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The original was posted on /r/maliciouscompliance by /u/WBRobot on 2025-08-24 22:55:39+00:00.

Being a bit vague on purpose. Retelling the story with permission in the first person.

*** Edited with the corrected degree required, as many pointed out. Personally, I never graduated college, so I will mix up Bachelor’s and Master’s, as I have no personal frame of reference.

A few years ago I started a new position. The manager encouraged me to get my licensure and they’d promote you to assistant manager, but had proven myself over the years and had earned the title assistant to the manager and had the office running smoothly. Here’s the thing, licensure requires a bachelor’s degree. So I went back to online community college to finish my associate’s degree, then online college to obtain my bachelor’s degree. I’ll be graduating later this year, and will have all other prerequisites to take the state exam in December.

Early spring, my manager started to show the seeds of doubt that assistant manager was not going to be available with the current ownership, as the new owners don’t believe the company is big enough to require assistant managers. So, instead of the $20k+ raise with increase in title and responsibilities, I was told a $6k raise should occur, as generally the company pays more for employees in other departments that have completed higher education. Then it became without a title change, there can be no increase in pay. Then the fateful phrase “if you want more money, you’ll have to leave.” OK, boss.

Aside from a general disdain for being lied to, I incurred some minor student loans to fund my bachelor’s, and some additional money is needed in order to start paying it back after graduation. I gave my resume to a colleague in the field and asked them to keep me in mind if they hear of any openings, expecting to hear something late this year or early next. However, in early June, just a couple weeks after reaching out to my colleague, I’m getting interviews for a new job that I never applied to. A couple weeks after that have, I accepted a job offer that was more than the $6k raise.

I actually got to see a “shocked Pikachu” face in person when I told the manager I was leaving. They never saw it coming. I was gracious with a longer than industry standard leave notice. Although the new job is a bit more of a commute, I am much happier in the new company.

I’ve heard through the grapevine is my replacement is still struggling with even the basics of my old job.