Asking for a raise --- UPDATE ---

grimelda

I did a search and couldn't find anything posted recently. Does anyone here have any tips on how to ask for a raise?

I have two degrees and am doing work I am grossly overqualified for, but I like the company and am on a working holiday visa so I haven't left for something better. There was also a round of redundancies earlier in the year which is why I haven't asked yet. But the company seems to be over the worst now and they have even been hiring more people and we all got a small bonus last month.

I feel as though I am underpaid for the work I was hired to do (this part of my job has doubled in volume since I started), and I have also taken on extra tasks (one of which has required me to work from home on Saturday mornings) off my own bat. I am almost always the first person in of a morning (being between 30 and 60 minutes early most of the time) and am very rarely the first to leave at the end of the day.

However, I seriously damaged my chances of a raise, I think, by letting my supervisor know that I will be leaving the UK when my visa expires in January. A couple of people I have spoken to inside the company and out think that they will be reluctant to invest more in me when they know I won't be around in seven months.

What do people here think? What do you think is the best way to approach the boss? How should I argue my case? And do you think that my leaving will make a difference? And would 10% be too much to ask for, as I think even that is probably too little?

jessicamb

This might help

http://www.businessballs.com/payrise.htm

wigginsmum

Arm yourself with comparison figures for your industry. It may help you if you can say 'I am paid X amount, and the industry average is Y amount.'

How long have you worked there?

grimelda

Good advice. I've just had a look and my position is not really one which has an industry standard for it, though. I originally just started out doing customer support, helping users who have problems with our software. It is a start-up company and that workload has probably doubled since I began. In addition I have taken on responsibilities for affiliate communications, customer retention, doing marketing and promotional work and conducting surveys about why users stop using our system. I've also taken on work monitoring trends in the marketplace which effect our customers. So I really don't know where to find an industry standard for that. I'm probably getting paid a little less than the standard for customer support work, but I do a lot more.

My main concern is that I told my boss I was leaving when my visa expired. I did this because I wanted to be up front and honest so they had plenty of time to train up a replacement and make decisions about when they would hire someone. I am beginning to regret putting my cards out on the table, so to speak. Anyone else had a similar experience? I'd really appreciate anyone's experiences or advice.

Arch-Angel

grimelda wrote:

My main concern is that I told my boss I was leaving when my visa expired. I did this because I wanted to be up front and honest so they had plenty of time to train up a replacement and make decisions about when they would hire someone. I am beginning to regret putting my cards out on the table, so to speak. Anyone else had a similar experience? I'd really appreciate anyone's experiences or advice.

I would use this to support your arguements for a raise. Think about it - you were upfront about your changing circumstances (re: visa expiry) and took into consideration the needs of your company (enabling them to have sufficient time to identify a replacement or recruit for the position). You need to sell it carefully, but you could use this as proof of your support for the company - probably the best way to deal with this issue is to wait for it to come up and then run the "I was thinking of the best interests of this company when I told you I would be leaving - I could have easily not told you and left you in the lurch".

Or use it as part of the "I want a raise" routine; all depends on boss and the type of person you think he is.

Just a thought...

MCBIRNIE25

To a lot of people it can feeldifficult, even intimidating to speak up for themselves at work.But asserting your opinion will build your self esteem, enhance your career and maybe get that raise.I think I would :-
1) Plan what you want to say.Dont ever try to challenge your boss without preparing. This is the golden rule.
2)Then tell your boss in a quiet moment you would like to talk to him about your workload,schedule,responsibility, slary etc. Point out your loyalty in giving them loads of notice, legal guidelines say you only have to give a month so you have gone the extra mile.
3Add details to deepen your statement, do you have appraisals or a job statement? Take notes of all unpaid extra duties you do. Infact, maybe just for a week don't take on those extra duties, let your boss see how valuable your efforts are around the place.Can you get testimonials of valued clients you have helped etc?
4) Make your boss take you seriously. Avoid weak words like i'm sorry but... This signals subconsiously you don't value your own opinion, then neither will your boss ;-)
5)Know when you have said your piece. Because you have prepared you will know when you have said your piece, congratulate yourself and leave the ball in your boss's court. The worst that can happen is they say no.

grimelda

Thanks for the great advice.

I will definitely need to write down all the reasons I deserve this raise, otherwise I am sure I will get nervous and forget half the things I want to say. I have never done this before and am nervous as hell, but I also hate going to work every day knowing the company I love working for is taking advantage of me. They are great and really flexible but I know I could be getting more elsewhere, and doing work that's more in line with what I studied ie. software development!

I've been there a little less than a year.

Thanks again to everyone who gave advice. I feel a bit less scared now.

skintchick

Why not try arguing along the lines of...I know I could get this job (show ad) paying X but I love it here and would like to stay, so is there any way you can bring my wages more into line with my experience/responsibilities, otherwise, no matter how much I enjoy it here, I am going to have to consider my options.

you could also hint that because you love it so much you;re thinking about reconsidering whether you leave when your visa expires.

But you need to be prepared for what you do/say if they refuse.

grimelda

BTW Jessicamb, there was a really useful link on the page you recommended: http://www.paywizard.co.uk/ It has some good stats about pay rates for different jobs in different areas of the UK which was very useful and will help me put some hard figures to my boss. Although not entirely applicable to my case, they should provide some good support and the pay rates are much higher than I had previously thought.

So thanks again to you and everyone else who helped out. I'll be preparing my script tonight! :eek:

grimelda

I approached my boss today, stated my case with a roiling stomach, and at the end he nodded and said he had thought for a while that my salary doesn't make sense and would think about how much more he could give me! I mentioned the London average and I don't think it will get quite that high, but hopefully be a lot better than I am getting and they also mentioned that the company would do another round of bonuses in three months.

Yay! :T

Thanks for your advice everyone.

Emmzi

well done for being brave! hope it encourages others.