A Reddit post on r/careerguidance has gained widespread attention after an employee explained being conflicted between loyalty and better-paying prospects. The user described, “I work for a small 9-person private consulting firm. After 7 years here I planned on leaving and have a few offers in hand, but I just found out two other coworkers beat me to it and already gave their two weeks’ notice. If I leave too they’ll be losing a third of their company.”
Main Reason for Considering Departure
The poster mentioned that the remuneration has been the major concern. “My main reason for leaving is pay, which was stagnant until the last year or two. We just finished yearly reviews and I got a 6% pay bump, but I’m still probably 20% below market rate,” they wrote, citing that outside proposals align with standard industry pay. While primarily intending to leave quietly, the user questioned whether to grant their employer an opportunity to counteroffer, particularly given staffing pressures.
Despite the wage discrepancy, the employee showed genuine appreciation for the workplace, stating supportive colleagues, flexibility around health challenges, and excellent insurance coverage. They added that the organization’s lower salaries arrive from structural limits connected to government contracts rather than greed. The alternative job prospects, while better paid, were stated as unremarkable yet stable.
How Reddit Responded
Commenters were divided but practical.
One user suggested: “Honestly sounds like you have all the leverage right now – they’re about to lose a third of their workforce and you know they can’t easily replace people. I’d definitely ask for that market rate bump before walking, especially since you actually like working there and the work is unique. Worst case they say no and you just take one of those other offers you already have lined up”
Another one cautioned of unintended challenges: “The flip side of this — OP could get the money he’s asking for but also the workload of employees 8 + 9. OP, it’s probably best to move on and take one of the market rate offers at a different firm.”
One user commented: “Tell them you have another offer and are leaving. If they offer you the same or more to stay and you want to stay, then stay. If you don’t want to stay, leave. You owe them nothing, you just said they are paying you below market average, so I don’t understand why there would be any loyalty to them, it doesn’t sound like they have earned it.”
Another user cited: “You’ve been there 4-5 years too long. This is proven by your pay not being nearly comparable to the market rate. The rule of thumb anymore is 2-3 years and out. I typically move every 2 years or less. I’m on to job #6 since 2019. Some of the roles were a bad fit or a short contract. I went from $35k in 2019 to $130k today. Had I stayed at job #1 in 2019 I’d maybe be making $60k now.”