Am I right to be upset about my pathetic raise?

Joined
May 4, 2023
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I'm a VM, former Style TL who made a lateral move. I've been VM for roughly 6-7 months and I've regularly been praised as a top performer. My ETL always points out how I'm the quickest and most efficient VM he's ever worked with and our DSD even singled me out for praise on his last visit. So what does that get me? A 3% raise. I went into my review fully expecting to get the highest possible 6%, but my ETL couldn't get me there.

For clarity, I've been on and off with leaving this job. I was suppose to leave last Summer to accept a new career at a law firm, but things fell through and I decided to stay here for the time being, accepting the VM role in the process. But now I have a new chance at a new law firm and I've basically gotten it in writing that it's going to happen come May. My ETL already knows that I'll be leaving near the end of May and he's claiming that this factors into my relatively low raise.

I had a chance to talk with my ETL about the lackluster raise. I told him to try and negotiate something higher for my last couple of months, but he said that there's no chance in Hell in that he's going to try and make a pitch for the highest possible raise for a VM who's only here for a couple more months. He said that the SD and DSD would never go for it, which I think is unfair. I may be leaving soon, but I'm still a Target TL who has financial obligations and is entitled to the benefits of someone who's regularly praised as a top performing, highly efficient VM. Am I right to be upset by the whole thing?
 
You never should have told them you were leaving. That is absolutely a factor in your raise and from their standpoint it makes sense. Why push for a bigger raise for someone who won't be there in two months?
There was a point last year with the old law firm where my two weeks were given and I was ready to go, but things fell through at the very last second. I obviously had to rescind my notice, but what was I supposed to do after that? Lie and tell my ETL and SD that I've given up on my law career ambitions? They knew that I'd be on the look for a new opportunity. And they would both regularly ask me how I was doing in terms of my career goals. They knew I was leaving sooner or later without me needing to directly tell them
 
I'm a VM, former Style TL who made a lateral move. I've been VM for roughly 6-7 months and I've regularly been praised as a top performer. My ETL always points out how I'm the quickest and most efficient VM he's ever worked with and our DSD even singled me out for praise on his last visit. So what does that get me? A 3% raise. I went into my review fully expecting to get the highest possible 6%, but my ETL couldn't get me there.

For clarity, I've been on and off with leaving this job. I was suppose to leave last Summer to accept a new career at a law firm, but things fell through and I decided to stay here for the time being, accepting the VM role in the process. But now I have a new chance at a new law firm and I've basically gotten it in writing that it's going to happen come May. My ETL already knows that I'll be leaving near the end of May and he's claiming that this factors into my relatively low raise.

I had a chance to talk with my ETL about the lackluster raise. I told him to try and negotiate something higher for my last couple of months, but he said that there's no chance in Hell in that he's going to try and make a pitch for the highest possible raise for a VM who's only here for a couple more months. He said that the SD and DSD would never go for it, which I think is unfair. I may be leaving soon, but I'm still a Target TL who has financial obligations and is entitled to the benefits of someone who's regularly praised as a top performing, highly efficient VM. Am I right to be upset by the whole thing?
Wasnt your raise prorated? You haven’t done it a year you don’t get a full raise.
 
There was a point last year with the old law firm where my two weeks were given and I was ready to go, but things fell through at the very last second. I obviously had to rescind my notice, but what was I supposed to do after that? Lie and tell my ETL and SD that I've given up on my law career ambitions? They knew that I'd be on the look for a new opportunity. And they would both regularly ask me how I was doing in terms of my career goals. They knew I was leaving sooner or later without me needing to directly tell them
Fell through?

Did you get a WRITTEN job offer from that law firm that you ACCEPTED?

You were lucky that Target didn't hire you back just long enough to find your replacement then fire you.

Which they still might do.

IMHO your raise would have been 3% regardless because Target is cheap.
 
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It's a matter of principle. My leaving shouldn't factor in my raise. It should be solely because of merit and overall work ethic.
If as a manager I knew someone was leaving, and I had another employee who was a good worker as well and I had to choose between the two for the top raise, I'm likely going to choose the one who is staying, or at least staying as far as I know.

Why am I going to reward an employee who has made it known that they are actively looking to leave?
 
If as a manager I knew someone was leaving, and I had another employee who was a good worker as well and I had to choose between the two for the top raise, I'm likely going to choose the one who is staying, or at least staying as far as I know.

Why am I going to reward an employee who has made it known that they are actively looking to leave?
You just plain haven't been paying attention. There are plenty of comments here saying that it's just a matter of work ethic and performance. Me leaving shouldn't play into it at all. Pay attention, junior.
 
Why am I going to reward an employee who has made it known that they are actively looking to leave?
Because that’s how merit raises are supposed to work. You’re rewarding people for their past performance, not for their continued employment.

Because it was a job transfer therefore new role and not in it for a year
So is moving from Inbound Expert to Beauty Consultant, but TMs don’t get their raises prorated over lateral moves.
 
You just plain haven't been paying attention. There are plenty of comments here saying that it's just a matter of work ethic and performance. Me leaving shouldn't play into it at all. Pay attention, junior.

Snapping at folks won't help your case one bit.
For someone who is planning on a career in law you get rattled easily.
Here's the facts: 1) your raise sucked, and 2) everybody's raise sucked.
You deserved better and most everybody working there deserved better.
Coming here to rant about it is part of what The Break Room is all about.
But don't expect a huge amount of sympathy.
Everyone is in the same place you are.
Most of them don't have a law career to go off to any time soon.
So chill, please.
 
You just plain haven't been paying attention. There are plenty of comments here saying that it's just a matter of work ethic and performance. Me leaving shouldn't play into it at all. Pay attention, junior.
If there are 2 employees at the exact same performance level but, only one can get the best raise then I would give it to the one who isn’t leaving. You leaving does play a part of it.
 
You just plain haven't been paying attention. There are plenty of comments here saying that it's just a matter of work ethic and performance. Me leaving shouldn't play into it at all. Pay attention, junior.
"Junior", lol. No need for sarcasm.

You asked a question, and as someone who has been in retail for over 40 years, including salaried management, I gave my opinion. Apparently you don't like it and are just looking for an echo chamber of people agreeing with you. That's not how it works.
 
 
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