Should a job offer be discussed when asking for a raise?

[moshi]

Here is my situation. I've been with my current company for a year and a half. Everyone before me got a raise. Once I got to my one year, I asked my manager to give me a review, and she said I was doing great. Unfortunately, no raise "due to the economy". She said to try again in 6 months.

Now it's been over 6 months, and she gives me the same thing, but tells me she will talk to her superiors. This was a week and a half ago.

In the mean time, I have received a job offer that not only will pay more, but will give me more weekends off, and evenings off, possibly more vacation time too. The only problem is, I worked at this place before, and it was not fun.

Also, a co worker was just let go this Monday, leaving me and another girl in charge of our department. In my opinion, I should get the raise, because everything is to my advantage now. They let a girl go, they need someone there (I'm not saying I'm irreplaceable, but giving me a raise is cheaper than hiring someone new).

I like where I work. I love the people, and I like the customers. My question to you all is: Should i bring up the fact that I have another job offer to my manager? I am planning to talk to her soon, as she seems to be the procrastinator type who will ignore an issue hoping it will disappear...so annoying. I don't want to sound threatening AT ALL, but I need an answer soon. I really don't want to leave, but if worst comes to worst, I will take what's best. Advice??

 

[mitch]

My personal philosophy has always been not to mention that I have a better offer unless I intend to take that offer. A job is not just about the pay, it's about what you are willing to do for the pay and it is unfair to the employer and risky to yourself to raise the notion of having a better paying offer that you are not willing to take. What if you bring it up and they say, "OK, good luck". You will have egg on your face with your current employer for quite some time if you don't follow through and leave and you have shot a big hole in your credibility.

In fact, every time I have changed jobs, I have done so for a new job that I was so excited about that even if my current employer offered to match their offer (and on a couple of occasions they did), I had already decided that I was moving on anyway.

Futhermore, as I advanced in my career and became a manager, I had a couple of situations where employees resigned (or threatened to) because of better offers. I can only think of one occasion that I made a counteroffer. It was a situation where the employee was outstanding. (I'm talking top 2% here.) He did not take the counteroffer. Every other time I let the person move on. Some of them were good employees, but any smart manager knows the risks they take when the start playing into this game. Also, if the employee was looking elsewhere now, chances are they will again before long and that's a distracted and uncommitted employee anyway.

So I think you are playing a risky game discussing another offer that you are not willing to follow through on. However, if the position is comparable, and the benefits are better, you could have this discussion with your boss: Tell him/her that you have a friend at this other company who works in a similar position and the person makes more money than you and has the same to less experience. The person's hours are better and the person says that company is looking for a person like you so you feel that the company just isn't paying you market wages. See what they come back with. Now you have told them that you have data saying you are underpaid but haven't stuck your neck out and "threatened" them with a resignation that you are not willing to follow through with.