Career Advice-negotiating a raise...

[Shodan]

@Disapointed007

I suggest that you document all of your additional responsibilities and money saving initiatives. Put it all in one easy to read document. Quantify everything in real dollars - what did the company save through the initiatives you took on and what expenses were reduced by not hiring someone else for the additional roles you took on. Your value to the company (amount of raise asked for) should be about 1/3 of that figure or a bit less. The rule of thumb is that an employee should produce 3.5 times their salary in value to the company.

Have this already, when and how do I present it?

You set up a meeting with your manager, present this, and tell him that this is why you feel you need a bump.

Then wait 48 hours. The answer “We are working on it” or “I will have to get back to you” means No. So find another job that pays what you deserve, and hand in your notice.

Do not accept a counter-offer. If you have to threaten to quit to get a raise, it isn’t worth the hassle (IMO).

Regards,
Shodan

[Lemur866]

At a lot of companies, especially ones with a lot of turnover, it['s essentially impossible to get a raise. You get hired to do a job, and you get paid whatever they agreed to when you were hired, and that’s it. If you want more money, you have to move to another company.

If you have to threaten to quit to get a raise then you’re screwed either way. Either they pay you the raise, but now you’re labeled disloyal, or they tell you to hit the bricks, in which case you take the new job.

If you can get a different job that pays better, then take the better job. Otherwise, you’re probably stuck with what you have.

[crazyjoe]

So ask yourself this: Are the perks of your job (working from home, work-life balance, etc) worth 20k per year to you? If not, what are you willing to do to capture the money you know you are due.

Here’s something you don’t do: You don’t say “I want to be paid market rate” and allow your boss to guess at what you think that is. This is great if you’re negotiating for a new job offer, where back-and-forth is expected. It doesn’t work so well when your boss wants to take a concrete number to upper management to get you a raise. He doesn’t want to look like a dipshit if he brings back a figure and it is too low for you because he loses credibility on both sides if he does that.

Find other jobs in the area, see if they are willing to offer similar benefits or make it worth your while to live without them. During your interviews don’t tell them that your current place won’t pay you what you deserve, but instead mention that you’re looking for opportunities for growth that are not available at your current employer, despite taking on additional responsibility.

Best of luck to you. It is a hard thing, leaving a place you like, but if they’re not working with you then you have to ask yourself if you really like it as much as you thought?

[treis]

@Disapointed007

Thank you! Your advice was very helpful.
I made my request clearer.

Glad I could help.

I concur with the others though. Your negotiation wasn’t great, but regardless it doesn’t seem like a raise or promotion is coming. Definitely start looking elsewhere.

[Isosleepy]

Don’t threaten to leave. If you are ok with leaving, leave. The only sensible course of action for management when forced to match an outside offer to retain an employee is to immediately get busy shaping the replacement for that employee, so as to not be in that position the next go-around. What that means for the employee is that when offered money to stay, after putting in notice, you leave anyway, as staying likely incorporates an uncertain future.

[msmith537]

@Isosleepy

Don’t threaten to leave. If you are ok with leaving, leave. The only sensible course of action for management when forced to match an outside offer to retain an employee is to immediately get busy shaping the replacement for that employee, so as to not be in that position the next go-around. What that means for the employee is that when offered money to stay, after putting in notice, you leave anyway, as staying likely incorporates an uncertain future.

I think that depends. If you are one of the “line” employees, you are essentially a replaceable cog. As you start rising into management or very senior SME roles, you aren’t as replaceable and the company knows it. It’s not that easy to find a leading expert in XYZ or bring in someone to successfully manage a department.