Thursday May 08 2008
Q I’m desperate for a raise and believe I am well overdue one. I’ve been working for my company for over a year and, to the best of my knowledge, I have displayed great commitment and worked hard.
To date my clients have been extremely satisfied with what I have produced on their behalf. The problem is, we have poor human resources standards within the company, and given I haven’t even received an appraisal yet, I don’t know how to go about ‘raising’ this issue with my unapproachable boss. Any suggestions?
A
There are a number of ways to secure a pay rise. You can leave your current company, or you can get another job offer and use the threat of leaving to secure a rise — but this is risky.
Alternatively, you can prepare yourself and ask your boss directly. This option may be most appropriate for you.
Asking for a pay rise is like any other negotiation in that preparation is the key to success. Prepare by thinking about your key duties, responsibilities, achievements to date and evidence of satisfaction of your work such as emails or comments from managers or customers.
Research the market for evidence to support your pay demands. Decide what increase you want and add a bit, as it is common for initial requests not to be met.
Be prepared to negotiate and, if salary increases are not forthcoming, identify other benefits as a substitute to fall back on.
Ask for a formal meeting with your boss. Timing is important, particularly in your case, as you say your boss in unapproachable. Be careful, however, not to keep putting things off.
During the meeting, get straight to the point by outlining why you asked for the meeting, and then provide supporting evidence such as your key achievements and salary surveys. Be confident and assertive throughout.
You might also consider pushing for a formal appraisal process in the future. Otherwise, you may find yourself back in this situation again.
Paul Mullan is a career coach with Measurability.
