A female reader who requests anonymity says: I am a human resource manager for a restaurant outside Metro Manila that wants to expand. I studied English literature before I had to stop and work. I started as a staff member before I was promoted to my current position. I did not know what to do at first but I researched and asked my friend. I worked hard. I submitted my resignation months ago, but the owners did not accept it because they also trusted me with financial reports and dealings with suppliers.
I love what I do, but my salary is not enough to support my daughter and siblings who are still in school. My husband is not earning enough, so I want to go abroad.
The business hired a manager with a salary higher than mine. I understand that she has the education and the experience, but I work very hard, for 12 hours a day, and I get scolded whenever there is a problem. I want to quit and just become a staff member and not have to deal with company problems. I also want to finish college. Please help.
My Reply
Your plight is troubling, but I need to ask this: when you filed your resignation (which was not accepted), did you already have another job to go to? Probably not, since you plan to go abroad. But have you figured out what line of work to do there?
Assess honestly your strengths and weaknesses as an employee. You are trustworthy, adaptable, hardworking. These are qualities you can use as leverage when you ask for a raise, which you likely can do in your current situation.
Instead of begrudging the new manager her higher salary, ask the owner to match yours with hers. You have earned the owners’ trust; tell them about your situation and they may be able to give you the increase you deserve.
Priorities
If there is a way you can finish college, make it a priority. Or if you are so inclined, finish a course in a technical school to beef up your skills.
The job market is competitive, here and abroad, and if you do not have enough skills, you will not be able to land a decent job and may even end up being exploited.
Are you certain you want to go back to being a mere member of the crew, a demotion of sorts? You are still young, in your early 20s, and instead of ascending the company ladder, are you truly sure you want to go back down?
Dead end career
Employees stay in a business if they perceive they can grow in their career. You seem to have reached a dead end at this point, so discuss with your employer how you can advance up the ladder, with the corresponding pay increase. If your employer can pay for you to join seminars in human resources or finance, so much the better.
You are tempted to go abroad because you have heard stories about better pay. But are you ready to leave your daughter? Not everyone who works abroad is content—some have fallen prey to all sorts of problems.
By all means explore the option of going abroad, but keep your eyes open at all times. God bless.
Investing
Reader A.M.L. asks: Can you recommend good books on sale for family business investing?
My reply: Investing in family businesses is similar to that of other businesses, so basic or advanced finance books (depending on your prior knowledge and skills level) are the way to go. If you are a beginning investor, learn the basics by borrowing any college-level finance text, or if you want plain language, “Finance for Dummies” and its ilk or any book by Warren Buffett for practical advice.
I frequent Booksale, Books for Less, and National Book Store’s bargain sections for technical tomes, including finance. These should not be a huge drain on the pocket. Going through finance websites (with reputable organizations or institutions) will cost even less, if at all.
Queena N. Lee-Chua is on the Board of Directors of the Ateneo de Manila’s Family Business Development Center. Get her book “Successful Family Businesses” at the University Press (e-mail msanagustin@ateneo.edu). Contact the author at blessbook.chua@gmail.com.