'My boss just 'haha' reacted my message asking for a raise. How do I move forward?' UPDATED

"My boss just haha reacted my message asking for a raise."

Editor's note: this original post was made in a forum about jobs in the Philippines, which gives more context for salary ranges mentioned.

I posted here a while ago asking if having 13k as a salary as a software developer was enough. I'm a graduating student, and this company hired me after my internship. When I accepted the role, I expected to do the same tasks I did during my internship, so I thought the pay was fair.

But then they gave me more complex tasks, like creating a payroll system, which meant studying thousands of lines of code, hundreds of tables, and the whole process from scratch. Mind you, it's just me and my senior in the team.

I took it as a challenge and slowly learned to enjoy it, but now I feel like the minimum isn't enough because I’m handling so many projects, and my tasks have leveled up a lot. Today, I finally got the guts to message my boss to ask if a raise was possible. I was polite, just asking if it could be considered and explaining why I felt I deserved it. She just haha reacted and even sent a 😍 emoji.

I don’t know if it was sarcastic, but I was just asking a simple yes-or-no question. I didn’t even mention a specific amount. Now I feel like I’m being treated like s--t. As much as I want to leave immediately, I still need the money. But this really motivated me to start looking for another job as soon as possible.

The internet had a lot to say in response.

Iamwildside wrote:

Start applying now for your backups. If you get accepted or have multiple offers then show it to her, see if she can match that. Otherwise, you're ready to leave and start a new chapter since you have a standing offer or multiple offers. Make sure you have the leverage.

OP responded:

That was actually my initial plan to get an offer first before asking for a raise since I still enjoy the work and the setup I have here. But I just wanted to take a shot tonight. I guess her response was a sign for me to walk away once I find a backup. Kinda sad because I really love my work here despite the salary. Thank you for the response :))

zero_xever wrote:

Your boss is deflecting the conversation at hand. 13k as you're already aware is too low especially as starting salary. Immediately drop your job as your priority in life and prioritize getting a job that knows your worth.

OP responded:

I didn't see it that way, but that makes sense. And yeah, I know it's way too low haha. I can't leave immediately since I'm still studying and funding myself, but I'm already applying for other jobs, just looking for a company that accepts graduating students 🥹. Thank you!

fauxactioongrrrl wrote:

Hi. Some advice if you’re open to taking it: For important matters involving compensation, schedule an actual call and discuss it there, and, document the outcome of the discussion in an email. 🫶😉 A little old school and a tad intimidating, but you’ll avoid the agony trying to decode what your boss’ emoji and reaction meant.

Also, it’s a far more professional way of expressing something that’s deeply important to you. There’s not enough info here for me to assess if she is indeed an AH like one of the commenters here said, but definitely give her the benefit of the doubt especially if she hasn’t shown you any other untoward behavior.

If she has, I’d still suggest a call / meeting. It shows that you’re gutsy and that’s a good thing. That said, 13k is supremely low. If you don’t have a figure in mind, and just leave it up to them to decide, you might get disappointed. Is there any way you can discreetly find out what the ballpark figure is for a role like yours?

Something like, I’m grateful to have been given the opportunity to manage more complex and value-adding projects etc etc and am eager to grow my career here. On that note, given my performance, etc etc. is it possible to explore a salary adjustment to take effect within the next 3 months? or something to that effect. The timeline suggests urgency (and if she values you, she’ll interpret it that way).

OP responded:

She's quite busy, and we usually discuss work-related concerns via chat since my initial salary was only communicated to me through chat kaya I assumed this was normal for us. We only talk through calls in group meetings, which I don’t feel comfortable bringing up in that setting, as it should be a private matter.

I agree, I’m not judging her response yet, I’m just confused haha. I didn’t mention a specific amount in my message; I was just asking if a raise was possible and provided my justification. I tried asking my senior how much I should be earning in my role when he was in my shoes, but he didn’t answer, so I wouldn’t compare raw lol so I'm assuming it was higher.

I also asked HR and she encouraged me to just ask my boss for what I think I deserve, as she always gives raises if she thinks you deserve it, which is one of the reasons I had the guts to ask. Thank you for the advice btw. If a meeting does happen, I’ll take these into consideration ❤️

Bidenvironmental7020 wrote:

Start looking for other jobs. 13k is too low to begin with.

Two days later, OP shared an update.

Thank you for the advice and for giving me a reality check. Here's an update on my story. I waited two days for a proper response, but I guess that was her response. Regardless, I had already planned to resign and was just looking for another job to transition into. Just a day after posting this, I was able to quickly land an international client from OLJ who is paying me 4 times my monthly salary 🥹

The task seems easier than my usual work, at least in theory, but I still have some concerns since the tools are new to me and different from what I am used to. However, I believe we grow the most from challenges that scare us and stepping out of our comfort zone is where real learning happens. So thanks for motivating me to apply haha.

As soon as I secured the deal, I immediately submitted my resignation. My boss later replied, apologizing for the late response and saying she was actually considering my request. She could have mentioned that when I first asked instead of just reacting with a haha and an emoji though lol

She then asked if I could at least work reduced hours as many of their clients had started with me. That made me smile because suddenly she saw my worth. Yet, when I initially asked for a raise, it seemed like I was not even worth a simple reply, not even a two or three letter response like "yes" or "no."

Unfortunately, I did not do what some of you suggested, haha reacting to her message or replying with just an emoji 😭 Instead, I told her that I had already made up my mind and kept it polite because I did not want to burn any bridges, as I still appreciate the experience I gained from the company. Thank you all for helping me realize my worth. I have learned my lesson and will never go through that again ❤️

The internet continued to share their support.

HonrySix9 wrote:

Happy for you, OP! and good decision to not do the haha react and emoji. Your boss already did an unprofessional thing, so why step down to her level, right?

OP responded:

Exactly! 😆 Thank you!

cake_hot21 wrote:

Mine was last year. My boss gaslit me into believing I owe so much in the company and that I failed to do my tasks, so why would I ask for an increase? Later on, I prepared for my resignation and I felt that I am now in a better place.

Struggling but at least I no longer have to deal with her shits. Last time I heard, my tasks were now handled by 2-3 manpower. Hahaha. Wishing for more bad karma for that company and well, to her. Way to go, OP. 🫶

Individual_Handle_386 wrote:

Left a project midway because of something similar. Supervisor immediately began talking to me with respect convincing me to come back.

fauxactiongrrrl wrote:

This is awesome. 13K is exploitation. Good on you for keeping it professional. Good luck and congrats on the new job opportunity!