[WI] Fake an $80k job offer to leverage a raise?
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I make about $56k right now and recently interviewed for another position around $80k. I told my boss I was interviewing because I actually was, and we've already talked about what would happen if I got an offer and potentially left.
The timing is interesting because we're coming up on when raises/budgets start getting discussed, and another manager recently quit. Instead of immediately replacing him, they're spreading some of his sites/responsibilities between me and my coworker.
My boss has straight up told me that losing me right now would fuck them over. My coworker would probably leave too from the workload, and my boss has said that if he was left trying to manage everything without us, he'd probably look for another job himself. He's also told me he'd fight hard to keep me.
If I actually get the ~$80k offer, obviously I'll use the real thing as leverage. But I'm wondering what people's opinions are if I **don't** get it and I tell them I did anyway.
I'm not expecting them to match $80k. I'd be over the moon with $70k, and honestly I'd be very happy with $65k. I actually like my current job and would rather stay.
So: terrible idea even with this much leverage, or potentially worth the gamble? What risks am I overlooking?