OT: Negotiating Salary

[CrookedLetta4Eva]

I have a raise coming up soon.
What are some tips from the Pack for negotiating a pay raise?

 

[jack daniels dog]

I need more money or I'm out. If you're worth it they'll oblige.

 

[The Usual Suspect]

I have a raise coming up soon.
What are some tips from the Pack for negotiating a pay raise?

Always have a Plan B.

 

[UpTheMiddlex3Punt]

Is this a regularly scheduled annual performance review with a raise, or is it that you're getting a promotion/transfer/new title and a raise is coming with it?

If it's an annual performance review and you get to submit some form of self-appraisal, come in strong. Get specific performance numbers. If you're a better worker than your colleagues, throw that in with metrics (e.g. I produced 1.6 widgets per hour, 33% more than the group average of 1.2). If you worked after hours for uncompensated overtime, put down how many hours and what you did. If this was to drum up new business, put down how many leads, sales, proposals, etc. If your boss is reading this kind of stuff, it not only signals that you are worth a raise, but also that if you don't get a raise you will start looking elsewhere. Content people won't go through all this trouble.

If you can't back up the above strongly, then you won't get a raise. You can only negotiate from a position of strength.

 

[Msubulldogfan1]

Maybe see what a competitor would be willing to offer you or if your competitors make more than you, throw that out there.

 

[msudawg12]

I need more money or I'm out. If you're worth it they'll oblige.

That only works once

 

[FQDawg]

Be prepared to hear No and know what your response will be...

Don't know what kind of work you're in but there are a lot of industries out there that are trying to cut costs so even if you think you're due a raise, it may not materialize. Unfortunately, I know this from experience.

If you know for sure you're getting one but just have to negotiate how big it'll be, the advice about documenting your accomplishments is spot on. Have it printed out and give a copy to your boss. But also know how you'll react if its lower than you want it to be.

 

[BoomBoom.sixpack]

I have a raise coming up soon.
What are some tips from the Pack for negotiating a pay raise?

depends on the place, and on you. if it's a annual raise/performance review, ask for some and expect a little. if it's a promotion, ask for a good bit and expect some. if neither is enough, have another offer in hand and be prepared to take it. try not to make it about the money, but about your value and career. give them an indication and some time too, don't just throw your cock on the table and demand they suck it.

some people or careers do better with frequent job changes. others don't.

ask yourself what they would have to pay to replace you. if it's less than you make, even if it shouldn't be, then it's hard to get a raise. does your profession have a lot or little of job seekers at this time?

if it' a small place where your boss has total say over your pay, you are either worth it or not. if it's a big company, your boss won't have much say over your pay, so have a talk with him about your long term position and pay. if he has a plan to get you pay over time, then consider working with him on it. job security + good annual raises beats a one-time raise and little job security. tell them what you expect to earn based on your value, and ask when they expect to be paying you that or what they expect from you to earn it. make it about your value and your expectation of what that's worth, not about just wanting more money right now.

 

[paindonthurt_]

What he said. If you can show logically why you deserve it, you'll likely get it, or you can test the waters.

 

[horshack.sixpack]

I have a raise coming up soon.
What are some tips from the Pack for negotiating a pay raise?

If there is a way to tie your job performance directly to the bottom line then you should have a handle on your value to the company. If you can't do that then you have to be honest with yourself about your position and what it's value is in your industry.

If you've permanently taken on more responsibility than you had the last time you were reviewed note that and know what that is worth to the company/in your industry.

Don't be a guy that is in an overhead position doing the same thing that you've always done but expecting a big raise just because you've hung around. Most jobs have a specific value range to a company/industry and most bosses aren't sitting around on a pile of money like a benevolent dictator just playing with employees to see how little they can pay them.

My point is that salary negotiation is not a game. You either are or aren't worth more than you are making and your boss likely knows it, unless you haven incompetent leadership in which case I'd be looking elsewhere anyway...

 

[Dogariffic]

Make it about your "contribution to the team" and the difference you personally have made. This is not the time to be a wall flower and wait for someone to pat you on the back. This is self promotion. Document the difference you have made on several levels:
Sales, promotions, mentoring, training, improved management or business process that led to increased revenue, new client wins you led....etc.
It is not just I showed up and was here 8-5.

 

[ezsoil]

Horshack is exactly right. You have to examine whether or not the business is healthy enough to give you the raise that you feel you deserve. Hopefully you are in the type of position where you can document how you make a difference to the bottom line (which is where the raise comes from). I would always document every decision or outcome where you made a difference and just keep it in a file which you have with you at appraisal time...but also you have to understand that you can't ask for a dollar for dollar reward as your salary is raised going forward and the monetized decision may have only been a one time thing.

 

[pDigital32Dawg]

I have no tips to offer specifically around the negotiation. My company begins determining raises 2-3 months before the annual review. You're not locked into that raise, but it does limit the negotiating power of the associate, unless they are an exceptional employee. I don't know how your company operates, but if it is similar, I would get the ball moving on requesting the amount you want sooner than later.

 

[skip dog]

I have a raise coming up soon.
What are some tips from the Pack for negotiating a pay raise?

I was going to say to just "17" your bosses wife / daughter, or both........but, it is remotely possible that some of the answers above might do you better service.

 

[olblue.sixpack]

I have a raise coming up soon.
What are some tips from the Pack for negotiating a pay raise?

Don't ask random people on a sports message board for career advice.

 

[tatedog]

Here are some tips I found on wikipedia for negotiating a raise:

1. Change the location of the negotiation at the last minute--throws them off.
2. Decline to speak first--gives you all the power.
3. When you do speak, speak very lowly so they can't understand you and they have to ask you to repeat yourself.

Enjoy your raise and you're welcome.

 

[OrrDawg]

Tell them that your wife, Lucile, has left you with four hungry children and a crop in the field. You may find other helpful talking points in the Kenny Roger's song on YouTube. You're welcome and good luck

 

[TheStateUofMS]

Ask for more than you know you'll end up getting, but don't make it come off disrespectful or arrogant.

ETA: Tying it in to your performance is a must as well.

 

[UpTheMiddlex3Punt]

Don't ask random people on a sports message board for career advice.

Reading platitudes on Linkedin will get you much better results

 

[CrookedLetta4Eva]

I considered going the Plan B route, but I did that about a year ago, which DID work.
This is my annual raise, which I haven't received in over 3 years.

I work for a Fortune 500 company and we have been on a wage freeze during those 3 years.

 

[Drebin]

As someone who runs an organization, let me tell you without hesitation that this is most definitely the wrong approach, and this is terrible advice.

Hiring managers do not like being held hostage for more money. And giving in to such a demand sets a precedent for everyone else to do the same, and to do it over and over aGAIN if they want more money.

If you worked for me and came in and told me this, I would tell you to make sure the door doesn't hit you in the *** on the way out. There is one thing you need to learn and learn quickly...everyone is replaceable. Like the line from Major League: "Even you, Dorn."

 

[maroonmania]

As someone who runs an organization, let me tell you without hesitation that this is most definitely the wrong approach, and this is terrible advice.

Hiring managers do not like being held hostage for more money. And giving in to such a demand sets a precedent for everyone else to do the same, and to do it over and over aGAIN if they want more money.

If you worked for me and came in and told me this, I would tell you to make sure the door doesn't hit you in the *** on the way out. There is one thing you need to learn and learn quickly...everyone is replaceable. Like the line from Major League: "Even you, Dorn."

Yep, unfortunately the best approach is to already have an offer in hand with at or close to the money you want. That way you have already shown that somebody else in the marketplace values you more and usually your company will match or beat the offer unless they just don't really want to keep you anyway. The downside is if you don't go to the other company when you have their offer you then have sort of burned that bridge if its somewhere you might want to go in the future. I agree that if a company gives in to an arbitrary raise anytime an employee comes in and demands it there would be no end to the number of folks demanding it. Stuff like that doesn't stay hushed very long.

 

[johnson86-1]

Don't be a guy that is in an overhead position doing the same thing that you've always done but expecting a big raise just because you've hung around. Most jobs have a specific value range to a company/industry and most bosses aren't sitting around on a pile of money like a benevolent dictator just playing with employees to see how little they can pay them.

Second that. I'd add don't be in an overhead position and not have a very convincing story with data about your value. It's a lot harder to value overhead positions. You really need to be showing how you've saved them money. Comparing your fully loaded costs to the costs of contract labor is one way, but that's not generally going to be a lot of help unless you are providing a service with well paid private contractors. The other is that you've got to show how some initiatives you're responsible for have shown up as reduced expenses or in improving productivity of your revenue centers. If you are just saving them money because it'd be hard to find somebody to replace you, that's not always an easy case to make, even when it's true in a big way.

 

[BlueRidgeMtns]

Agreed. I have been approached both ways and have given raises 0% of the time I have been approached with "i need more money or I am out". However, I have given plenty of raises when someone has received a better offer and we want to keep them on board.

That's not to say that if you approach me with a legitimate concern that you are underpaid for your job functions, I won't give it consideration. Although, you knew the job ahead of time and agreed to the salary/rate you currently have.

 

[kired]

Ask for more than you know you'll end up getting

Absolutely - I can guarantee they will never give you what you ask for, unless you're not asking for much or they had already planned to give you that. If you're due for a substantial raise the guys making the final decision will always want to settle at no more than 80% of what you're asking for.

Like others have said - if it's a larger company and this is just your annual raise, the higher ups have already decided what you're going to get and you might be able to negotiate a little above that but probably not much.