Uh, what? My boss just hired my old direct report in a position above me

[B L I S S]

Do you see an opportunity for me to turn this into a positive for me? Here's the details

I started this new corporate strategy job in the early summer. There's three levels, lets call them Strategist I, II, and III. I came in as a strategist I. At the time, there was no opening for Strategist II.

The team is now growing, and I referred my old teammate. I told them to apply for the Strategist II position as a stretch since our team desperately needs talent. They got it.

In the past, my teammate wasn't exactly my direct report, but they reported to me on various projects at our old job. They have 3 fewer years of experience than me (6 vs  3). They have less relevant work experience as well. It would be clear to any viewer that from any perspective (resumes, knowledge, communication, etc.) there is an experience gap.

Let's pause and be clear - I 100% wanted them to get this position, because I wanted my boss to now face this conundrum. I'd now like to accelerate my retirement by turning this into an opportunity for more money.


I'm now wondering if I can take this issue to my boss and somehow use the fact that they hired a less qualified person into a higher position to suggest that I need to be either promoted to level II now or given some raise until promotion cycles are on. My performance to date is good. The leverage that I have is that our team is currently understaffed (contributing to why my friend was able to get the stretch position.) and i am working on an essential project. I'm well liked by the group. Do you see an opportunity to make this work? If so, what do I need to do to ensure its successful?

[former player]

Are there any current vacancies at Strategist II or III?  If so, apply for them (why didn't you put yourself forward for the Strategist II post that your former colleague got?).

If there aren't any II or III vacancies and none coming up, then you are probably out of luck in what sounds like a very stratified organisation.

(Neither your boss nor your old colleague give a damn about you having been leapfrogged when you didn't even apply for the job.)

[mspym]

Former player is asking the questions I'm wondering about too. (If they can get Strategist II work for Strategist I dollars, you bet they will)

[JoePublic3.14]

Uh, you want something for nothing?

Use this as a lesson that advancement chances exist, you just need to be ready to jump on them.

[B L I S S]

didn’t apply yet. it was not until my former teammate achieved the role that I realized that I could have the same position based on my experience. remember that I wanted this to happen - and this is the reason.

  my question now is, do you see an opportunity to use this hire as a way to advance myself?

Applying is a great tip and thanks for that - but what talking points would be effective? I know bosses don’t take too kindly to direct comparisons so i’m trying to understand if there’s a good way to move about this

[FLBiker]

didn’t apply yet. it was not until my former teammate achieved the role that I realized that I could have the same position based on my experience. remember that I wanted this to happen - and this is the reason.

I might be misunderstanding things, but it sounds like you might be overthinking this.  If you thought they could get the position, why wouldn't you think you could have applied and gotten it?

Regardless, as things are now, you could certainly bring it up to your supervisor.  In my company, though, if there isn't budget for a position, those conversations don't typically go very far.

[Rdy2Fire]

  my question now is, do you see an opportunity to use this hire as a way to advance myself?

Obviously every company, policy, etc is different so this is kind of hard to answer but my guy feeling would say NO to this question.

Most companies are not going to pay a current employee significantly (I don't think I saw the $ difference) more or give them a 'disproportionate' raise. I know this from experience as I left 2 positions because of your exact scenario other then I didn't recommend or know the person. 

More so it's unlikely since, my guess is, they don't care that this person used to work for you or as someone said above are paying a level 2 person level 1 pay.

Doesn't hurt to ask of course but I'd be more prepared for disappointment then a positive response. Even if they moved you to a Strategist II or III position it's unlikely they would give you the $ they would give someone off the street i.e 'disproportionate' raise from your current pay.

[Louisville]

  my question now is, do you see an opportunity to use this hire as a way to advance myself?

Obviously every company, policy, etc is different so this is kind of hard to answer but my guy feeling would say NO to this question.

Most companies are not going to pay a current employee significantly (I don't think I saw the $ difference) more or give them a 'disproportionate' raise. I know this from experience as I left 2 positions because of your exact scenario other then I didn't recommend or know the person. 

More so it's unlikely since, my guess is, they don't care that this person used to work for you or as someone said above are paying a level 2 person level 1 pay.

Doesn't hurt to ask of course but I'd be more prepared for disappointment then a positive response. Even if they moved you to a Strategist II or III position it's unlikely they would give you the $ they would give someone off the street i.e 'disproportionate' raise from your current pay.

Correct. The way to get very large raises is to leave and come back.

[Gronnie]

Almost certainly going to need to leave.

I've tripled my salary in 6.5 years in tech by always being willing to leave.

[Samuel]

Let's pause and be clear - I 100% wanted them to get this position, because I wanted my boss to now face this conundrum. I'd now like to accelerate my retirement by turning this into an opportunity for more money.

Your real opportunity for more money was to apply (or at least express serious interest) in the level 2 job when it was available. Your boss is not facing a conundrum, you are. They now have the level 2 they needed. You have significantly less leverage now than you did before they hired this person.

Whether you can get more money or a promotion now depends a lot on how flexible or inflexible the org is, and how seriously they feel they should fear you leaving.

[doneby35]

Almost certainly going to need to leave.

I've tripled my salary in 6.5 years in tech by always being willing to leave.

Agree with this, I change jobs every 2 years or so with a minimum of 30% salary increase every time. You'd be much better off applying for strategist II elsewhere, unless you really like working where you currently are.

[swashbucklinstache]

Most years, no. In 2021 I'd have a conversation with your boss about how this really opened your eyes to what a strategy level 2 resume looked like and you're feeling like to do right by your family you're obligated to be open to more seriously considering outside opportunities that have been coming your way, but that you would vastly prefer if we could come together protectively to take that option off the table since you love this job so much especially blah blah blah.

[Sibley]

I think you kinda screwed/played yourself. You could have applied for the higher position. You didn't. That's not your boss' fault, so don't blame them. If you want a higher position, start applying and interviewing.

[lhamo]

I would just go to boss and state the facts, something along the lines of:

1)  I'm really happy former co-worker is joining us.  I think they are going to be a great addition to the team.

2)  I encouraged them to apply for the Level 2 position because I thought they were qualified for it and we really need more people working at that level.  I'm thrilled that you agreed!

3)  In looking at the requirements and scope for a Level 2, I realized that I actually already meet those requirements and maybe even those for a Level 3.  I already have x years of experience doing ABC functions.  Can you tell me what the process would be for me to be promoted within the next 6-12 months?  Would it be possible for us to come up with a development plan for me/my work that would streamline that process?

[Villanelle]

You knew there was an opening for an SII, because you encouraged CoWorker to apply.  Instead, YOU should have applied.  You choose not to, so why should your boss pay you more, just because he hired CW for a different position? 

If I were your boss and you tried to leverage someone else I hired in a position you didn't even try for, I would not only do nothing, I'd likely be a little annoyed. 

If you want to have a conversation about salary, I'd do it almost entirely separately from the hiring of CW.  "Hey, I've been performing well, I've been doing X and Y which are actually outside my job description and are at the level of SII, and I'd like a raise." <--That sort of logic, not "CW is getting SII money and I have more qualifications than him so I want more money," because the answer to that is, "then you should have applied".

If a guy with an MBA takes a job at McDonald's, he can't ask for corporate pay if he took a job manning the drive through.  And especially not when there was recently a corporate opening, he knew about that opening, and didn't apply.

[partgypsy]

Let's pause and be clear - I 100% wanted them to get this position, because I wanted my boss to now face this conundrum. I'd now like to accelerate my retirement by turning this into an opportunity for more money.

Your real opportunity for more money was to apply (or at least express serious interest) in the level 2 job when it was available. Your boss is not facing a conundrum, you are. They now have the level 2 they needed. You have significantly less leverage now than you did before they hired this person.

Whether you can get more money or a promotion now depends a lot on how flexible or inflexible the org is, and how seriously they feel they should fear you leaving.

I agree with this. Unless there is another level II position open, you might have -messed up.

[mm1970]

I would just go to boss and state the facts, something along the lines of:

1)  I'm really happy former co-worker is joining us.  I think they are going to be a great addition to the team.

2)  I encouraged them to apply for the Level 2 position because I thought they were qualified for it and we really need more people working at that level.  I'm thrilled that you agreed!

3)  In looking at the requirements and scope for a Level 2, I realized that I actually already meet those requirements and maybe even those for a Level 3.  I already have x years of experience doing ABC functions.  Can you tell me what the process would be for me to be promoted within the next 6-12 months?  Would it be possible for us to come up with a development plan for me/my work that would streamline that process?

Yes, this.

This is almost exactly the advice I've given many people in the past.  Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't - depends on the company.

Long ago and far away, when my company was growing - we were hiring experienced engineers at a fast and furious rate.  Like, doubling the number.  After months of being unable to hire because we were lowballing, we finally managed to hire a bunch.  The conundrum: they were all making $30k to $40k a year more than the rest of us, with the same experience.  My veep at the time did this on purpose, using it to get the rest of us pulled up to their level.

It didn't work, because within a year we were having layoffs.  This January my salary FINALLY hit the incoming salary of the highest paid of the group... when was he onboarded?  2011. :(