# Free market worked for me!

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-market-worked-for-me/399977>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [April 13, 2007, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-market-worked-for-me/399977 "2007-04-13T17:01:45Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\
**Post date:** [April 13, 2007, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-market-worked-for-me/399977/1 "2007-04-13T17:01:45Z")

</div>

The past several years I’ve been working at a great company. Interesting work, competent co-workers, reasonable management. Overall, a friendly and fun atmosphere. Only one downside–the pay seemed to be on the low end.

Well, at the beginning of the year, I started fishing for other job prospects. Contacting old colleagues and a few resumes sent here and there. Finally, one bit. I had a couple interviews and they made an offer: similar work and benefits, with a 25% pay increase!

Since I had nothing against my current employer, I gave them a chance to counter-offer. After some friendly negotiation, they counter-offered the same salary increase, plus a little extra. Nothing like an offer-in-hand to show your company what the market value of your job is. 😃

Yay, me! 🆒

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![jali](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ecae2f/32.png) [@jali](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jali)\
**Post date:** [April 13, 2007, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-market-worked-for-me/399977/2 "2007-04-13T18:04:42Z")

</div>

Outstanding!  
Good for you.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\
**Post date:** [April 13, 2007, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-market-worked-for-me/399977/3 "2007-04-13T18:20:55Z")

</div>

Yay you!

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\
**Post date:** [April 13, 2007, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-market-worked-for-me/399977/4 "2007-04-13T18:21:15Z")

</div>

Congrats!

Of course, the downside of the free market is that employers are free to only acknowledge your value if you call them on it and they have nowhere else to turn. Unless you can get them behind the 8 ball, they won’t be arsed to pay you what you’re worth.