QI am a second-year associate working at a small boutique firm in a smaller market. For the most part, I enjoy my job and the people I work with. However, I need a raise and my boss keeps blowing me off. This has left me fairly bitter and willing to split the first chance I get.
Yesterday, I found out that another associate in our office who has the same amount of experience as me and is comparable in skill level got a written offer from another firm. He then leveraged to get a higher salary at our firm. While I’m bitter that the kid got a raise and I didn’t, I see an opportunity: obviously the firm that offered the other associate a job is looking, and they were willing to consider someone at my firm who is virtually identical to me. He clearly wasn’t supposed to tell me about his raise or the job, but I’m looking for opportunities wherever I can. So, my question is, do I contact the other firm and offer myself for the position? I expect them to see right through me and how I found out they were looking, but I need more money and opportunities are rare in this market.
AIf your goal is to create leverage, you obviously need another job offer. So, yes, contact the other firm. But be discreet. You might want to find someone to make the call for you. You don’t want to get rejected—or create a paper trail that might work against you. People smell desperation—and shameless, ham-fisted attempts at fake leverage—a mile away.
So if you want to pursue this opportunity, pursue it intelligently and seriously. The real question though is: Which firm has more long term upside potential? You don’t want to sell out long term success for a few thousand bucks.
