How to talk about a Pay Rise?

Hi,

Im a .NET Software developer

im due a review in the next few weeks, im working here over a year and a half with no pay increase, i want to broach the subject to my boss and put across some valid arguments as to why i feel like i should get a raise.

tell me what you think?


1 thing that bugs me is inflation, i mean does anyone know how much inflation has increased since the last quarter of 2004? I would like to point out to him that i at least deserve to be increased to match inflation since i was hired. otherwise the cost of living has increased and im technically earning less.

2 i would like to point out how hard ive worked and what ive done for the company to merit their consideration for a pay rise. im salary based but often have worked extra hours with no extra pay. granted they do pay us extra if we work saturdays but generally if i work an hour here and there and often through lunches i guess i could be working an extra 3 or 4 hours a week.

Has anyone any thought as to how i should approach him? any advice is appreciated, in all my years ive never had to ask for a pay raise but with the current boom in IT i could pick up work elsewhere and earn extra but id like to get more in the place i work now, its a nice company and ive quite a few decent colleagues, so a move could be to more money less fun.

Regards
Morpheus

morpheus said:

1 thing that bugs me is inflation, i mean does anyone know how much inflation has increased since the last quarter of 2004?

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Has anyone any thought as to how i should approach him? any advice is appreciated

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Itemise the specific tasks that you have completed and what specifically you have done to further the success of the company.

Don't jump the gun by naming your price. He may have a higher one in mind so wait and see what he offers.

most technology companies aren't botherd about cost of living & such like, so I wouldn't go too much with (1).

As Clubman has said (2) is more important, list your achievements & why you're of value to the company. Make general statements like you feel you're undervalued/underpaid relative to the market but don't ask or demand a specific amount & try to avoid mentioning other jobs specifically or threatening to leave.

Try the calm discussion first. Focus on your value to the company.

If that doesn't bear fruit, there are ways of suggesting that they reassess your market value, without explicitly threatening to leave, e.g. (in increasing order of risk)
* Print out some relevant job ads (preferably with salary scales) and leave them on the printer (could have been anyone).
* Arrange for a "headhunter" to ring reception asking to be transferred to you
* Book an afternoon's leave and come in that morning wearing a suit.

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MugsGame said:

* Book an afternoon's leave and come in that morning wearing a suit.

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ha ha, always a good one!

If you do manage to find another job and get a job offer you can then play both companies against each other (has worked twice for me) and get to a salary level you happy with. This assume you would be happy to work for either company. And make sure when your company asks you how much is the new job going to pay that you add on 8-10 more than it really is. Then your own company will probably match that offer if they want to keep you.

I wouldn't bank on the "playing both sites off each other" necessarily being a good strategy. Many companies/managers (correctly, in my view) take the approach that somebody who engages in brinksmanship has really decided to move so it's best not to negotiate but let them go.

It has worked in my experiences, doesnt mean it will always work of course.

I think MugsGame is on the right track when talking about market value, but I'd tend to be a bit more direct. Check out the market value for somebody with your role and your level of experience. Inflation is fairly irrelevant. What matters is what would it take for them to replace you. Base your arguements on market pricing.

Hi,

I recently got a payrise, and it was told it was because I did some of the following:

Demonstrate that you didnt just do your job adequately, but gave "added-value" - e.g.
- made suggestions on how to improve how to do your job
- came up with ways to speed up a process (e.g. automating)
- show where you did something extra that your peers didnt do/wouldnt know how to do
- show that your output was higher/faster/better quality than your peers
- mention that you work extra hours (but do your peers also do this? or will it make it look like you are inefficent that you need to work extra hours if your peers dont?).

I'd say go in with an organised list of why you merit the payrise, be confident that you actually do deserve it, and have some back-up to show that the salary you ase requesting is reasonable.

Good luck.

Just tell them that you wish to work on a contract basis. Then form your own company and contract out your services to them. Remember to factor in accountancy and company set-up charges etc. when determining your rate.

You'd need to factor in other costs such as reduced PRSI benefits, loss of employee benefits etc.