Kalau kerja makan gaji, benda ni mesti familiar.
Setiap tahun tunggu performance review.
Dapat rating okay. Boss happy. Kita pun berharap tahun ni increment cantik sikit.
Then the email comes.
3.6%.
Okay lah... at least naik. 😅
But here's something interesting.
According to the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta's Wage Growth Tracker:
People who stayed in their jobs: 3.6% yearly wage growth
People who switched jobs: 4.4% yearly wage growth
And people who actually plan their career growth?
Potentially more than the normal yearly increment.
Sebab bila kita fikir pasal career, sebenarnya kita tak patut tengok increment sahaja.
Company controls your increment.
You control your market value.
Tapi Jangan Pula Asyik Nak Lompat Kerja
Social media career advice kadang-kadang terlalu simple.
"Bro, kalau nak gaji naik, jump every two years."
Not necessarily.
Katalah company lain offer 15% lebih tinggi. Memang sedap dengar.
Tapi kalau pindah sana buat benda yang sama, responsibility sama, exposure sama dan tak belajar apa-apa yang baru...
you got a salary upgrade.
Not necessarily a career upgrade.
Kadang-kadang stay dekat company sekarang lagi berbaloi.
Maybe you're about to lead a major project. Boss dah mula bagi exposure kepada senior management. You're building a team. You're getting involved in bigger decisions.
Benda macam ni mungkin tak nampak dalam payslip bulan depan.
But it can make you much more valuable three years from now.
So jangan tengok duit sahaja.
Look at what you're becoming while earning that money.
Yang Bahaya Bila Dah Terlalu Selesa
Ini pun kena hati-hati.
Tahun pertama, kerja sama.
Tahun kedua, kerja sama.
Tahun ketiga...
Still the same job, same responsibility, same problems.
Performance rating setiap tahun bagus. Increment pun ada.
Tapi bila tengok balik tiga tahun, career sebenarnya tak bergerak sangat.
That's when maybe you need to stop asking:
"Berapa increment aku tahun ni?"
And start asking:
"What am I still gaining by staying here?"
Sebab boss boleh manage performance kita.
Company boleh decide berapa increment kita.
But neither of them should be managing our entire career.
Ada di kupas benda ni dengan lebih detail dalam Your Employer Manages Your Increment. You Manage Your Career.
So yes...
Nak gaji naik?
Ask your boss.
Nak gaji naik lagi tinggi?
Maybe ask someone else's boss. 😂
Tapi kalau nak sesuatu yang lagi besar daripada sekadar increment...
build a career that gives you choices.
