Can I bring up declining another offer in my year end review?

Monkeys,

With year end reviews coming up, I'm wondering if I can tell my boss that I denied an offer to leave my current job. I denied an opportunity to get a ~40% raise, so I feel like I could potentially get my current employer to pay me more or at least get brownie points for loyalty.

My worry is that they would be unhappy that I interviewed somewhere else in the first place. Any advice is much appreciated.

Edit: Since the only responses I've received are people telling me I'm dumb for not taking the offer I'd like to expand on the context. First of all, I'm currently in my first job out of college and I've only been here for 7 months. If I jump ship this early I would be locked into my next job for at least 2 years and I plan on moving cities within the next year (likely transferring internally). Also, being so early on in my career I'm currently much more focused on the type of experience I'm getting as apposed to how much money I'm making. The offer I received would've been a bump in pay but its also a specialized role in a niche industry I'm not interested in long term.

Thanks.

 
Willie Nelson:
Monkeys,

With year end reviews coming up, I'm wondering if I can tell my boss that I denied an offer to leave my current job. I denied an opportunity to get a ~40% raise, so I feel like I could potentially get my current employer to pay me more or at least get brownie points for loyalty.

My worry is that they would be unhappy that I interviewed somewhere else in the first place. Any advice is much appreciated.

Thanks.

They will probably laugh and say that you should have taken the offer.

You’re supposed to leverage offers when you have leverage.

You should have brought it up when you had the other offer and it’s probably a bad move to bring it up now.

"If you always put limits on everything you do, physical or anything else, it will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them." - Bruce Lee
 
Willie Nelson:
Monkeys,

With year end reviews coming up, I'm wondering if I can tell my boss that I denied an offer to leave my current job. I denied an opportunity to get a ~40% raise, so I feel like I could potentially get my current employer to pay me more or at least get brownie points for loyalty.

My worry is that they would be unhappy that I interviewed somewhere else in the first place. Any advice is much appreciated.

Thanks.

Why would you go through the trouble of interviewing if you didn’t want to pull the trigger or at least use it as leverage?

"If you always put limits on everything you do, physical or anything else, it will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them." - Bruce Lee
 
Jerome Powell:
I was approached by them and figured it couldn't hurt to interview. In addition to my rationale outlined above in the original post, my mentors all suggested that I stay in my current role.

How old are your mentors? The paradigm has shifted greatly toward talent in the current employment market (in USA at least). Mentors are not always relatable.

If the glove don't fit, you must acquit!
 

Reminds me of that scene in Billions where Mafee was telling Axe that he was showing his loyalty by rejecting another job offer. You don't show your loyalty, you just are.

 
IdkLOL:
Well everyone is different; I actually told my CEO i had a job offer with a slightly-superior pay but I declined it because I liked working here

Was this you actively looking for an offer or an interest came to you. Different scenarios.

If the glove don't fit, you must acquit!
 

I'm actually not going to fault you for declining the opportunity as it seems you have reasons for doing so. As mentioned previously, you only have leverage when you're deep enough in the process or have an exploding offer. Given that you've only been in your role for 7 months, I doubt they would have countered and would have let you walk.

I laud you for taking the interview because I think it's always appropriate to have a pulse on your value in the market + interview practice. Just make sure you're not wasting your time on low-level interviews.

Finally, unless you're at a dream firm, always look to move firms for vertical progression and pay bumps. Internal movement at the beginning of your career is limited and riddled with bureaucratic red-tape. Don't be afraid to jump ship when the time is right.

 

Tread carefully. Leveraging another offer at only 7 months experience is tricky enough as it is. Many employers wouldn't appreciate you trying to hold a gun to their head. Now, you're essentially trying to hold a gun to their head and telling them "but it's not loaded." That's... an odd way to negotiate.

I would simply use this as your own private data point and keep it in mind as you have a conversation about medium-term career/comp growth. You'll be better informed for that discussion.

 

After reading your update, I still think the other offer would be better. Leverage that into a move to the other city is going to be just as easy, if not moreso than sticking with the current employer. Also if you are going for a 40% raise and relocation with the same company...well good luck unless it's a city where no other industry competition is and you've got some major connections.

If the glove don't fit, you must acquit!
 

OP is getting shit on but it's a valid question. Last year I actually was in a similar situation, I turned down the offer but I made sure to casually mention it to my boss afterwards during a lunch break. Something in the line of:

-Me: Do you know the major differences in working in IR for a public firm or a PE fund? -Him: Raising capital doesn't sound that appealing (his opinion), I rather work on crafting the firm's story and deal with wall street research analysts instead. -Me: I agree, IR in PE could be hit or miss that's why I turned down an offer last month, did not feel like I would have learned much even though the pay was 30% higher...

He didn't say much, but it definitely got him thinking and he came prepared for the annual review a couple months later. PERSONAL OUTCOME: Massive equity plan upgrade (granted it has a 4y vesting) basically tying me down to the company for now, which is great because like OP I actually like my job.

I think that type of strategy can work in a corporate setting (I work for a F500), but I have no experience with IB/PE which seems much more structured. And by the way, I still apply to a couple interesting jobs once in a while to see the range of what I could get out there. Always good to get a feel for your value to other firms even though I would most likely not take the job.

 

It's more likely to hurt you than to help. It's been a hot job market that last couple years, so you're hardly special for getting calls offering you opportunities. Your boss has probably gotten calls too, and may not appreciate you acting like this is a big deal. Worse, it may come off as downright arrogant, like you're trying to say you're better than your current position. Lastly, I'm of the view that if you're so good, it should show up in your work and you shouldn't need validation in the form of outside offers to prove your value.

 

I would strongly advise not doing this. They are going to pay you what they are going to pay you, and if you say this then it makes it look like you are seeking other opportunities (so why should they pay you more if you are leaving).

 

you bring it up to your boss, he/she will think in following steps:

i) Okay, 7-month-old self-acclaimed hot shot. You've already thought about leaving this job? Fine, but why did you turn down a 40% increase? ii) I see, you want more career development. What do you want from me, then, more bonus? Nope, I'm going to lowball you for exactly the same reason you turned down that offer. You've just showed me your card. Bad move. iii) oh wait, you turned down a 40% increase? Now I know how much you value this job. Lowballing you even harder. Thanks. iv) Net net, you gained nothing from this conversation. How shortsighted was this guy. Wait, this guy works for me! Hope it was just a rookie mistake...

 

I personally wouldn't bring it up since you already declined the other offer. I would only use it as a last resort if they're fidgety about transferring you internally, which you could then play the loyalty card. But still, that might be risky.

 

Not a wise move bringing up something that you already declined. From the point of view of an employer, why would he give you a raise for something you turned down. I wouldn't be thrilled at all either that you did that because clearly you are not committed long term to the company and would definitely test the market for new candidates. Speaking as someone who has jumped ship multiple times, it sounds like you are at least surviving with your current salary so I would stay patient and apply to as many jobs as possible to your desired city/ industry

 

Nihil molestias architecto et iure ea id dolore voluptatem. Earum sed ipsam ad soluta. Quam voluptatem qui tenetur sunt. Deleniti hic reiciendis fugit molestiae sunt corrupti. Laudantium sit ipsam veniam sint temporibus totam ullam et. Nisi et blanditiis sit molestiae.

Ut in odio provident ut inventore natus. Quis dolorem eum sapiente inventore provident ut. Sequi maiores ut maiores aut quia voluptas. Rerum cumque vel est voluptas.

Laborum aliquam error maiores quia ex ipsa voluptatem. Non quisquam sed facilis odio ab. Atque amet suscipit sunt et sunt nulla debitis. Assumenda animi cum fuga.

 

Ipsum corrupti et vero. Nihil est error autem enim. Deleniti dolorem consequatur beatae reprehenderit modi. Ipsam quia officia quia officiis. Voluptatem nostrum voluptas exercitationem nihil cupiditate est tempore. Deserunt praesentium facilis ad non laboriosam. Repudiandae blanditiis architecto perspiciatis omnis quos. Inventore tenetur corrupti dicta corrupti.

Don't @ me

Career Advancement Opportunities

March 2024 Investment Banking

  • Jefferies & Company 02 99.4%
  • Goldman Sachs 19 98.8%
  • Harris Williams & Co. (++) 98.3%
  • Lazard Freres 02 97.7%
  • JPMorgan Chase 03 97.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

March 2024 Investment Banking

  • Harris Williams & Co. 18 99.4%
  • JPMorgan Chase 10 98.8%
  • Lazard Freres 05 98.3%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.7%
  • William Blair 03 97.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

March 2024 Investment Banking

  • Lazard Freres 01 99.4%
  • Jefferies & Company 02 98.8%
  • Goldman Sachs 17 98.3%
  • Moelis & Company 07 97.7%
  • JPMorgan Chase 05 97.1%

Total Avg Compensation

March 2024 Investment Banking

  • Director/MD (5) $648
  • Vice President (19) $385
  • Associates (85) $262
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (13) $181
  • Intern/Summer Associate (33) $170
  • 2nd Year Analyst (65) $168
  • 1st Year Analyst (198) $159
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (143) $101
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

1
redever's picture
redever
99.2
2
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
3
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
99.0
4
kanon's picture
kanon
98.9
5
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
98.9
6
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
7
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
8
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
9
bolo up's picture
bolo up
98.8
10
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.8
success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”