Tips on asking for a pay increase - Clubhouse

DunbarKev

18/01/2012 at 20:06

I am planning to ask my empolyer tomorrow for a pay rise and I am wondering if anyone has any advice. I have never asked an employer before for a pay rise. I know the small IT company I work for charges me out at 4 times per day what I get paid and also I win business for them and I am crucial in the delivery of new business. I also found out today that a company will sign up to services with the company I work for if I am technical lead on the project.

I know I have to ask and this is my moment but I am not very good at asking for anything. I have a meeting already scheduled with my boss.

Edited: 18/01/2012 at 20:15

Dark Vader pirate

pirate

18/01/2012 at 20:25

There aren't any rules.. you just have to ask.... if yuo feel under-valued then you always have the option leave. Maybe consider starting up your own business..?

Its a tough world out there and now isn't a good time to be asking for a pay rise I would guess....

Best of luck though....

Keep it realistic.. there will be a 'market rate' and that's what you should aim at... other options could be more holiday or other benefits that don't actually cost cash....

M...eldy

pirate

18/01/2012 at 20:28

I would echo that and add that 'you' are not crucial to new business but your role quite possibly is

If you think you are undervalued then be prepared to have some sums to back up your request and also be prepared that the answer may be no

DunbarKev

18/01/2012 at 20:38

Thanks for the feedback, I will think things over a bit more and see how the meeting goes. Hopefully I will still be emloyed tomorrow evening......

Tigerlily

18/01/2012 at 20:55

DK - I;m unsure how big your company is? Do you not have regular development review meetings on a 6 monthly or annual basis where these questions can be asked? If not, then the meeting tomorrow could be a more of "what I expect to be putting into the company over the next 6 months, what I feel I have achieved for the company over the past 6 months and what the company expect of me over the next 6 months". If you can build a good picture of what you feel your contribution is and can say what more you feel you can do you can then ask the question what do I have to do to gain promotion/financial reward for my efforts? It needs to be a 2 way process. It will at least signal your intentions and begin to build your case. Good luck!

Stevie G .

18/01/2012 at 21:11

Dunbarkev,I asked for a raise once. It's pretty awkward.

Only advice I can give is if they won't give it straight away, at least get them to set some measurable targets agreed for when a raise will be given.

Make sure they're documented, as I'm sure it's a management technique to promise the world, and then keep fobbing you off!

If they won't budge at all, the only other way is the classic find another job, hand in your notice, and then they suddenly may realise how valuable you are and be ready to negotiate.
This approach is all or nothing though!

Too Much Water

18/01/2012 at 23:10

Have evidence of similar roles in other companies (towers watson or hays websites should have this)
point out where you exceed your job description
point out how you have added value to the role, client and grown the bottom line of the company
everything needs to be evidence based - positive feedback from clients sounds like a good starting point

what the company charges you out for is irrelevant, don't even mention that.

i-Plodder

19/01/2012 at 05:13

what you are charged out at may be relevant - if the rate has increased since last year but your pay has not. i've complained about a lack of a pay rise in the past - successfully - but was only really able to do so as I'd had my review and so was able to refer to favourable comments. keep emotional issues out of it (loyalty, cost of living etc) - this is just a business discussion - a negotiation to agree what your service is worth to the company. good luck!

PSC

pirate

19/01/2012 at 07:08

good advice so far..

I would add:

Is there anyone doing a comparable job in your company - are they earning the same as you?
Are you at the top of a pay band now (in which case salary improvement will be difficult).
Even with a sympathetic manager they may not have the authority to improve things.
If you have just entered a budget year then the company rules on budgetting and reforecasting may prevent any changes in salary until next budget year.
During the meeting take notes of what was said/agreed. It's easy for a manager to agree to stuff, much harder for them to deliver it.
The comparable evidence is key (salary benchmarking). You must compare to what you could expect to get for a similar role elsewhere and the more elsewheres there are the better. On this point, you might consider your HR manager to do that benchmarking exercise.

Good luck

Emmy H

19/01/2012 at 07:40

Good advice from everyone. I'd also suggest going into that meeting prepared with examples and initiatives that you're doing which justify a pay rise - this will make it easier for your Manager to go up the chain. In my function - it's reviewed every 6 months but it's also a pain to get it sorted and anything approved/validated without showing proven examples and practices.

Good luck!

DunbarKev

20/01/2012 at 19:05

Thanks all again for the great advice.

I had the meeting with the IT director yesterday and put forward my case. He had already prepared a new job role and extra responsibilities for me ready for the 1-2-1 but what was missing was any talk about salary. I think he really thought I was going to take on the new role (which I am already doing anyway) and just say thank you.

I opened the meeting by saying I have something I need to clear up before we started and away I went. I was told today that he will have information for me this afternoon or Monday so I will wait and see. The devil will be in the detail and I am sure the company will want some clause to retain me for 12 months should they agree to anything (he said as much in the meeting).

I might take the all or nothing advice and find another job so I have that up my sleeve should things not go to plan.

Edited: 20/01/2012 at 19:08

RicF

22/01/2012 at 12:35

Personally speaking, I grew out of being employed. I found being used by someone else to make them rich gradually more demeaning the older I got. In the end I couldn't face being controlled by others. So, now I do as I like. Which sort of involves working a lot.
Looking at your case its high time you worked for yourself. The company you currently work for makes 4 times the money you get paid. You win the business and deliver. But most telling is the fact that other companies will only sign up if it is you that is running the show.
Your company is playing a trick on you. It gives the impression of doing you a favour by employing you but is in fact feeding off you like a parasite.
If you leave the company they will struggle. So either they make you a working executive director or you tell every company you have ever had contact with you are going to set up by yourself then do it.
If you are any good at what you do and undercut rivals price wise then
every success will be yours alone.

Emmy H

22/01/2012 at 13:06

@Kev - Any news so far? I hope that it works out well.

@Vet51 - I agree with you to an extent but it's finding something on your own and being able to "handle" self employment. It's never the easy way to go.

RicF

22/01/2012 at 18:44

Emmy_bug. I was basing my reply on information given by the original poster. He clearly 'had something' which could be offered.
For those who have no known ability or skill at anything, self employment is either an impossibility or a disaster.

compo 1

05/02/2012 at 10:22

our firm offered us a pay rise the other week of 75p per week what a cheek it got rejected

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