Not to $100,000.
Not to anything dramatic.
But enough to make her feel valued.
She also told me that the company had finally reviewed the salary structure for the entire department.
Several employees received increases.
Others started looking elsewhere.
Karen eventually transferred to another division.
And me?
I stopped apologizing for wanting to be paid fairly.
The biggest lesson wasn’t that I had found a better job.
It wasn’t even that I had earned more money.
The lesson was simpler.
Being loyal to a company doesn’t mean allowing a company to undervalue you.
Being a team player doesn’t mean sacrificing your future so someone else can save money.
And being good at your job doesn’t automatically mean your employer will reward you.
Sometimes, you have to recognize your own value before anyone else does.
For years, I had thought I was trapped because I was afraid to leave.
