I've been working as a developer for about a year and two months. When I started, I didn't know much, but I learned quickly and have spent the last six months handling QA testing. I've also taken on web scraping, plugin development, and building applications. My salary began at 3,500 MAD and recently increased by 500 MAD to 4,000 MAD. Given the extra responsibilities, the raise feels inadequate, especially since the company often pays my salary in delayed installments, which causes constant stress. Management avoids discussions about further raises, so I'm considering leaving, but I'm scared I won't be able to find another job. Should I resign, negotiate again, or search while staying employed?
3 Answers
Don’t resign without another job or enough savings to cover several months. Keep the current income for now, and use vacation or approved leave for interviews when possible. In the meantime, document your projects and skills so you can show employers exactly what you’ve been doing.
Start applying while you’re still employed. Update your résumé and portfolio, contact companies directly, and prepare for interviews gradually. You don’t need to quit first, and having another offer will give you much more leverage.
That makes sense, but I barely have time to search because I work 44 hours a week and sometimes stay late. I’ll need to find a way to make time for it.
A 500 MAD increase is roughly a 14% raise, so whether it’s good depends on the market and your total experience. However, your actual salary and the delayed payments matter more than the percentage. Since you’re handling several different responsibilities and earning under 4,000 MAD, it’s reasonable to compare your pay with similar local roles and look for better opportunities.
The percentage sounds better than it feels because 4,000 MAD is still less than 400 USD, and my responsibilities have expanded a lot.
That’s a good approach. I’ll use my available leave for interviews and start preparing my portfolio.