How To Bring Up A Raise...

I'm looking for some advice on how to bring up a raise with my bosses. We receive raises annually at the beginning of the year, typically January or February the latest. This year we had out reviews mid January and I expected to receive my raise at that time as well. My bosses ended up saying they will address raises in a few weeks. It has now been almost 3 months and we haven't heard anything.

Normally I wouldn't push these things since it's been super busy, but my main boss has taken 2 one week vacations in that time, so he hasn't been unbelievable swamped. Also my raise has been a long time coming. I started working for my firm in Sept 2010 and officially brought on Nov 2010. I was paid base pay when I started, but my responsibilities grew quickly after that. I ended up asking about a raise in July 2011 because I wasn't informed of the annual protocol and my boss agreed to give me a $3 raise mid year, but it was still $2 less than he mentioned I should be making a few weeks prior. Now I have twice the amount of clients and ton more responsibility. He passed on a raise last January (2012) because I had received a "small bump" as he called in the prior July. So it's been almost 2 years without a raise and I'm making over $10 less than my coworkers. (I don't expect to make the same as them as they have more experience, but I'm doing the same work)

I'm just not sure how to approach him without sounding like he owes me or impatient. I do extra work for the firm at home to earn extra cash so he really helps me out in that sense. But it's very sporadic and hard for me to find time at home to get the work done.

Thanks for any suggestions.

 

I am not sure what the best way is. Just make sure you keep working hard and really pushing yourself. It makes it a lot easier to ask for it when you have a history of hard work behind you. We had two guys that were working for us. One never complained and worked hard all the time. We always give him his annual raise. The other made a lot of mistakes. Then if he didn't make for a couple weeks he would ask for a raise (he didn't get it). Bottom line is your work will speak for itself. If you simply ask and you have been working hard they will probably give it to you. I don't know you boss, but if he is reasonable then it won't hurt to ask.

Not sure if this helps at all. Good luck brother.

 

The easiest way I have dealt with this is to send your boss an email/meeting request. State that you would like to take some time to meet and discuss your current compensation and latest accomplishments/achievements withing the company.

It's one of the most difficult things to talk about but if you feel your compensation does not match your work load/tasks - there is no harm in bringing it up. The email idea gives your employer a chance to think it over; nothing worse than wanting to talk about that stuff out of the blue.

 

Good point

 

Thanks for the response. Yeah I've been doing that and I don't complain at all to my bosses. I know my time will come, but it sucks because it's an issue of being able to support my family. Plus the entire firm hasn't received a raise so I don't want to be the pushy one in the firm.

I may do that once he is back. He will understand, but I just don't want to look greedy or impatient since they are very generous. An email would be an appropriate way to "remind" them of the raises. Thanks!

 

What industry?

 

A patent law office. Since I've received my last raise I've earned my paralegal degree and will be covering for one of the other paralegals while she is on maternity leave.

 

you are getting dicked around. get used to it, sadly...that is the law business until
you are a full partner

go find a new job, then tell your bosses 'I want this raise at this amount', and
if they balk, walk. period.

 

I would approach it professionally, in order to not burn bridges.

 

Say Boss I know you are in the big beans and Im in need of some of it. Best way to do it is just go right for what you want. If he can hose you he will just the way it works. Do your home work & find out what others are making it your field & town ...If you are not making what you can make down the road and the boss is running you around start the hunt for a new boss..Stay where you are till you find something..

 

Tell them you're going on strike until you get more money. Works for unions...

 

Don't go union, it's rough work. \/

 

This^. Start looking now so you have options. If people who are doing the same job as you are getting $10/hr more, you've obviously getting the short stick. Or in this case the long dick.

x2 for doing your homework. The point you want to bring across is the same as if you were applying for the job from the beginning. "I bring this this and this to the table. I've been improving on this, and I've successfully completed this. I feel that the work I've been doing and the quality of that work is worth $X/hr more, as demonstrated by others in my field doing the same job, with the same responsibilities as I do."

Sell yourself. But like with buying a car, don't be afraid to walk for a better deal somewhere else. It's easier to give you a few more bucks an hour than to train a new person in all the crap you do.