Wednesday's Child - Is Full of Woe

I’m going to be babbling, so I ask your forgiveness in advance.

It’s a terrible thing to be unappreciated, as I’m sure you will all agree.

My boss does not appreciate me. I have worked for him for over nine years. I currently handle, among many other things, payroll. Today, he gave a raise, to my exact salary, to a woman who has no education other than a couple of semesters at college. She is our bookkeeper. She didn’t know anything about bookkeeping, until I taught her. She works fewer hours than I do. She is 20 years younger than I am, so has 20 years less experience. When she encounters anything new, she still has to ask me how to do it. She is very nice and I’m not saying she doesn’t deserve her raise. I don’t begrudge her the money. I’m happy for her.

What has upset me is that I should be paid more and I am not. I have a BA in Elementary Education, with a minor in Art. I have a Computer Programmer Certificate. I am a Certified DER. I am the only employee he has who has consistently learned, on my own, how to do every new task that has come across my desk. I have over 30 years of varied experience in the business world. I write letters to lawyers that back them off. I have written employee manuals that are better than ones written by trained individuals. I routinely give my boss advice that is right on and would save him thousands if he’d listen to me right away. During my last review, he asked if I didn’t think I made enough money.

I have talked to him about this. His response was that the company was not making enough money to give me another worthy raise.

So, here I am. Sad. On the verge of tears. Ready to quit, NOW!

But I can’t. I have responsibilities at home. I will keep my mouth shut and quietly look for another job. He will know that I’m not happy, because he’s not stupid, just delusional. I’m pretty sure he’s on drugs, whether prescription or otherwise (another story.) I am definitely not happy. I really like the people I work with for the first time in my entire life, but the company is too small and my pride too hurt to put up with this.

I know he is not my friend and I’m taking it too personally, but I do. I’m not a very good self-promoter. I feel he should see and know my worth after all these years without me having to badger him to get what I deserve. Nothing pisses me off more than being taken for granted. Nothing. When that happens, I am done.

And as has happened in previous situations, I will get a call after I’ve left, telling me how wrong he was to treat me so, but I will have moved on and he will no longer matter to me.