My first boss in Chicago told me to never ask for a raise before my first year was up. I waited 14 months, asked, and got a flat 'no budget'.

3 comments

3 Comments

Did your boss ever explain what happens after that first year? I've seen places use that line as a way to keep salaries low, because they know most people won't push. They expect you to just accept the no and keep working. It might be time to quietly look at other jobs, even if you like where you are. Getting an offer from somewhere else is the fastest way to see if they really have no budget or just have no budget for you.

nathan1932mo ago

Did you ask what specific metrics or goals would unlock a raise in the next review cycle? A flat "no budget" with no path forward is a major red flag. It means they aren't even willing to have the real talk about your value. That silence is often the answer itself.

cameron_chen1mo ago

Found myself in this exact spot a few years back. I went in with a list of specific things I'd done that saved the company money or brought in new clients, not just my daily tasks. Asked point blank what the path looked like and got the same "it's not in the budget" line. So I started updating my LinkedIn and quietly reaching out to a couple old coworkers. Landed an interview at another place, got an offer, and when I told my boss I was leaving, suddenly they found room in the budget to match it. I didn't even want the match at that point because the whole thing showed me how they really valued me, but it proved to me that "no budget" is almost always a choice.