I turned down a promotion and $$$ today!

[rmcelwee]

(wellness, high blood pressure, stress related)

Three years to go and I was offered a promotion (kind of). I've been doing the job on and off for 15 years and was a shoe in for the position. Today was the deadline for submitting a resume. The promotion was a lot more stress and only would have netted me $5K a year more income (about a 4% raise). I figured that $15K more in net worth would not have affected my retirement life at all. I'm pretty sure I made the correct decision but I guess I will find out when the bosses see I am not on the list (it was common knowledge that I was going to get the job) and call me into the back office to bitch at me. I've stressed over this promotion for the past two years (it was very easy to see it coming as my boss was gearing up for retirement) and I am relieved that it is almost over.

Just wanted to share!

 

[pb4uski]

Sounds like you made the right decision.... just tell them that the extra 4% wasn't worth the added stress and responsibility..... if your ready to say goodbye you might even add that since your runway is short that you felt it best for the company to have someone younger take the promotion... that will give them something to think about.

 

[aaronc879]

Is this some kind of a government/union job? If not, you should have the ability to negotiate a higher salary. If they say no, you stay in your current job.

 

[rmcelwee]

if your ready to say goodbye you might even add that since your runway is short that you felt it best for the company to have someone younger take the promotion... that will give them something to think about.

I know it is probably a mistake to tell your employer that you are thinking about leaving "soon" but I'd love to tell them when they jump on me - which I know is coming.

 

[eroscott]

(wellness, high blood pressure, stress related)

Three years to go and I was offered a promotion (kind of). I've been doing the job on and off for 15 years and was a shoe in for the position. Today was the deadline for submitting a resume. The promotion was a lot more stress and only would have netted me $5K a year more income (about a 4% raise). I figured that $15K more in net worth would not have affected my retirement life at all. I'm pretty sure I made the correct decision but I guess I will find out when the bosses see I am not on the list (it was common knowledge that I was going to get the job) and call me into the back office to bitch at me. I've stressed over this promotion for the past two years (it was very easy to see it coming as my boss was gearing up for retirement) and I am relieved that it is almost over.

Just wanted to share!

That was a fantastic choice! I've done the same and never regretted it for a minute. Just let them know it was partially a life balance decision. In other words give them answers that are hard to argue with. Nice "job"!

 

[rmcelwee]

Is this some kind of a government/union job? If not, you should have the ability to negotiate a higher salary. If they say no, you stay in your current job.

Not government/union but pretty strict on salary ranges. I've told them several times that I was underpaid (been doing my bosses job on/off for 15 years) but it didn't matter to them. I discussed it with my wife (submitting resume and then refusing the job based on $$$) but when it came down to it I just let the resume deadline come and go. It felt better and cleaner that way.

 

[rmcelwee]

That was a fantastic choice! I've done the same and never regretted it for a minute. Just let them know it was partially a life balance decision. In other words give them answers that are hard to argue with. Nice "job"!

I like it!

 

[pb4uski]

I know it is probably a mistake to tell your employer that you are thinking about leaving "soon" but I'd love to tell them when they jump on me - which I know is coming.

Yes, it probably would be a mistake.

It all depends on your relationship with your higherups and how key you are to the organization... I had very good relationships with my boss and his boss and was a valued employee... I signaled that I planned to leave about 5 years ahead of time.. when I was 50 my boss and I we having breakfast and he casually asked about what I was thinking about retiring (he knew that I was retirement minded)... I told him that I really didn't know but it was somewhere between zero and five years... he just about choked on his OJ.

As it turned out I ended up staying an additional 6 years, in part due to the great recession and in part due to the timing of our rebuilding our summer home to be our retirement home and selling our main home.

 

[MarieIG]

Well, if you get called in, and ask why you didn't submit your resume, simply tell them you would have needed a 25% increase to consider assuming the position: they money offered was insufficient for the additional responsibilities which the position involves. You will however, look forward to the new selectee assuming the position.

AND NOW, STOP DOING THAT JOB - AND DON'T TRAIN THE REPLACEMENT.

 

[eroscott]

Well, if you get called in, and ask why you didn't submit your resume, simply tell them you would have needed a 25% increase to consider assuming the position: they money offered was insufficient for the additional responsibilities which the position involves. You will however, look forward to the new selectee assuming the position.

AND NOW, STOP DOING THAT JOB - AND DON'T TRAIN THE REPLACEMENT.

If you don't need the money then don't cause any undo problems in the near future for yourself. You only have a few year left so just continue saving and doing your normal hard work. Being reasonable may get you reasonable pay raises over the next couple years. Think about that retirement life!

 

[Scuba]

Be prepared - if they really want you for the job, they may ask you what it would take for you to accept the position.

 

[Nick12]

No worth the stress. I had been a mid level manager from 1989-2018 which is when I early retired. Could have applied and made more $$ for bigger positions but during layoffs the upper level managers were the first to be laid off. Vanguard index funds which I had been heavily invested in allowed me to walk away and retire at 51.

 

[target2019]

If I understand OP, he has mentioned raise, has done boss job periodically, and is wanted for the open job req. 1) He may get called in, and have to answer questions like, do you really want a raise? Could get nasty. 2) Company can hire new boss, who may have a long list of action items for his reports.
If you have FU money, I suppose it doesn't matter what they want or do.

 

[Jerry1]

If you are already doing the boss’ job, then why would it be more stressful to take the actual position and get paid more for doing so?

As for the upcoming conversation about why you didn’t apply, be very careful. Only you know what type of reaction or even retaliation that might come from what you might say. Anything you say could give them reason for you to be the next one out the door.

Ideally, if they are reasonable people, I would tell them that at this point in your life, you think it best you don’t take the position. Whatever words you use, help them understand your current plan is to retire sooner than later so you think it best for them to look at someone else. Definitely do not give them a date you’re planning to retire no matter how reasonable/nice they are. Things change, you never know what the next three years will bring and your goal is just to get out of the meeting with no collateral damage.

 

[rmcelwee]

If you are already doing the boss’ job, then why would it be more stressful to take the actual position and get paid more for doing so?

I have been doing the bosses job every time he takes vacation or calls in sick. Probably close to 375 hours per year. I've been doing this for 15 years so that is almost 3 years of doing it.

What I don't have to do is make all the decisions EVERY day of the year or deal with personnel issues. I know he will always be back in a week to handle the crap I don't want to deal with.

 

[Aerides]

Doing your boss's job when your boss is away is a nice trial run but it's not the same as having the day-to-day role.

If you have 3 years left don't even hint that you are looking to go or you might find yourself pushed out way before that. What's your rationale going to be here? You are going to have to provide a good creative response.

If I had been grooming a replacement, then the entire leadership team would be aware, and equally aware when that replacement fell thru. You don't want to be dead-man-walking when you need 3 years.

 

[corn18]

I have been doing the bosses job every time he takes vacation or calls in sick. Probably close to 375 hours per year. I've been doing this for 15 years so that is almost 3 years of doing it.

What I don't have to do is make all the decisions EVERY day of the year or deal with personnel issues. I know he will always be back in a week to handle the crap I don't want to deal with.

Your boss takes 375 hours of PTO a year? That's almost 47 working days. They should fire him.

I would have submitted my resume and gotten to an offer letter. You are making too many assumptions.

 

[Bir48die]

Many people make a choice around your age on how high up to go. I felt I could run a sales organization with sales under $250 million. Then I realized I was well compensated and had freedom to move about the country. I didn't need the additional stress or responsibility. It was a great choice.

 

[pb4uski]

Your boss takes 375 hours of PTO a year? That's almost 47 working days. They should fire him.

I would have submitted my resume and gotten to an offer letter. You are making too many assumptions.

That has perils too... like if they offer you the job and you decline and make yourself persona non grata.

 

[cathy63]

I have been doing the bosses job every time he takes vacation or calls in sick. Probably close to 375 hours per year. I've been doing this for 15 years so that is almost 3 years of doing it.

What I don't have to do is make all the decisions EVERY day of the year or deal with personnel issues. I know he will always be back in a week to handle the crap I don't want to deal with.

It sounds like you do know that you're not actually doing the boss' job, even though you keep saying otherwise. 375 hrs is only about 18% of the year. And you say you're not doing the hard stuff of handling personnel issues and dealing with crap you don't want to, which are the tasks that actually earn the higher salary. "You should pay me more because I've been doing your job" sounds pretty tone deaf when it was only the easy parts. Not that you'd say it exactly that way, but my advice is to be careful about what you do say, so that it can't be misinterpreted as this kind of bitterness.

Also, I do not think the advice given above to refuse to train the new boss is good. You need to stay there a few years more, so don't poison the well. Helping your new boss get successfully established in the role is the professional thing to do, and it's a lot more likely to create a work environment where you'll be welcome to stay until you're ready to retire. If you make things difficult, then there's no reason for them to keep you on until you want to go.

 

[corn18]

That has perils too... like if they offer you the job and you decline and make yourself persona non grata.

I would talk about my expectations during the interview process. Pay, hours, PTO, freedom to manage my team. If they don't meet them, I decline the offer.

 

[pb4uski]

I would talk about my expectations during the interview process. Pay, hours, PTO, freedom to manage my team. If they don't meet them, I decline the offer.

I see your point but it is still a bit tricky.

 

[bobandsherry]

That has perils too... like if they offer you the job and you decline and make yourself persona non grata.

Meh, I turned down several offers, much for similar reasons as OP. Life is too short and no amount of money buys you more time. I never experienced any issues with keeping employed at the company and made several moves for what I truly wanted. 35 year run and ended on my terms with me retiring at 54. If you have skills and experience you can make your own path.

 

[OldShooter]

... I guess I will find out when the bosses ... call me into the back office to bitch at me. ...

This is pure negotiating strategy, not specific to your job situation.

When they ask, explain just as you did in the OP. Then shut up and wait.

People hate silence and will usually jump in to fill it. In this case, your boss may ask what it would take to get you to move. The answer is "I don't know. I haven't thought about it." Then shut up and listen some more.

The point here is to force the company to make the first move. Maybe it will come in the first meeting, maybe your boss will say "Let me talk to my boss about this." or maybe something else will happen.

If you open the negotiations with a number or some other condition, you instantly foreclose hearing about anything else that they might be willing to do. Even things they haven't thought about yet. There is also the possibility of creating animosity unnecessarily.

Finally, regardless of what is said or offered, do not make a decision. If you want an easy way out (this is called absent authority negotiating) just tell them that you can't make a decision without talking to your wife -- whether that is true or not.

 

[pacergal]

OP--glad you are feeling relieved at your decision. I would make sure you have answers to their potential questions why you didn't apply, whether financial, life balance, or whatever you choose to disclose.
My last 10 years, I was constantly asked to move to the next management level. Didn't want too, as the $ was not increased enough for the headaches, and they were not able to offer more. And I had a union benefit from 30 years ago that HR honored until the last of the original group retired or died, which was little known thing at the back of the contract, but a big financial boost at retirement.