Up To Standards

Color me shocked. (Which if I'm not mistaken is something like a neon yellow... )
In a world where hundreds of people can find themselves on the unemployment line as quickly as you can stay "restructuring," the most unimaginable thing happened to me today.

My boss called me into her office to inform me that the bean-counters and folks who hold the purse strings were reviewing various positions throughout the network and in an effort to be competitive, have opted to raise my base salary. Gasp!

Even more shocking was the amount. I can assure you, it was well-above the laughable 'cost of living' increase that our corporate handlers so 'generously' bestow upon us each year to insure we can afford to clothe and feed ourselves, never mind fuel the cars we drive ourselves to work with.

I am actually working for Industry Standard. The salary I was hoping to make when I first applied for the job, nearly two years ago. The salary I didn't get, accepting a pay-cut just to get out from under the thumb of my last corporate taskmaster.

So, taking into account actual cost of living increases, multiplied by two years... and I'd say, I'm somewhere just above the poverty line.

All kidding aside, it's great news - but it leaves me feeling confused. As I'm in the midst of a job search, which will hopefully serve to shift my career into overdrive, I feel as if I'm a traitor for looking elsewhere after my current company has made a serious effort to try to 'take care of me.' Then again, why not? Money is only part of the equation... one which I'm very happy to say has been adjusted to reflect my new asking price.