Help! Whens the Right Time to Leave a Job - Workology

Help! Whens the Right Time to Leave a Job Help! Whens the Right Time to Leave a Job? These days I seem to be part HR blogger and part Anne Landers providing readers advice and insights into navigating the world at work.   I guess it comes with the territory.  My business life right now during the holidays consists mostly of hoodie sweatshirts and house slippers so Im up for the challenge, and hopefully so are you.  I received this email question a few weeks ago from a long time reader and experienced HR professional.  What kind of advice and suggestions can you provide her? Help! Whens the Right Time to Leave a Job? ******   Im an HR Director for a nonprofit in California.   Ive been here for 8 years, and as far as I can tell my performance has been okay.   We acquired a new CEO in May 2010 (although  I dont report to him), and he looked at a number of salaries to see if they were within market.   I asked him to look at mine, in August 2010, and he said he would.   Of course I  informed my boss of my request, she said she would follow up on it. I received a 3.6% increase in December last year.   All the other deptartment heads received raises of 6% or better, some as much as 10%.   Im seriously underpaid, and he knows it.   Why I only got a token is a mystery to meand Im not about to go to him to ask him, simply for political reasons.     My boss had no clue, either. My regular review date was in April.   I have yet to receive any kind of raise, even the standard 3% that were giving everyone who meets their job requirements.   In the meantime, Ive asked my boss 3 more times about a raise.   I put together a bullet-point list of my accomplishments, goals, and presented that months ago.   Im up to my eyeballs in workand no one seems to give a rip. I dont know what to do.   Ive started to look, but as you know theres not much out there, at my level.   Ive been hesitant to announce my desire to leave to my general HR sphere, but maybe I should go ahead and do that. I guess Im asking, HR pro to HR pro, what would you do?   Im just baffledand my life is pretty much at a standstill financially until I know if/what Im getting in the way of a raise in pay. I, as well as this reader would love to hear your insights, advice, and conversations.  Any help/advice you can offer would really be appreciated. ****** And that leaves me to you blog readers. . . what do you think?  Should this person stay or should she go?  Is this a common  quandary  in just HR or are workers re-evaluating their priorities when it comes to work satisfaction as more than just a job?  Or maybe even still should this person just suck it up and be thankful they have a job?  Looking forward to your answers.  As for me, Ill comment along with everyone else to this loyal reader.   Photo Credit the smartly.