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Author: Subject: I want a raise
Ninehigh

posted on 14/7/11 at 03:51 AM Reply With Quote
I want a raise

Just been watching The Office, one episode where they're renegotiating their pay. It's appears to me that in the US people actually ask to be paid more in the same way I'd ask for next tuesday off.

Does this actually happen there, and does it happen here? I mean has anyone actually gone to their boss and asked to be paid more (and was it taken seriously as opposed to a flat "no" )?

[Edited on 14/7/11 by Ninehigh]






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David Jenkins

posted on 14/7/11 at 07:02 AM Reply With Quote
I guess it depends on how good the job market is in your line of business - when you ask for a raise there has to be a hint in the background that you can always go somewhere else if the company doesn't cough up.

When the job market is as flat as it is at the moment you have to beg to keep up with inflation...






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rallyingden

posted on 14/7/11 at 07:10 AM Reply With Quote
I asked my boss for a rise, he gave me a box to stand on
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TimC

posted on 14/7/11 at 07:22 AM Reply With Quote
A friend of mine has just done it but she had to show that her work is exceptional and as such she was being paid less than the market rate for someone of her calibre.






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Irony

posted on 14/7/11 at 07:26 AM Reply With Quote
I think to many people ask for raises incorrectly and at the wrong time. Where I work people get annoyed because they want more moeny and they start get humpy about it. They start turning up late, calling in sick, leaving 5 minutes early etc. Then they finally pluck up the courage to ask for a raise and the boss has been watching their antics over the previous weeks and says no. Not only does he say no he's annoyed by there attitude and cheek.

I run a small department of the because of the way the business is structured they ask the MD if they want a raise. It works really well because people ask me for a raise and I can say 'well it's not up me you need to ask the MD'. Then I can give them advice about how to go on about it. I say things like 'work really hard, put in some unpaid overtime when the MD can see, when given a crap job don't moan endlessly and most of all, make yourself indispensable to the business'. Then go and ask for a raise. Some people don't listen and are disapointed.

Management is a two way street, manage your manager.

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James

posted on 14/7/11 at 08:53 AM Reply With Quote
When my girlfriend believed she was underpaid and wanted a raise about 14mths ago I advised her to check around for other equivalent jobs, see what they were getting and use this as evidence that she was underpaid.***

Really, she wanted to stay at her current place so she decided to apply for a couple of jobs and then she could *genuinely* tell her boss she'd been offered 'X' at another place so she should get a raise or she'd leave.

In the end, she got atleast one of the other jobs and was offered a reasonable pay rise.

To cut a long story short, there was a small bidding war between the 2 companies as she played the 2 off against each other. In the end, she decided she wanted the change and moved to the new one anyway!

She was on c.£24k at the old place and started on £32k at the new one! She's since had rises and promotion at the new place, and having had her team's boss just leave has taken on the managers role, now getting c.£40!

Not bad aged 26 and only having worked for 4/5 years!



I, on the other hand, saw my salary barely change in a 9 year IT career! I had to take voluntary redundancy to give me the push to get out and try somewhere else!


I now have a very unsympathetic attitude to work- as the Captain in Bad Boys says to Will Smith: "If you don't like your job, quit!"

Cheers,
James


*** Hence proving I'm better at giving advice than following it!





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"The fight is won or lost far away from witnesses, behind the lines, in the gym and out there on the road, long before I dance under those lights." - Muhammad Ali

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franky

posted on 14/7/11 at 09:03 AM Reply With Quote
There's nothing wrong with asking for more cash........... as long as you can justify it.

If you're genuinely worth more, work out your value to the company, work out what others are getting and if you can still justify a pay increase go and speak to your line manager.

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David Jenkins

posted on 14/7/11 at 03:16 PM Reply With Quote
quote:
Originally posted by James
I now have a very unsympathetic attitude to work- as the Captain in Bad Boys says to Will Smith: "If you don't like your job, quit!"



I was an IT contractor for a few years - and I loved it (before the government put their IR35 oar in and screwed it up ) - mostly because I loved the honesty of it all. If I was good enough I kept my job, and the contract was renewed - if I was rubbish I got a week or two's notice. I got renewed several times at every contract I did!

The best bit was that I didn't get involved with all the corporate bullsh*t - motivational courses, annual appraisals, sucking up to the boss - if I did the job, I stayed and earned money. Plain & simple (just like me!)






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Ninehigh

posted on 14/7/11 at 07:50 PM Reply With Quote
Well the jobs I've been in all my life have been minimum, which to me is an insult because I fully believe I'd be paid less but it's against the law. For the past 12 years all pay rises have been in line with this rise in the legal minimum.

I ask because my situation is becoming increasingly harder and more dangerous to do my job. To be honest they could stick another zero on the end and I'd still be underpaid.






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TheGiantTribble

posted on 14/7/11 at 08:12 PM Reply With Quote
Personally I've aproached pay rises with this formula.

First Speak to the Boss/Manager/Manergeress/Slave Driver/Chief user of the whip of incouragment, informaly, comenting that things are getting tuff out there, just start with slatting the latest goverment so it isn't obvious your having a dig.

Second...A couple of weeks later mention that your really really don't won't to look for other work but things are getting mighty empty in the piggy bank dept but you really really like working here/there/where ever, and would the Boss mind if you had an official meeting just to discus things.
this is where two directions can be taken
1 Your Boss might sence what is coming and offer you something anything to avoid the meeting...your choice if it's enough.
2 Your Boss might say that a meeting is pointless/no money available...remember they have to give you a meeting if you officially ask for one so don't give up at this point or in fact take any notice of what they say.
3 They may say 'it will be great to have a meeting' and smile a lot...beware the bigger the smile the bigger the stab in the back.

Assuming at this point you havn't already had an offer made that you've excepted, you'll have a meeting.
Don't be personal, or take anything the Boss says as personal.
Don't be seen to make demands.
Don't grab 'em by the B@lls it ain't going to get you what you want.

Do be prepared have a list ready of why you are a valued member of the 'team', what do you do proactivly that maybe others don't, however don't be seen to be 'slagging' anyone off, keep it positive, be seen to be reasonable, and open to compromise, be prepared to use phrase like undervalued and bad for morale, be fully understanding of the company pressures in these tight finantial times.

If this doesn't get the right result be prepared to find another job, even if you have to take the 'odd day off' and happened to let slip that it's for an interview, even if you ain't got one.
Finally get another job and hand you notice in, and watch their faces because they thought you'd never do it

Sorry it's so long, good luck and I'll shut up now.

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Simon

posted on 21/7/11 at 09:31 PM Reply With Quote
Back in about July '91 (dates are a bit vague) I was given a £1500 rise (approx 15%) and was reasonably happy. We had a kitchen at work, and someone spotted me chuck a spoon into the sink from about 10 feet away; assumed I was in a strop (wasn't, just being lazy). Boss called me over and asked if I was happy with review.

Now, what was I to do. Just politely mentioned that it could have been a little better etc. He said to leave it with him. Following day the MD called me in and I put my case to him, likewise, he said he'd get back to me later. He did, in October, with another £1750. Delighted and all because I threw a spoon in the sink

Then again, I recently heard someone taken on many years ago at another co, was told by their Boss that if they couldn't manage on the money being offered, that not to worry, they'd find someone who could.

I think you should ask. Nicely

ATB

Simon

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Ninehigh

posted on 21/7/11 at 09:52 PM Reply With Quote
Nah seriously this job comes under the latter, and there's no scope for me to be doing a better job than anyone else here (unless you can become awesome at sitting around) but I will be saving this advice for if I ever find a job where I actually do something






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eznfrank

posted on 22/7/11 at 05:39 AM Reply With Quote
I did it about 3 years ago, I put together a business case showing my latest review scores, positive feedback from key stakeholders, and evidence that I was paid under the market rate. I over egged it a bit and asked.for £5k and they gave me £3k which I figured was a reasonable result.
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