Have you ever asked your manager for a pay raise?

[Eternal Sunshine]

I'm curious and what was the outcome.

 

 

I mean directly but calmly asked something like: "I have been doing x, y z which are additional duties and responsibilities, therefore I would like my salary reviwed".

 

 

I'm especially interested if you did it without a threat of another job offer.

[d0nnivain]

I have asked for raises without the threat of a new job. I went it & did just what you suggested: explained why I am worth the extra money.

 

If you don't get it, then you search for a new job. To tell your boss that you are looking as leverage will backfire. You come across as disloyal.

[Veronica73]

Yes, I have. It was difficult and I did it and I got the raise. Not right on the spot, in fact the conversation, in my mind, went poorly. But later, my boss admitted I was right and gave me the raise. And I didn’t go in with threats of having a better offer or anything like that. But I did have information about what other people in my area who were at similar (or lower) levels of ability and responsibility were making.

 

(Edit) My situation may be different than yours, because I really was being underpaid, by quite a lot.

[Mr. Lucky]

I'm curious and what was the outcome.

 

It really depends on your career track.

 

You've gotten good advice already, most bosses don't find "give me a raise or else" to be a compelling argument.

 

I always looked at "additional duties and responsibilities" as a way to establish my qualifications for promotion, the next step up the ladder. If a volunteer was needed, I stepped up; if a vacuum existed I stepped in. And I did so without discussion of compensation or benefits, knowing the reward would come (hopefully soon) down the road.

 

If your current position is just a job to you, the above probably doesn't apply. But if you're looking for career within a company. you might benefit from a less transactional and more forward-thinking approach to your duties and job description...

 

Mr. Lucky

[Happy Lemming]

I had one job (many years ago) where I took on some additional duties.

 

I waited until my annual review to bring the subject up. I had typed up a list of my "new" duties, along with a salary analysis of individuals that performed these duties. I didn't get all of the money I wanted, but did secure an "above average" raise.

 

About a year later, my "nomadic gene" kicked in and I quit and moved. I was kind of glad to leave that company, anyway.

 

My advice, have your "Ducks in a row". If you are going to bring the subject up make sure you have some hard data to back up your position.

[The Outlaw]

Yes, but I didn't get it. At least, not at first. Instead, I just worked on bettering myself even more and I did eventually. In my line of work, I can get a raise if I just work harder at it, but it isn't easy.

[RecentChange]

I have never come out and asked for a raise.

 

But I have requested meetings with my boss, or in some cases my boss’s boss and said look, I am now doing X, Y and Z, my commissions are being impacted by ___, this isn’t working for me.

 

Never have I gotten a raise right there on the spot, but they have responded with “we hear you and will make changes”. And those changes have included base pay raises, hiring an assistant, changes to commission structure, a remote office to reduce my commute time and expense etc.

 

I don’t squeak often - but when I do, I see positive changes. The rest of the time I am a workhorse.

[snowcones]

I have not but a friend of mine has and has always gotten it. She's always had a IDGAF attitude though. What's more interesting to me is that you can google this and find all kinds of articles and studies on how women have a harder time than men asking for a raise.

[JEG88]

I've only done it once in my career, granted I'm on the younger side of my working life. I was unhappy at the job and was already looking for other employment. I had a legit, written job offer as leverage before I even went to speak with my manager.

 

I ended up getting a 10% raise and only stayed for an extra 2 months. Nothing about the worries I raised with my manager showed any signs of changing, so I got another (different) job offer and left for good.

 

I was fully aware that the way things unfolded meant I basically burned bridges at the old employer, but the new job was in a different industry and location.

 

A lot to consider when asking for a raise: if you want to stay, if you're willing to move for a different job (new company or same company), if you expect to see old coworkers at conferences or other events if you do get a new job, etc.

[major_merrick]

Not exactly a raise, but I changed my work situation and got more flexibility by speaking up. And by speaking up, I meant hinting that I was going to stop working. Since my husband has a nice job and a nice place to live and I have several years worth of saved income, I basically don't NEED to work. My boss figured out that my skillset was worth retaining, so it was worth making me happy.

 

Actually, I get paid less now. But I only have to show up on site a time or two a week, or as I want to. The rest of the time, I can work on my computer from home. For a mother with a new baby and twins on the way, it was the only way I could stay employed without going insane.

 

If you have a relatively good relationship with your boss, it never hurts to speak up (respectfully) and lay some things on the table. If your relationship with your boss sucks, improve that first if possible before mentioning any kind of changes. If the relationship can't improve - find somewhere else to work.

[Marc878]

I asked for a raise one time. I was told the job was only worth so much. I thought about it and they were right. I turned in my notice @ a month or so later and got a higher paying job.

 

Since then I looked at this differently. If I thought I should be Paid more that was my problem to solve. I have never asked again.

 

What I do if I feel I should be making more is start looking. I've found that it's universal at a lot of companies if you stay in a position too long companies will pay new hires as much or more than you.

 

I've picked up 30% or more a couple of times doing this.

 

Know your worth. Then seek it out if you aren't getting it.

[Eternal Sunshine]

So I straight up asked for it (it's annual review time).

 

I did as Mr Lucky suggested - I noticed that there was a leadership vacuum and took the opportunity to step in. However, with my additional responsibilities -:I'm now way underpaid. I had another job offer for more money and much less responsibility but in the long term my instincts told me to stay. It's a fine line though, between not being transactional and not being taken advantage of.

 

My managerr's response was vague, basically your request is entirely reasonable and the answer is yes but the question is when. Let me work on it. The problem is that my manager can be too nice and blame her manager for not approving something (So I never quite know what's true).

 

 

I never mentioned another job offer (that I rejected) because somehow I think even if it works in short term, it will backfire in the long term. I'm in this for the career so long term is more important. I guess I have to wait.. but im very impatient.

Edited May 14, 2019 by Eternal Sunshine

[Foxhall]

Yes I think a person is entitled to ask for a pay rise every few years,

 

perhaps in recessionary times not so much, but certainly if the costs of living are going up, surely it is fair that your salary should go up,

 

Yes it is not necessarily an easy approach,

 

Like a lot of things it is a confidence thing, employers are seeking to keep costs to a minimum but a person must be prepared to fight their own corner and obtain the best deal for themselves,

 

most employers in fairness will be happy to give the raise as they will want to retain loyal staff and finding good new people can be difficult at times.

 

In my own experience recently as a teacher within adult education, I did not obtain travel expenses in my first job in the area,only to find that all other tutors were being paid these expenses,

 

so you have to fight for your entitlements also, otherwise people will walk all over you.

Edited May 14, 2019 by Foxhall

[Blind-Sided]

I did it a bunch of times when I had a normal 9-to-5. If you have a valid reason... then get your facts together, and go talk about it.

[snowcones]

I never mentioned another job offer (that I rejected) because somehow I think even if it works in short term, it will backfire in the long term. I'm in this for the career so long term is more important. I guess I have to wait.. but im very impatient.

 

Having to wait is the WORST! I hate that.

[Veronica73]

I had to wait too when I asked. It’s not necessarily a bad thing. I had to wait several days, but I ended up getting everything I asked for. Hopefully you do too.

[Rockdad]

I have inadvertently gotten several people raises when they applied for a job and I was going to hire them. I won't hire anyone that doesn't give their bosses proper notice, when they go to do that stay because they were given a raise.

[Eternal Sunshine]

I had to wait too when I asked. It’s not necessarily a bad thing. I had to wait several days, but I ended up getting everything I asked for. Hopefully you do too.

 

 

Oh not few days - few months in this case. I just get the feeling that I'm being strung along. I have been killing myself with doing high volume of technical work (for people that left but haven't been replaced) plus all the management responsibilities for the last 6+ months. I don't remember the last time I had a weekend.

 

 

I have been promised a full time person to help with the technical work. When I got ready to advertise, I'm suddenly told that it hasn't been 100% approved.

 

 

Is it normal for large corporate companies for management to constantly change their minds? I have never worked in one until now. It's like yes-no-yes-yes-no. The ground just keeps shifting - often from day to day.

[OatsAndHall]

I worked as an assistant manager at a retail store before took my first teaching job. My six month performance came through with gold stars and it was stipulated that I could receive a raise that ranged between a dollar and $3 per hour. I asked for the $3/hour raise as I felt my performance warranted it. They countered with offering me a full time manager position which was salaried. But, I knew what that would mean; toss an extra 20+ hours onto my work week which would negate the salaried raise and cause me a lot of stress and grief. I declined and they agreed to a $2 bump in pay which I was good with.

[Eternal Sunshine]

I had annual performance review today which went extremely well. After now 10 months in the large company, I was told how impressed everyone is by my performance. My manager told me that I make her job really easy

 

 

 

I was asked to send my updated position description with new responsibilities to HR. My pay raise has now been approved by all of the upper management. I'm now waiting to hear how much. I was told it will take at most 2 weeks.

Edited May 20, 2019 by Eternal Sunshine

[Eternal Sunshine]

So I got an increase of 10% - which is not as much as I have hoped. I was told that they are in the the process of getting me a proper promotion but that may take up to 6 months. My current increase is effective immediately.

 

 

Looks like there is never any harm in asking

[vla1120]

So I got an increase of 10% - which is not as much as I have hoped. I was told that they are in the the process of getting me a proper promotion but that may take up to 6 months. My current increase is effective immediately.

 

 

Looks like there is never any harm in asking

 

A ten percent pay raise is pretty decent! We're currently pulling about 2-2.5% pay raises, in my industry (education), if that.

[Ruby Slippers]

Congrats on your raise!

 

I learned early on that the reason most women don't get raises is they usually don't negotiate pay and don't ask for raises.

 

I've spent about half of my career self-employed. Anytime I've worked full-time for a company, I'm pretty aggressive about negotiating salary and raises.

 

Most of my (male) supervisors have said that usually, nobody even tries to negotiate for more, they were a bit shocked that I did, and they respected my confidence in going for it.

 

Almost every time I've gone for it, I've gotten a raise or promotion. The exciting thing is that I'm a late bloomer in many ways, just beginning to develop some real confidence. So I feel the sky's the limit.

[Eternal Sunshine]

After I got the raise, everyone in the senior managment respects me even more. I work for a huge company where it's hard to be visible. Now that I have asked and gotten a raise after 10 months, I have put myself on the radar as a confident high performer. Truly a win/win.

 

 

In my last job, I asked for a promotion after 6 months (it was more about the title than the money there). I was rejected. I waited another 6 months, asked again and got it

 

 

It's amazing how many people don't ask for anything. Another example is that I enjoy international travel. I have been sent on countless international trips just because I asked and was pretty pushy about it.