I've recently started a full time job and am about to complete the probationary period. My line manager has said I may wish to consider asking for a pay rise during my upcoming probationary review meeting. To be honest I hadn't considered doing this, but now obviously I am considering it! But I am struggling to know what is reasonable or fair to ask for.
Background info - I took a career break when my second child was a baby, largely because it also coincided with us relocating from the home counties to the north of the UK (due to DH's work) and my previous career only really existing in one location (London). At the time it felt like a good idea to use the opportunity to focus on child rearing and I'm grateful to have had the opportunity to spend the first few years of my son's life with him, but I didn't ever intend to be out of full time employment for so long (8 years). I have had several small part-time jobs over the last few years and I started a small business working with arts and crafts with adults in care homes, which had to cease operating due to Covid care home lockdown restrictions. None of these part time roles paid anything like my original "proper" career had, but they fitted around school and my DH's long working hours. I was in my original career for for 17 years and although I wasn't focussed on climbing the career ladder and so therefore didn't maximise my earning potential (probably should have been better at trying to do that) I was good at my job. My field was very niche and specific, with some skills that don't really transfer usefully to anything else, but other skills which are definitely of value - it's known to be an industry where you need to be extremely good at working under pressure, to deadlines and to have good attention to detail, for instance.
After a lot of job hunting and considering what I could transfer my skills into, I found a job that is in a different industry and has required a steep learning curve in many ways, but for which my experience and the skills I have from my previous career are directly relevant and of benefit to my employer. It was advertised as a living wage job. When my line manager contacted me to offer me the job he offered a couple of thousand on top of that "in recognition of my experience and skills". So I wasn't really expecting there to be the potential to have a pay rise after my probation, but he has now mentioned to me that I may want to consider asking for one.
I really don't know what's reasonable to ask for, I've never had an official probationary period before, my previous industry was quite loose with HR, the company I was with for years was renowned for not giving pay rises after your job offer, and I've never been much good at valuing my own worth or being confident enough to ask for more.
I'm earning now what I was earning in about 2001 or 2002, so obviously I'd like more, but I am aware that I'm very much a beginner in this industry and there's a lot I still need to learn (and also that I was previously employed in London and am now not only outside London but also able to work from home - for which I am happy to trade some £ for the convenience, ease of childcare etc).
I was thinking of asking for £24k, is that reasonable/too much? Is 10% too much? Is 5% more reasonable, or should I just go for more as I've been prompted to start the conversation?
Any thoughts on this much appreciated.