asking for a raise at annual review - without annoying bosses?

[frgr]

At my next annual review, I'll have been working at my current job for around 14 months. At the time I took the job, I sidestepped from one sector (straight charity roles) into a similar line which I had no DIRECT experience in, but plenty of exposure to (marketing within a charitable organisation).

I took a slight dip in salary, which my employer is aware of, because I really wanted the role and couldn't prove I had the skills - and there is only 2 organisations within this part of the country that does this highly specialised work. But I'm "working poor" and have to constantly juggle the stress of where my next lot of car repairs are coming from.

When I look at what I bring to the role now, and my qualifications in the industry (relevant degree, ind quals) and the going rate of pay, I feel undervalued. I feel it's a good time, at my next review, to raise this as an issue. Firstly, I have taken charge of two or three projects as main contact (i.e. more responsibility than last year). Secondly, I am better qualified (taken exam last month, passed first time, for industry qual). Thirdly, I've also volunteered to be responsible for other areas of dept projects (external laison work mainly, e.g. with media). Finally, I've proven that my reassurance about reliability is concrete - not a single day off in 2010, or an instance where I was late, they had issues with the previous lady in this role and it was a massive concern at the interview for any potential candidate.

Basically, the issue isn't that I think I don't deserve a raise. I can bullet point why I think it, with proof.

But what is the best way to raise this at the interview - or should I just leave it?

I'm aware that whilst our dept is (always) strapped for cash, they could afford it. And I genuinely think I'm not being cheeky - and I've seen from friends experiences that it's not whether you deserve a raise, but it's how forthcoming you are at asking for one that gets results

My manager is notoriously tight, so, I'm asking managers here:

What is the best way to "present" or lay out my (IMHO, justified) case for asking for a raise at the annual interview - in THIS climate?

Do I go in there with notes and paper and rattle off achievements - like above - or does that just piss bosses off? I don't have many "direct" dealings with my supervisor on a day to day basis so I'm unsure where to draw the line at being corporate vs. offering proof of how much my value has been raised in the organisation.

[frgr]

p.s. review isn't until 2nd week of Jan so hardly a pressing concern right now, but I wanted to be prepared on HOW to present my case without getting my supervisor's notoriously-tight back up! :)

[frgr]

and that should have read "not a single day off SICK in 2010" - the previous lady was mutually let go due to constant sickies/childcare issues.

[abgirl]

IMO annual review is definitely the right place to raise this. Maybe you could prewarn your manager though by emailing her/him to say that you would like to discuss it, and include your reasoning in the email. This will give your manager a chance to be properly prepared, and also s/he can't fob you off with needing to think about it.

HTH

[Earlybird]

Whether or not you deserve a raise could be irrelevant in this economy. How has your company been affected? Is anyone getting raises atm?

Not suggesting you never ask for/or receive an increase, just wonder if now is the time. Or maybe you could acknowledge the current situation and frame it in those terms - ie, at what point might it be possible?

[frgr]

you could prewarn your manager though

What would be the best way to frame this communication, in light of my situation, and how long in advance? The person who this would go to I tend to see at meetings (once a month) and hardly have any day-to-day communication with, so it's very hard for me to imagine emailing off a single email "hi i'd like a raise and here's why"

How has your company been affected?

When equivalent organisations have had their budget cut by 40%, ours has been raised by 10%. We're also about to hire 1 more project manager plus 2 marketing assistants. So that's a good sign :)

Is anyone getting raises atm?
I have no idea of this, it isn't spoken about. I genuinely have no idea how much colleagues are on. I have based my "market rate" comment based on third party websites/online job adverts Prompted by me struggling to pay transport costs this month - I'm currently operating about £3k under my last salary, and it's SO close to my outgoings that I'm increasingly wondering if I should just go back to my old role.

But I love it here -the work is fun, satisfying, colleagues are great, good culture, nice clients - it's literally only a money issue! But it's becoming harder to justify this role a 14 months after I started, I didn't realise how much of that £3k pay paid for haircuts, new shoes, car repairs, etc.

[abgirl]

Hmm, yes maybe not as bold as 'I want a raise and here's why' but I think you should be quite open 'I am looking forward to seeing you for my annual review on x January. As part of it I would like an opportunity to discuss my rewards package with you. I know the environment is challenging at the moment but you will remember...'

I have recently done some training in difficult conversations and the main advice was to be quite open and bold (without being rude), and to make it personal, as that can't be argued with (in your case 'I feel undervalued because...'). Make sure you talk about your positives with working there too so you don't come across as too money-orientated.

[abgirl]

Oh and in terms of timing, maybe a week before?

[BeenBeta]

frgr - this is exactly what you should say to your boss.

"I have based my "market rate" comment based on third party websites/online job adverts Prompted by me struggling to pay transport costs this month - I'm currently operating about £3k under my last salary, and it's SO close to my outgoings that I'm increasingly wondering if I should just go back to my old role.

But I love it here - the work is fun, satisfying, colleagues are great, good culture, nice clients - it's literally only a money issue! But it's becoming harder to justify this role a 14 months after I started, I didn't realise how much of that £3k pay paid for haircuts, new shoes, car repairs, etc.

The implicit threat to go back to your old job will frighten him/her into action. The threat to leave is in my experience the only sure way to get a pay rise."

Do not prewarn your boss but just practice that little speech that I quoted above. It sounded really convincing because they are your words and you really feel it. It doesnt sound mercenry because you say postive things about the place too.

[happysmiley]

In terms of timing, I think leaving it till your annual review is too late. Much better to raise this before or during the budgeting process. So my boss will get his pay figures at the start of the new year and have to decide what he's doing by end of the week. At the moment he is speaking to his boss about people who he thinks need more pay and trying to get his budget increased to reflect this. At our firm, now would be good time to raise the issue. By the 2nd week of Jan it may be too late and all the numbers could be finalised.

In terms of how to raise it, the only time I've done it, I just walked into my boss' office when he had a few free minutes and said I felt undervalued and underpaid and then told him why, just like you've done in your OP. Once I'd set my case, I left it to him to tell me what he would do and when he'd be able to get back to me. I had a good relationship with him so felt comfortable doing this and knew I had a strong case. I'd also gone to recruitment consultants and found out what the market wage was. As soon as he heard the words recruitment consultant, I think he knew I was a flight risk, so had to act. I didn't get an immediate rise but got two rises of 10% over the next six months.

[frgr]

thanks very very much for all your advice. i plan to mull it over tonight and have a chat to DH to get his perspective on things (he manages some of his team, so although it's not a totally related field then i think laying out my plan for his eyes isn't a bad idea).

thanks again!

[flowerytaleofNewYork]

Have to say I disagree with BeenBeta and wouldn't feel over generous towards someone who made that speech to me.

Any request for a rise in salary should be based on whether you are paid the market rate for this job, in this organisation, based on your performance/responsibilities in this organisation and the salary structure in this organisation.

You were fully aware that taking the job would mean a pay cut and you did so because you really wanted the job. If you go in now and say you want more money because on reflection you didn't actually do an effective realistic budget when considering whether to accept their offer and actually you spent more on new shoes than you thought you did, it's really really not going to enhance your credibility at all.

I've worked for a couple of charities and more than once we had people come in from the private sector, take a pay cut (sometimes significant), full of martyrdom and feeling like Mother Teresa. Then reality set in, the saintly feeling wore off and after about 6 months they asked for a pay rise on the basis that they used to earn more in their previous job, therefore they were 'worth' more, and the paycut had been a magnanimous, selfless gesture on their part.

Needless to say, they didn't get far.

Your reduction in pay is obviously going ot be part of the reason you want an increase, but it is never going to be part of the reason your employer gives you one.

And please don't threaten to walk out either back to your old job or otherwise unless you are actually able and willing to do so.

[happysmiley]

Agree with flowery, threatening walk out is not good, as it shows a lack of commitment. I think the recruitment consultant tactic worked because it (a) gave me a market reference rate (b) was a hint that I could look elsewhere, but not that I would.

[frgr]

Any request for a rise in salary should be based on whether you are paid the market rate for this job, in this organisation, based on your performance/responsibilities in this organisation and the salary structure in this organisation.

Thank you for the alternative viewpoint Flowery :) Along with everyone else of course! I have had a masssssiive discussion with DH on this last night.

One question I'd love to ask you directly Flowery is HOW you would present what you've advised. If you would favour the "go in there and justify an increase in salary in this role with the increased responsbility, etc" would you also pre-warn? And would it be acceptable to take in a list of bullet points to demonstrate / as evidence of my external salary checks, etc?

[flowerytaleofNewYork]

I don't think I'd do it before. I don't know how annual reviews work at your place, whether they involve ratings, when salary reviews take place and whether they are linked to appraisal ratings. However if there is a link or a potential link, an unscrupulous manager may feel less inclined to give you a good rating if they don't want to give you the pay rise they know you are looking for.

Perhaps I'm just suspicious! When is salary review time for the organisation as a whole, and is there a link to appraisals?

[frgr]

Salary reviews are always in January, for the whole company (no matter how long you've been there - if you start in December, you get your annual review the next month at the same time as the month-long probation review).

Officially I don't know when salary reviews are conducted, but from previous unofficial clues about how the org works, it's basically at the employee appraisals. so at the same time, in the same meeting, with the same people.

there is also no "official" matrix for appraisels here. it's very informal. it's not like the charity i used to work at, which graded a set list of criteria for each role with a 1 (performing well beyond expectations) to a 5 (performing much lower than expected, further action to be formally taken). which would have then resulted in your raise if you got an average of more than a 3.0 (because you'd be performing "more than expected" overall). here, it's just a chat about goals for the year, achievements to date, feedback on anything you've got a problem with, and that's it.

[frgr]

p.s. I think that's part of the problem now that I'm sitting here thinking about it. I feel justified in wanting more money because I feel I'm worth much more than when my salary was last negotiated, but due to the informal structure of the appraisel, WITH 2 managers (1 which i see daily but has no financial power, the other which i see every 4 or 5 weeks but don't really know very well but who makes all the financial salary decisions... that's why i'm so confused about what is the most productive way to approach this really).