Tips for asking for a pay rise

[PayMeMore]

I'm not being paid what I'm worth and I need more money (single mum), so I'm going to have to have a conversation with my boss.

I have asked for pay rises in the past but I feel like my confidence has gone in that area. It's probably because I feel stupid for agreeing to such a low wage anyway.

I'm in a senior role. It's not as senior in title as roles I've been on previously but the work required from me is the same.

I took on this role a year ago as I had been self employed but needed security as covid meant work had dried up for me. I want to stay in the job. I'm not planning to return to self employment. However, my salary is at the absolute bottom of the range for someone in my role, or more accurately, with my job title. In previous roles, where I had a more senior title, I earned significantly more.

As I wasn't working when I got the job offer, I wasn't in a strong position to negotiate. I also thought I would be expected to work at the level of my job title rather than my ability. I'm becoming more and more resentful that I am being paid a shit salary and doing work only someone with my significant experience could.

I report into the company owner.

Any tips?

Bump?

It has to be around the value of the work you are delivering and not your personal circumstances, but even so it’s a very difficult thing to argue. If you can argue that without delivery of certain pieces of work the business would be worse off financially that would be the most likely successful route.

I could definitely argue that someone in this role whose experience matched the salary would not be as successful as I have been in the last year. It's difficult to put an exact value against it though.

In all honesty, I'm sure my wage is connected to my sex. I can't imagine my boss would have expected a man with as much experience to take such a significant pay cut as he expected of me. Pointing that out won't go down well though.

Have you done market research to see what the bench mark is for your role? I'd start there

What's the size and nature of the company? Any other positions with similar level of responsibility, or impact to compare, even in a different part of company?

From a confidence perspective; imagine you’re arguing for a friend to get the same pay rise (deservedly). What would you say about them and how would you approach your boss? It s a good mind trick to focus you on the positives you have to offer

I've worked in the industry for over 20 years and have regularly recruited people into my team. I know exactly what the going rate is, and so does my boss.

It's a small company with no one in an equivalent role and I only know the salaries of those in my team anyway. I've tried to find out more but haven't had any success.

There's really no denying I'm being poorly paid. My guess is that my boss will say he can't afford more though. I don't believe that's the case.

I think you have to do a run through of all the things you have achieved in the last year, improvements made and processes improved etc, savings made or efficiencies gained. Support given to others. Projects successfully completed on time and to budget. You need to explain why it is your level of experience that have made these things possible. What you would like to do to use your experience to improve things for them in their business further. But you believe that a year in your salary needs benchmarking and you deserve the recognition of being moved up in the band as you have proved your value. Being at the very bottom of the band no longer feels appropriate for what you are offering them. You want to stay with them and not have to leave to receive the appropriate salary.

This sort of style keeps it factual. Removes all emotion from the conversation and keeps it business like and professional.

Thanks cauliflower. I'm very good at keeping things professional, factual and free from emotion in all things at work except when talking with managers about my worth! But you are right it's what I need to do.

I'll get a load of shit for this I am sure but i don't care and hope it helps.

Women being underpaid fucks. me. off.
I informally coach a lot of women I have worked with or managed to help them get more cash.
My personal philosophy is screw #bekind you need to instil some healthy fear in your managers... companies look after staff they think will leave first.

I find setting the scene and being direct is important. You have to get over the awkwardness and keep your eyes on the prize.
So just as your performance review shouldn't be a surprise (as your line manager has been giving you regular feedback) so should your pay expectations not be a surprise to them.
"How do you think I am doing this half?"
"You are doing really well blah blah"
"Oh great I am really pleased to hear that as i feel my current salary isn't really commensurate with my role or performance and wanted to discuss that when we have our next review"
" oh right well bear in mindthe business isnt doing that well blah blah excuses excuses...so what were you hoping for?"
"Well I Love it here but I'd really need something around X, I might accept a bit less assuming I'm on track for promotion at year end but otherwise i'll have to look at options" (assuming promotion = more money again)

I let my boss know in good time EXACTLY what my expectations are.
If the payrise is crap i tell them it is crap and ask for a review or reconsideration. Even if they don't increase the payrise in that cycle it puts them on notice so i normally got a better bonus or better % next time or they fast tracked a promotion.

I think my tactics are fairly successful and while a lot of people will say I am entitled or aggressive or... something? It gets results.
I worked with women at the first job below who are STILL there on 40/50 something and they were as good as me just didn't have the wherewithal to demand more.

Example 1
When I got a low promotion payrise after 18 months of stellar performance (£38k to £42k) I told them it was unacceptable and I wanted it escalated. Average salary was 45k for the role and I was a star performer. I had multiple conversations made a lot of polite but firm noise and ended up having a sit down with my bosses bosses boss. I was nervous but told him straight i was very disappointed as i loved the compamy and wanted a future there, but I am ambitious and the payrise was honestly derisory so what could i do except for take it as a message / sign of intent and therefore start planning my career accordingly. He said i was a top performer and asked what I wanted to stay/be happy and I wanted 45k so i said 50k. They agreed to 50k and put it through as 48k base and 2k additional bonus. I was very happy!

Example 2
In 4.5 years I moved my salary on from 70k to 115k working with a load of misogynists turds. I had to hold my nerve. A lot.

My role started at 70k, after a year of good performance, they offered me "a promotion" (ie. Please fix an unexpected resignation and a desperate staffing problem for us cheaply)
The man leaving was on 98k with 3 years more experience, They offered me £80k to take on his role... I said "sorry, the money isnt worth it, i'll keep my current role thanks" . They then started the pressuring and bullying, informally telling me my current role wouldnt exist and i needed to take it at 80k or be unemployed. I said "well i suppose it could be interesting but I cant take the promotion at that salary so what can you do?" I kept turning it down and they kept upping it, i accepted when they came up to 91k - it was their ceiling price they had already allocated the 7k via pay rises in the team having assumed they could mug me off so couldn't increase it further.
I was super polite and thankful for the opp and delivered well. I made it my business to be very useful, very indispensible and also to be visible and liked by senior people. I made it clear what I expected and got 7-10k+ payrises each year plus 5 figure bonuses (there were some vague promotions in there but my role didnt change much). They knew if they didn't sort me out I would leave and they would have big problems.
Towards the end management changed and my immediate boss was a dick... I wasn't as pivotal to the team and the company was restructuring. I had a good run but could see the writing on the wall so when I was head hunted went for it and moved to a great role in a diff sector just before the business laid off about 20% of staff

In summary, work out what your number is, be flexible in how they give it to you but go for the jugular.
If they aren't giving you what you want, take yourself somewhere that is.