Asking for a raise

pollyanna24

takman wrote: »

Why not ask now, i don't see the benefit of putting it off until Christmas.

But i reckon the best time to ask for an inflation related rise is when he puts his prices up to keep up with inflation. It would be easy to justify an increase in pay after an increase in what he charges.

Yeah, he put up his own prices a while ago. And the wage of the sec who works here 1 day a week (the 1 day I don't work).

Hmm. Maybe I should ask now. I'm scared, need time to work up to it.

TBagpuss

Do a bit of research. Look at job listings for similar jobs and see what is on offer.
Consider how your pay compares. So if you were to change jobs you have an idea of what you might earn elsewhere, and what he might have to pay of he took on someone else to replace you.
Think about the % increase in his prices. (although bear in mind that there may be other outgoings which have increased, so his net profit probably hasn't gone up by as big a % as the prices

jobbingmusician

I think I'd be very hurt if prices went up, and the other admin person went up, and my salary WASN'T increased. He is taking the p.

Savvy_Sue

Comms69 wrote: »

A good time to bring it up would be at any annual performance review.

Interestingly, our annual appraisal documentation says that this is NOT to time to ask for a payrise! I'm not quite sure when IS the time, but as we are on set payscales there's not a lot of variation, and we have had a % increase for the last few years.

jobbingmusician wrote: »

I think I'd be very hurt if prices went up, and the other admin person went up, and my salary WASN'T increased. He is taking the p.

Yes, but maybe they asked, and the OP didn't!

Les79

pollyanna24 wrote: »

Thanks. I will ask at Xmas as that is when I usually ask. I asked two years ago and cos the business wasn't doing well, he said no.

But now almost another two years have gone past so...

The only thing I'd be wary of is the fact that you may be coming across as a bit *settled* in your approach. If you only ever ask at Xmas ("when I usually ask") then it becomes a sort of routine whereby the employer knows roughly when you'll ask, and how you'll respond if they decline (and the employer can put a script together to address your query!).

In contrast, if you throw a curveball in, say, August and ask for a raise then you give off the impression that it is becoming a bigger issue for you (especially given you didn't wait till Xmas) and the response may be more favorable.

I think you just need to word it in such a way which VERY SUBTLY hints at a possible exit from you, highlights your value to the company and doesn't get anyone's back up. Tricky, but do-able.

Also, you should see what the going rate is for someone in your position... Whilst I appreciate your desire to progress on the money ladder, the reality may be that you are fairly well recompensed for your work. OR you could use such information as leverage against the employer.

bugslet

pollyanna24 wrote: »

If wages rise in line with inflation, what kind of raise should I be asking for (I know inflation rates are prob all over the place, but is there a general rule)?

No there is no rule. Our wages went up by 3% this year, 2.6% last year. In 27 years there has only been one year when there wasn't a wage rise (2009), when I think a lot of the country didn't get a pay rise!