People talk a lot about leaving here, and they are leaving, it seems to me more than ever.
Among them are many talented people who are not as easily replaceable as they think at the top.
I wonder if Saudi Aramco is doing the same to keep its most talented people? Have they tried to dissuade someone from leaving by offering them better working conditions? Or do they not care at all?
There are no talented US Expats, only big Blow Hearts with no job skills.
Actually, the best time to get more money on ANY job, short of before you accept the offer, is a couple months after you join. That's long enough for management to see what you can do, but not long enough for them to take you for granted.
I saw a South American guy do this. He came in as a GC 13 when everybody else doing the same job was a 15 or 16. He marched into the boss's office and told him on no uncertain terms that he would be leaving. He said paying him WAY less than others for the same work would just make him resentful and a bad employee, and so it was in everybody's best interest that he leave. He pushed the button and they countered. He didn't give me a number, but he was moved up a GC. He guy had "grandes bolas" and it worked out for him.
I do not recommend you do this if 1. you have no prospects for other employment whatsoever, 2. you are sitting at your desk doing nothing because there is no work or 3. Brent Crude is less than $50/bbl. As always, YMMV, but I've seen this work both at Aramco and elsewhere.
They counter offered some of the Rt refinery guys. No one took it.
No one is indispensable at a company where people are clamoring to gain employment. In my 25 years at the company, I personally only witnessed two instances where serious counteroffers were extended to individuals who gave notice of resignation. They were truly exceptional in their field of work and the company recognized that. For everyone else, there was no shortage of applicants ready and able to fill their positions.
When you are leaving, SAP requires everyone in your chain of command, up to the VP, to click a button. Before they "click off", they have the option to speak with you if they want to. Everyone spoke to me except the VP. I got the usual "is there anything we can do" BS, but it was pretty clear they weren't going to do squat. Like everything else at Aramco, it was just for show. FWIW, there was a shortage of people who do what I do at Aramco. The job was complicated, required interfacing with a bunch of different groups, and there was time pressure whenever things got going. However, I was treated with zero respect. That was the main reason I left, rather than just money. I think the big boss thought he could just outsource what I did. After I left, I heard they realized that there was no way an outsider could do the job. So, they tried to make another Aramcon do it, and he quit LOL. Now, they are back in the market trying to hire. Probably think they can get somebody cheaper. They tried that before too. The guy they hired watched movies on his phone all day because he was paid about half of what I made. They eventually laid him off, but I figure on a per hour worked basis, they got more out of me. Bottom line, count on Aramco to do something stupid if you threaten to quit. If you do a good job and they really need you, they will probably let you go without a second thought.
By the way ... leaving was a GREAT decision. I have no regrets. The money was nice, but it wasn't worth my self respect.