Pay rise today!

[billyskank]

:bounce:

Okay, I only got 2.7 percent. But it just nudged me over £30K, which feels like a milestone. :D

[Skittles]

1. you're a f***ing Brit?

did I know that? :7

[billyskank]

4. I thought you did, dear

:hi:

[Skittles]

44. I have a shaky memory

I think you know I'm a half a Brit though :D

[MissHoneychurch]

2. That is wonderful

pay raises are always something to celebrate. Doesn't seem to happen very often these days.

[billyskank]

5. I get them regularly - they are just small

Better then nothing, I guess. :)

[lizziegrace]

3. Yay Billy!!

:*

:loveya:

[billyskank]

6. Hello lizzie!

:loveya:

:*

[BarenakedLady]

7. Woohoo!

:bounce: :bounce:

Congratulations! :hug:

...so what are you gonna buy me? :7

[billyskank]

8. Thanks

I guess, a big bunch of flowers. :D

[BarenakedLady]

9. Awwww

Thank you my dear...:loveya:

[BarenakedLady]

19. On second thought

Flowers die. :( and then I'll be sad when I have to throw them out. And then what will I have left? Just a memory....:cry:

[billyskank]

20. Oh.

:hug:

[BarenakedLady]

21. It's ok

You can make it up to me. :evilgrin:

[MrCoffee]

10. don't you mean Euros?

congrats on the bump. you're worth every shilling.

[billyskank]

12. Nope, Britain is not in the Euro yet

:hi:

[Writer]

47. Hey, is that going to change?

I knew that GB didn't switch over, but I wondered if that's because of the sturdiness of the pound?

[billyskank]

57. Not any time soon

It isn't because of the sturdiness of the pound, it's because we are an island of insecure little europhobes. We fear being ruled from Brussels, where we actually do have a say in how things go, and yet prostrate ourselves before Washington where we have none. We fear that losing Sterling will make us somehow less British, without noticing that the French are no less French for losing the Franc, and the Germans are no less German without the Mark.

As you can see, I think it is all very pathetic. :eyes:

It doesn't help that the print press is overwhelmingly right wing and implacably opposed to further integration with Europe. The Conservative party are also instinctively hostile to Europe (they are a party of nasty xenophobes) and the Labour party has no will to face down this wall of hostility. They have more or less swept the Europe issue under the carpet.

What would it take to change our minds? Two decades of the Eurozone countries solidly outperforming us economically, until it became painfully apparent that all involved were having a great party and we weren't invited. Then we would come grovelling and beg to be allowed in. Those are the only circumstances under which I can imagine us joining the single currency.

[matcom]

11. "rise"???

:rofl:

must.not.copycat.

congrats billy!

[billyskank]

13. Hush silly, that's what we say

You can raise somebody's pay but you get a pay rise. And thanks.:hi:

[matcom]

14. you Brits are silly

:D

[Oeditpus Rex]

45. But if you ask for a rise

it's no surprise they're giving none away.

Away.

Away.

A-WAAAyy.

Away.

Away.



I certainly was in the race.

[bigwillq]

15. Good for you!

:bounce: :toast:

[billyskank]

16. Thanks Mr big!

:D

:hi:

[fizzgig]

17. yay!

:bounce:

[billyskank]

18. Hooray!

:bounce:

:hug: :hi:

[LSK]

22. ok, I give, what is £30K???

With the dollar sucking so bad, I'm guessing $3 brazilian?

:shrug:

[billyskank]

23. Today

nearly $59K.

Although you could have gone to www.xe.com and performed the conversion just as easily as I did. :P

Historic "normal" conversion would have been more like $45K. Also I don't know what the difference in the costs of living are.

[bullwinkle428]

26. Wow...the US $ is going straight down the crapper! I thought it was

around $1.50 = 1 pound for years and years. Yet another thing we can thank * for... :grr:

[billyskank]

30. The real turning point was when the Euro overtook the Dollar

For a couple of years after the Euro's inception it slid steadily downwards, but eventually it stabilised. Then the Dollar started sliding itself, and it's been going downhill ever since...

[LSK]

27. of course, I would have to know about that site....

:P

[billyskank]

29. FFS

I typed "currency conversion" into Google to find it. :eyes:

[LSK]

31. did I also mention Im lazy too?

:popcorn:

[billyskank]

32. You didn't need to

it is quite apparent. :P

[Crabby Appleton]

24. Approximately 1 British Pound = 2 US Dollars

[ThomCat]

25. You're underpaid.

:(

I hope you get more and larger raises, and an offer someplace a bit more generous. :hug:

[billyskank]

28. I know

I always have been. One reason is that I don't job hop very much. This is my fourth job in nearly ten years, and the first only lasted seven months (thank God it was the dot-com boom, it meant I found a new job dead easily).

Funny thing about the IT industry. It seems to reward disloyalty. It is common for companies to award their staff bogus pay rises each year, whereas if you quit and get a new job, they tend to offer you a couple of grand more than your previous salary.

So the main reason I am underpaid is that I have seldom collected my disloyalty bonus. :crazy:

My employer's pay rise policy (everyone gets cost-of-living increases across the board) means I certainly will not stay here long term. For the moment, I am content, because at least I have been learning some new skills. That is a meaningful benefit, and for that reason I will stick around for the next couple of years I think.

:hug: :hi:

[ThomCat]

33. New skills are awesome. They increase the value

of that disloyalty bonus. I see a lot of people here in my client's IT department leaving for exactly that reason. They're getting 25% to 40% raises by going someplace else, but 3% if they stay.

Changing jobs is horribly stressful, but you're right about the how necessary it is in your industry. :(

[In_The_Wind]

34. pay increases are awesome

even when you're underpaid :thumbsup:

[billyskank]

36. Yay Joani!!

:hug:

:hi:

[In_The_Wind]

40. Yep! It's a very good day!

:hi:

[billyskank]

41. I know. Clint popped in and you're here

What more can I ask for? :hug: :loveya: :7

[In_The_Wind]

42. I'm going to try to stick around for more than a few hours here and there.

I didn't spot Clint's Morning Thread until a few minutes ago. It really felt good to se him again!

[billyskank]

43. I nearly fell off my chair when I saw him.

indeed!

[In_The_Wind]

58. Indeed!

[billyskank]

59. Hi Joani!

How lovely to see you today! :hug:



:*

:loveya:

[In_The_Wind]

60. Good morning Sweetie!

I can't think of any better way to start my day. :loveya:

[Left Is Write]

35. Yay! Congratulations!

[billyskank]

37. Thanks!

It's kind of crap, but I'll take whatever I can get! (I mean the money).

:hi:

[LaraMN]

38. Sweet!

Are you going to buy yourself a present? I think you should, to celebrate!

[billyskank]

39. Good idea!

I'll blow my £800 all in one go! :rofl:

I like the way you think, Lara. :thumbsup:

:D

[Writer]

46. Congrats, billyskank!

I'm not sure how old you are, but when I was in my 20's my goal was to "make my age." :P

:bounce:
Congrats!

[billyskank]

51. Actually I had been thinking that too

Now I've finally made it. :7

Although with the relative value of the pound and the dollar, making your age here is more lucrative. ;)

[Writer]

66. Is your firm hiring? I know of one very skilled software engineer...

looking for work. And we wouldn't mind the change. :hi:

[u4ic]

48. Congrats, billy!

:bounce: :toast: :bounce:

[billyskank]

53. Thank you

:D :hi:

[crim son]

49. I'm happy to hear it!

Go out and have a curry to celebrate! I do envy you getting a salary! :hug:

[billyskank]

54. Hey

Thanks. :hug:

:hi:

[Nicole]

50. Congrats!

:toast:

[billyskank]

55. x

:hi:

[Broken_Hero]

52. Congrats on your pay raise...:) nt

[billyskank]

56. Thanks!

:hi:

[miss_american_pie]

61. Yay!

:bounce: :bounce: :bounce:

[billyskank]

62. Yay!

:bounce: :bounce:

:D

[miss_american_pie]

63. Oh between you and Miss HC

I really want pie for breakfast. :D

[billyskank]

64. I always

want 'pie for breakfast. :D

Did I say that aloud? :blush:

[miss_american_pie]

65. Yes you did

:D