My favorite thing ever said behind my back by a direct supervisor:
"He only takes that Overtime to get money."
yah got me!
I had been working at this company for several years. About four months ago, they changed my pay structure to a commission-based system and kept promising me fantastic things. The problem? There wasn't enough work to begin with for me to make any money. I decided to give them a chance anyway, but my salary was embarrassingly low. I was earning less than a third of what I used to make. After receiving my first low paycheck, the company owner had the audacity to tell me, 'Oh, you seem to be coping with it just fine.' I was busting my ass at a difficult, skilled job, and in the end, I was getting next to nothing. So I started looking, found another company, aced the interview, and got accepted. The salary is amazing, the benefits are great, and they have excellent training programs. The work is still demanding, but at least I'll be able to pay my bills.
When I went to submit my resignation, the company owners acted completely shocked. I told them frankly that I couldn't live on this salary. It was as if they didn't hear a word. Instead, they immediately started to guilt-trip me, talking about how this would affect *them*, and how all their money was tied up in the project. They didn't make a counter-offer or anything; all they did was complain about their investments. Finally, I asked them, 'Is it possible for someone skilled in my position to earn a good living here?' The owner said, 'Of course!' So I replied, 'Well then, you'll need to find that person, because it's clearly not me.' The rest of the meeting was just them and my supervisor panicking and trying to figure out what they would do without me, while I just sat there and watched.
And as expected, everything is on fire now. The place has descended into complete chaos and disarray. It turns out my resignation was the straw that broke the camel's back, causing almost all the other employees to leave as well. With the number of people left, it's impossible for the business to continue. It's strange because for a long time I downplayed my own impact; I had no idea I was that important to the place, and honestly, it feels great to know your worth. I wanted to share this story for anyone who feels stuck. Know your worth. If the place you're at doesn't value you, don't convince yourself you can't find better. You can.