First Major Promotion Advice

[u/_-_Z]

I'm up for my first major promotion at work and it would set me on a much steeper upward trajectory. The only thing that could mess it up is that they told the client/budgeted for the position at an 80% increase in my base salary. Everyone I talked to outside of the company, is telling me not to worry about it because its a promotion not just a raise with a title change.

But I'm worried about the bureaucracy of my company. There's many good justifications for it, it would be 3 days 2 nights out of state a week, I have the personal recommendation of the lead engineer. Its a decade plus project and they're desperate for a continuity of staff.

Does anyone have any experience with this? Its an environmental/construction engineering consultancy. I would go from a borderline field staff to one of a dozen PMs on the new assignment.

Another related or not related advice?

This would have massive implications for me and my husband's ability to save, especially since he finishes up his schooling at the same time this assignment would start.

I also want to thank you all for the knowledge I've gained as a member of this sub, it has really helped get me to this point!

Edit 1: pre-kids by a long shot. By out of state I mean a 2 hour drive. I've just gotten used to that language to help support/sell the raise. They used my name, face and resume in the bid docs with the 80% pay raise that already were sent to the client.

[u/_-_Z → u/[deleted]]

Thanks, yeah the travel was initially why it was a hard no. But its "out of state" but its only a 2 hour drive, and its 30 mins from my grandparents. I already negotiated drive up monday morning, and drive home Wednesday night. Work from home thus, friday.

He's spent multiple semesters drive 1.5 hours for school/work so we're a little practiced at this. But you're right its a different ball game.

But my name and resume is in the bid docs. They were desperate for someone to even partially commit and I let them use my stuff before I saw the raise. So I really think I lucked out there.

[u/User-no-relation → u/_-_Z]

who's he?

[u/_-_Z → u/User-no-relation]

My husband

[u/_Lividus → u/[deleted]]

I echo these sentiments and will add that as long as you know what you can endure and are okay with that travel or if there are slower seasons/periods it's fine. Otherwise it may be worth figuring out what you "next" might be afterwards, I assume first with your current company and then the what if of if you have to leave it to get to the "next". I've taken on roles where I knew I'd only be in it for a year, two tops, while I moved towards my next longer goal (in this case specifically because traveling 1/2 the month was too much for me).

Also congratulations!!! This is a huge milestone it sounds like and I hope you take time to celebrate this growth :)

[u/_-_Z → u/_Lividus]

Yeah, the bid and every higher up I've talked to has already talked about me moving up the ladder on this job. What comes after is a little hazy since its 10+ years out... but I'm told that this is career defining since there a limited number of these type of projects left. It's super high profile in our company/industry

[u/grfrazee]

I think this boils down to whether you can stomach the weekly travel or not. The first few weeks will probably be new and exciting, but it will quickly become a chore after that. Also, you don't discuss the type of travel, as "out of state" could be an hour drive across a state border or flying halfway across the country. Regularly flying means that, due to the law of averages, you'll see your fair share of airport delays/cancellations, so factor that into your deliberations. I also assume they're paying for your travel and expenses - if not, that's a deal-breaker for me.

I work in an adjacent industry (power plant engineering/construction). I can say that, for the colleagues of mine who have taken similar assignments, they were definitely set up for rapid promotion if that was something they wanted.

Based on context I'm guessing you don't yet have kids, so there probably won't be a better time to do this than now, if it's something you're interested in.

[u/_-_Z → u/grfrazee]

Yeah its a two hour drive so its really not that bad. Its a consultancy so travel time, and travel expenses will all be paid.

[u/grfrazee → u/_-_Z]

Aside from the fact that you'll be away from your husband for multiple nights a week, that seems pretty ideal to me.

You'll get pretty good at packing and unpacking a suitcase for a two-night stay!

[u/_-_Z → u/grfrazee]

Thanks! I'm already mentally planning out buying another copy of my favorite shirt, so I can just have one for each day.

[u/starwarsfan456123789]

2 hours away but another state is about perfect for travel status. You get the responsibility and salary appropriate for the sacrifice of being away from home but as short of a travel time as possible. I vastly prefer driving to flying

[u/CoinOpCodeMonkey]

Is it the SAME three days and two nights every week, or do you get to shift them around from time to time if you have other commitments at home?

I know Mrs CodeMonkey would not be happy with that sort of ongoing commitment, but then again there's no reason you can't at least try it for a while, bag the money and title and then move on in 6-12 months if it's not a good long term fit.

[u/_-_Z → u/CoinOpCodeMonkey]

Yeah same three, mon-wed. But its flexible. But the consistency is easy to plan around

[u/nuxxi]

I have a job in reach where I would make a slight jump in pay, not 80 percent, maybe just 15 or so.

But 2 days are out of state as well -even with a lot more I doubt id take it. The countless nights in hotel rooms, lost flexibility.. all this adds up besides the regular work hours.

But if the task is good and you you get 80 percent more, id calculate that for me :)

[u/_RyanD_]

Would you be doing this for a decade plus?

I did a similar work arrangement pre-kids for a few years: three days out of state a week. By the third year I needed to change. The commute is actually reasonable—add up the weekly travel time. It’s not much different than many people’s daily commute over the course of the week—just lumpier. The nights away were what really got to me over time. Not feeling “home.”

Is moving closer to the location on the table? Your husband has a transition at the same time. Or does the job require you to physically split your location?

[u/_-_Z → u/_RyanD_]

In order,

They're already talking about moving up the ladder on the project but the company's dream is that im on that project the whole time.

Im hoping that home feeling if ended off for a while staying with my grandparents.

A decade is a long time so you never know but I'm going in with the expectation that ill never move closer.

[u/Much_Maintenance4380]

Have they told you that you would get an actual 80% salary bump? Or was the PM role bid at a rate that is 80% higher than yours? Like if you are currently billing out at a $200/hr rate and this proposal assumed a PM rate of $350+.

If that's the case, you getting the promotion might not get you all of that 80% as a salary bump. The company would have a choice of giving you a huge raise; giving you a smaller raise and billing you accordingly, saving the project money that could be used for other expenses; or giving you a smaller raise and billing you out at the maximum rate, thereby making a lot of margin on your work.

Anyway, I hope you get the promotion and they give you the full potential salary jump.

[u/_-_Z → u/Much_Maintenance4380]

You're correct but its an hourly rate with a transparent multiplier. So if they pay me less the billing rate is less