State: Alberta (Canada)

I tried to negotiate my salary - unsuccessfully - I was told "you really don't want the job"!

Working for a previous Hi-Tech employer in Ireland, I had the opportunity to receive further education and obtain an Honours Degree. At the start of my degree certification (which took 5 years) it was made clear that I was being paid a little more than half the going rate that my colleague was. I was told when I completed my degree this would be reviewed and corrected to match or be similar to his rate.

5 years later I received my degree and waited for the review of my salary.

After 6 months of waiting I went to my HR rep to ask for a review of my salary as I had completed my degree. When I mentioned that this review was promised to me at the start of my further education, the response was "Do you have it in writing?" I said "No, but both your manager and my Director said this to me when I started out on this programme."

After the meeting my HR rep went to both of these individuals and asked about this review. Neither said they had a recollection fo ever saying this to me.

Needless to say, I did not get the promised increase.

Ever since then, I take everything spoken with a pinch of salt unless I see it in writing as well.