How Long to Stay with Employer After They Trained You???

I have silently read these forums for a long time but this is my first post. I have received a LOT of training from my current employer for some very hot and in demand skills over the last year or so. I have greatly excelled at the things I have implemented based on that training and ther lab work I have done. Problem is that my pay is LOW for what I could be getting. I have spoke with my boss a couple times about all the work I do and my desire for a raise, but not much response. It is really frustrating since I know that if I left it would make a big dent on the team and to the company's new initiative.

Thing is they gave me all this training. How long would you stay before you hit the highway for people who are willing to pay for rare hot skills? The company is great to work for otherwise, but I don't get the stinginess with pay when they know I would be hard to replace and definitely not for what they are paying me now.

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DigitalZeroOne

How long have you been working there and what training have you received?

higherho

marwarash wrote: »

I have silently read these forums for a long time but this is my first post. I have received a LOT of training from my current employer for some very hot and in demand skills over the last year or so. I have greatly excelled at the things I have implemented based on that training and ther lab work I have done. Problem is that my pay is LOW for what I could be getting. I have spoke with my boss a couple times about all the work I do and my desire for a raise, but not much response. It is really frustrating since I know that if I left it would make a big dent on the team and to the company's new initiative.

Thing is they gave me all this training. How long would you stay before you hit the highway for people who are willing to pay for rare hot skills? The company is great to work for otherwise, but I don't get the stinginess with pay when they know I would be hard to replace and definitely not for what they are paying me now.

WEll for one you want at least a year of experience with these new skills. If you did not sign any agreements or paperwork stating that they can get money off of you for that training if you leave within a time period, then I would wait 5 / 6 months then leave.

Have you been with the company longer than a year and a half? Have you gotten raises at all within the job? Are they low balling you more than 20k?

techdudehere

If it were me, I wouldn't ask more than twice. You gave them fair notice that you think you're worth more. Check your contract, you may be obligated to pay back training received that they paid for. Usually the term is 1 year from the time training was received. However, if it's not spelled out in the contract, then you can leave at any time without paying them back. I assume you've checked the "salary calculators" for your area? If you're below median value for your rank/experience, check the local ads for a reality check. Ultimately, I wouldn't stay somewhere at below par pay for too long. However, if you're long on training and short on experience, you may want to see some of these projects through first.

Plantwiz

marwarash wrote: »

...snip.... Problem is that my pay is LOW for what I could be getting. I have spoke with my boss a couple times about all the work I do and my desire for a raise, but not much response. It is really frustrating since I know that if I left it would make a big dent on the team and to the company's new initiative.
...

Well,

Did you sign a contract stating that they would pay for training in agreement you'd work for them for 2 years, 5 years, indefinitely, etc.. ? So, on a business relationship, your 'obligation' to them is whatever you agreed to do before you took the job.

On the other hand, simply because they paid for training, doesn't necessarily make the associate (or you in this case) proficient in the field. You've been trained, but they may expect you to cut your teeth on their network and therefore pay what they pay because right now, that is all the value the position you hold has to the organization.

Does this mean you shouldn't look for something else? Maybe, maybe not. However, how do you 'know' these other places are paying more for the skills you currently have? They may or they may not. "It depends". You may find that with the amount of time you have put in with these skills, another company will also only pay a similar wage.

Another perspective. What if you had to pay for this 'special' training out-of-pocket? You may have earned a higher wage, but you'd be expected to invest in yourself. The end result is a wash.

Simply asking/telling a supervisor you should be making more or deserve a raise is not the path I'd personally walk. I would recommend you have some solid data to prove and show what you've done, how you've saved them money or made them more efficient (by keeping others online, or with working equipment, etc..) or made the organization money. You'd likely also want to show a timeline of your improvements to their organization and show how this goes above and beyond what they hired you to do for them.

Your post does have a lot of 'grey areas' to it because you don't clarify 'what' you do. Nor do you state how long you have done it.

Bottom line, and with a 'it depends' thrown in for caution, 2-5 years. But without knowing you, the company (and please don't say 'who') the answer isn't cut and dry. But if they paid for training, and as an applicant you knew this going into the company, I'd recommend staying on a bit to improve your skill and experience before moving forward.

In the end, you may find and be able to show your new value to them and will see a raise. However, remember the $$ you see on your check also includes the phone, tools, associates who also help YOU do your job (payroll, phone help, etc..) vacation and other benefits that don't print weekly on the check stub. So if you can show you are saving/making 2x (minimum) per hour what you cost them, they you may have some room to talk to them about a raise. I'd recommend 3-10x the savings or making them that much more profit before you ask for more money, especially if it falls out of sync with your regular review schedule.

YMMV

marwarash

I have been with the company for a few years actually but different positions. The last training I had was probably last summer. I am a full-time employee (not a contractor). Don't know if there was a contract about paying back training since that would have been a few years ago. I am not actively looking but I did upload my resume out there and I do get recruiters emailing me several times a week. If I did pursue one of those positions and that turned into a job offer, would you leave? Would I be breaking some unwritten rule?

Yes, I think I could be getting 20k more...because the technology has not been out that long (maybe around 3 years). That is why recruiters are looking too.

Plantwiz

marwarash wrote: »

...snip

Yes, I think I could be getting 20k more...because the technology has not been out that long (maybe around 3 years). That is why recruiters are looking too.

Well, that again falls under 'It depends'. When you apply and interview, the company may have something entirely different in mind. You could also be correct, and the only way to know is to do the research. The caveat being that once your currently employer finds out, they may help you move out a little sooner and the new place may pull the offer.

Keep it professional. Don't burn bridges. Yada, yada, yada.

The only 'rule' would be if you signed a contract agreeing to 'x' and broke it. As far as ruining your integrity or simply making someone angry...you may do this when you leave, but if you did not break an agreement, then it should not harm your integrity (unless you become a real jerk at work before you leave). They may be unhappy you are leaving, but that is simply the nature of business. However, the door may not be open later if you find the new gig isn't as good as you 'heard'.

From what you stated above, it doesn't sound like there is any obligation, but the best thing to do would be visit HR and find out.

DigitalZeroOne

This one isn't so cut and dry, you really need to weigh your options. It's usually hard to get a substantial raise within a company, unless you get some type of major promotion, so you need to look at everything. You need to look at the training, the pay, the flexibility of your schedule, the medical insurance, retirement...look at it all. I can be loyal to a company that treats me right, but I always remind myself that the company would fire me and a ton of people if that would increase their profits. I'm sure there are some small businesses that may not be that way, but big corporations will, so I don't get too emotionally attached to jobs. If you really see a great opportunity to advance your career, you may want to take it, if you do, just give a sufficient notice, work hard until the day you leave, and you should be fine.

quinnyfly

I know what I'd be doing, <is it about you or the company?> If the only loyalty they exercise is training but very low renumeration, you will in time see that is won't work for you and then decide to move on. I would be applying elswhere while you are still working there.

Roguetadhg

I'd say atleast 2 years, from hiring to looking for a new job.

Just because they paid for your training doesn't mean you owe them anything - unless you signed something otherwise.

I stick with my job for a couple reasons:
1. Flexibility. I can go out and take care of personal business without being guilt to death, or threatened.
2. Study Time. I have the time to study and do things that need to be done. I can buy equipment, and work on it at my office until my fingers bleed.
3. My first IT position. My first position, I guess it's "Entry" level. Either way, I want to show to the next employer that: I moved to the job and made it work for 2+ years. This is a man who will stay with the company for a length of time.
4. Good People. I love my bosses. Good people. I don't see them everyday - maybe twice a year if I'm lucky. Im loyal to someone who will give me that chance to prove myself.

My bosses also knows if he calls at any time, I'll answer the phone for them and hop down to the building at a moment's notice.

That I'm also learning how to "Draw" the line where my job is, and someone else's. That's not to say I don't troubleshoot, unless I'm explicitly told not to by the people who keep me here.

...I just wish there was more Networking - optimization, watching how things work, etc. It is what it is. I'll probably be looking for a job after I get atleast my CCNP and a CCNA Concentration (Voice?). Clear up some Debt as well, so when I move I'm not immediately pressured into paying more people more money. So I'll probably be here another 2 years

Forsaken_GA

If you have a serious offer at closer to what you're worth, and the job looks like a place where you'd be a good fit (location, personality mesh with manager/team, etc) and you haven't committed yourself to taking a huge financial penalty due to accepting training, then you would be doing yourself a huge disservice by not giving the opportunity a serious chance.

kurosaki00

Id say stick with a job until you see its not giving you back anything.
That moment when you find yourself daily thinking... what am I doing here?
yup, that point.

Because sure, they trained you, but...did you acquire enough experience in this "new" discipline to say you've master it?
Do you feel you dont have anything else to learn here?
Have you employed your skills in this job enough to say you are good at it? Its your customer satisfied?
etc
Bunch of things matters (for me at least).

If you have a good offer on the side, thats a different 20 bucks like we say here

BradleyHU

if there isn't anything in your contract that you signed on in the beginning about having to stay for x amount of time after receiving paid training, then i'd give them the deuces quickly if another employment is found...

JoJoCal19

If the company isn't showing you any loyalty by giving you even a small raise, even if just to placate you, then I'd not show them any bit of loyalty and be looking hard for somewhere I can get the pay I wanted/deserved.