get in this role. If you feel the pay discrepancy is solely based on your gender, you can ask HR to review that aspect just to reassure you the checks have been done and confirm a gender pay gap is not responsible. Otherwise, you may need to move to another company to get higher pay.

I’ve been offered a contract job which I’ve verbally accepted. The hiring process has been going on for three months. Last week, before I had accepted, another company contacted me, interviewed and is now about to make an offer. I did tell the second company that I was in a process with the first company, but not the other way around. Would it be poor form to accept the second offer and withdraw the verbal acceptance from the first company?

I think you are well within your rights to notify the first company you have decided to take another role. Three months is a long time for them to confirm a contract role with you, and they can’t expect you have not been looking for other roles in the interim. Make sure you have a written offer from the second company before you say anything though, just so you don’t get caught out.

To submit a question about work, careers or leadership, visit kirstinferguson.com/ask (you will not be asked to provide your name or any identifying information. Letters may be edited).

Make the most of your health, relationships, fitness and nutrition with our Live Well newsletter. Get it in your inbox every Monday.