Post: #1

I have a friend that joined a digital advertising company in the sales department just under a year ago.

- He started on £27,000 with some loosely related experienced.

- He is the lowest paid of a team of 6 by some distance, earning just £37,000 now after a recent promotion. The 3 worst performing earn £60,000 x2 and £75,000. They have billed £15,000 between them this year.

- Roughly speaking, this year he's billed £105,000 for the firm and is by all accounts hard working and talented in the field.

- The firm is obsessed with diversity and has hired many useless characters on high wages and is losing huge sums per month because the sales aren't coming in. Apparently the investors are willing to tolerate losses for now and the firm will be sold to a conglomerate at some point in the future.

Now here are the latest developments.

- The top and most experienced salesman has handed in his notice and is moving to a top firm.

- The 2nd top salesman, who has been demonstrating his dissatisfaction for some time now is repeatedly threatening to leave over the commission structure and his wage vs the 3 non-earners on the team. He is expected to leave imminently.

- The new "head of income" who will be the boss of my guy's boss has come in this month and has met him for an informal breakfast already. He made it clear they can't afford for him to leave and will fast track him as the fastest promoted ever (no details) and he will take over the top guy's accounts.

Now my question is: how should my guy play the situation to get max value? Should he start looking for jobs elsewhere and threaten to leave? Could he reasonably demand £60,000 basic with just a years experience in the firm and industry? Should he bluff the head of income saying he's had another offer? Should he not take the piss too much and shut up until he sees the details of their new "fast track" offer?

Advice welcome, cheers

Post: #2

It sounds like the company realises they're in a bind. If possible, your friend should contact the people leaving to find out as much as possible regarding what they're compensation and expectations of them were.

I'm kind of confused though that there's this much hierarchy in sales, with compensation so loosely tied to production.

Post: #3

The top salesmen are all leaving, the company is losing a ton of money, and it's filled with diversity hires who can't do their jobs?

Fuck "leverage", he should be updating his resume and looking to jump ship.

EDIT: Actually if they're willing to give him a promotion and a big pay raise, it's probably worth taking it as long as he keeps in mind that the company's going to be crashing through the floor soon, and behaves accordingly.

Post: #4

Take the promotion, immediately leverage it for a job at a different company.