Asking for a raise....
#159648 - 03/11/05 11:38 AM
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mindyj
Reged: 05/14/04
Posts: 494
Loc: Northern Virginia
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So I wanted to get opinions on this and maybe help to get my nerve up - I'm trying to find a way to ask my boss for a raise soon. I know my supervisor recommended one for me, but it hasn't happened yet, and I need/deserve it! I work TONS and I know plenty of people here make WAY more than I do! I would love stories and advice for what people think on how I should go about this.
Wish me luck and I'll let you know how it turns out!
Min
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I am in the same boat!!!  At my 3 month review, my boss asked me how things were going. I told her I loved the people I work with, I like the job, but that the salary was a lot lower than I calculated since I estimated them taking out less for taxes. I cannot live on this income. I feel very underpaid. My boss doesn't seem to want to "go to bat" for me, even though she thinks it is underpaid too. She said she tried to get a higher rate before I was hired, and sort of suggested that if I needed more money, I might have to quite and go someplace else.
I don't want to leave, I just want the pay I deserve. So now I need to get up the courage to tell my boss I want to go to someone higher up. I am worried that she is going to be mad because I may be putting her in an akward position. Plus I am scared to go to the man in charge of determining my salary. It is so hard to do this. I am such a passive person.
Good Luck. You are in a better postion than I. You have been there longer than I've been here. But I do deserve more money. Okay. You go ask for that raise you deserve. When I first approached my manager about it, I was scared too, but it went okay. She didn't give me what I wanted to hear, but she wasn't offended either.
Let us know how you did it and how it went!
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~ Beth
Constipation, pain prodominent,cramps, spasms and bloat!
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OK my opinion--
#159678 - 03/11/05 01:08 PM
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Nelly
Reged: 08/06/04
Posts: 4381
Loc: Within stray mortar fire of DC
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You should always have a financial reason you can give when you ask for a raise. Simply saying you deserve it because of the work you do is never enough! Ever wonder why people with children get bigger salaries than single folks? 
Tell him you have a mortgage on your house. Or that you're buying a house. Or that you have an ailing parent, etc., but have a good reason. Preferably not that you want to take an expensive vacation. You're paying off school loans. Or you have a balloon payment due on something. Something like that.
Good luck!! 
~nelly~ 
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Sorry, Mindy
#159682 - 03/11/05 01:14 PM
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Augie
Reged: 10/27/04
Posts: 5807
Loc: Illinois
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Didn't mean to turn this on me. I am not in the same boat as you. You have been there a while and I am still fairly new. So never mind what I said about me!! 
Nelly has some good advice. Good Luck!!! 
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~ Beth
Constipation, pain prodominent,cramps, spasms and bloat!
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Re: Sorry, Mindy
#159685 - 03/11/05 01:17 PM
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Nelly
Reged: 08/06/04
Posts: 4381
Loc: Within stray mortar fire of DC
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Beth you poor thing!!! It's bad enough being under appreciated, but being underpaid is worse. I have been there too!!! If your manager isn't going to bat for you, maybe she is sending secret signals to you to go over her head! I mean, if she is under appreciated too...?
I'm pulling for you!!!!
~nelly~
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Beth,
No need to appolagize - I took what you said as sympothizing - don't worry! Good luck with your job situation too and I'll let you know how this goes...
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Thanks guys
#159693 - 03/11/05 01:34 PM
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Augie
Reged: 10/27/04
Posts: 5807
Loc: Illinois
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I know my manager also feels underappreciated. In fact, that is exactly why she is currently out interviewing herself. 
She does not feel like anyone respects her opinions or suggestions. Just one example is her telling them before I was hired that this position deserved more money. No one takes her thought seriously in generally and I know she is tired of fighting for the respect she deserves.
PS. The HR guy quite 2 months after I was hired because he got a better paying job!! I guess this place just doesn't give their people the money the deserve across the board. So don't think my chances are too good. But I do think I need to at least try. Oh my, the man I was talking about(in charge of salaries for staff) just walked past me! His office is right next to mine so I must see him everyday as he comes in and goes home! That might be awkward if I do end up talking to him about my need for more moola!!
Anyhow, good luck Mindy. And yes, let us know how it goes. Your boss is just another human being. No better than you. So try to remember this.
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~ Beth
Constipation, pain prodominent,cramps, spasms and bloat!
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I'm an HR Manager, so I feel I can offer you an opinion from the other side...I deal with compensation all the time. If I were you, I would do some research as to what the market in your area is paying for jobs similar to yours. That way, they'll know you're really serious and could go somewhere else and make more if you wanted to. Hope this might help!
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Yeah, I thought that might be a good idea. I'm a governement employee, so I looked at the GS scale - people in other departments with my education and background are making over 10,000 more than me - I think that should help!!!
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Min, you're in such a good position now that you could go ANYWHERE in the private sector and cash in. Keep in mind, gov't experience is a big plus in this area, and there will be plenty of places who could pay really well to have a skilled, dedicated employee like you. I know you're going to do great no matter what you decide!!
~nelly~
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I can identify with you! Here's some advice that I've learned from personal experience.
-> Bring facts and figures for your performance
-> Get someone higher-up to put in a good word for you
-> Prepare yourself for tough responses that your boss is going to use, such as:
-----> "Well, everyone in the company would like to make more money."
-----> "Times are tight and the company cannot afford to give raises this year."
-> If the boss says that you'll get your raise, try to get it in writing. I had the boss say that a certain amount sounded reasonable, only to have the statement rescinded when we later discussed matters formally.
-> Try to remain objective and rational, without pointing fingers
-> Do not say things like "Well I'll quit if I don't get this", because they just might call you on it. If it turns out you were bluffing then they may not take you seriously when you ask for your raise next year.
I made many mistakes when discussing my raise. It went something like this:
Boss: What would you like for a raise?
Me: I would like 20%.
Boss: That's a little high. Our top performers get 10% if they're lucky. You know the company lost money last quarter, and some people are even foregoing their raises." (guilt trip)
Me: I started when salaries were low. I would like to make more money this year than the new hires do.
Boss: That's a good point, but ... [insert empty words]. I'd really like to pay you that much. [more empty words]
Me: (Angry) This feels like a real slap in the face. Why don't you just tell me to **** off?
My mistakes included:
-> Not bringing facts and figures to back up my performance
-> Not being prepared to argue against the auto-responses that the boss used
-> Pointing fingers (Soandso makes 30% more than I do, and I do twice the work...)
-> Getting angry and swearing :-)
A few weeks later a colleague put in a good word about my performance (without me asking, but he had probably heard me complaining). I eventually got my raise, but I'm still a little bitter about the whole situation nearly a year later. The biggest lesson I learned was that even though my boss and I had always been on friendly terms, he still tried to sell me short in the end. Go in expecting this. Be prepared.
I wish you luck!!
EvilCats
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How did it go?
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~ Beth
Constipation, pain prodominent,cramps, spasms and bloat!
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