By Daily Press staff
We’ve all done it — played that movie over and over in our minds of our confident entry into the boss’ office and asking for — no, demanding that elusive pay raise. However deserved, reality often plays out far differently, with many relegating themselves to their boss’ budgetary and emotional discretion.
Yes, asking for a raise can be tricky as there are so many factors that come into play: The business culture, company policies regarding regular job assessments and wage reviews, and the subjectivity of your boss. Asking for a raise can be more than anxiety provoking. It can be downright depressing. So, what are the throngs of underpaid, though deserving, employees throughout corporate America to do?
John McKee, world-class business success coach and author of “21 Ways Women in Management Shoot Themselves in the Foot,” who has received, denied and granted literally thousands of pay raise requests throughout his management career, offers these potentially profitable insights: I For those employed in companies with policies regarding wage reviews, the first thing is to find out how frequently those are supposed to occur. In most large companies, it will be an annual activity with the human resources department providing supervisors with guidelines for how to appraise individuals, and what type of increases are appropriate based on how the employee is rated for performance, attitude and potential growth on the job in the future.
I Take advantage of the formality and regularity of such annual wage/performance review events by preparing an honest self-assessment of your job performance. This should include recommendations for any additional training that could enhance the results of your work, as well as any and all accomplishments complete with specific measurements and dates to ensure those highlights are not overlooked.
I For employees of smaller companies that do not have formalized policies regarding annual assessments and/or pay raises should request a meeting with the boss to specifically discuss performance and commensurate compensation. This is easy if the company is led by someone who is enlightened and recognizes individual contributions, and rewards or compensates employees accordingly. However, for those who are not lucky enough to have such intuitive bosses and feel they are not making the kind of money they should be, preparedness is key. Before the meeting you should have a complete record of what and how you've done since the last raise, wherever possible citing specific metric results related thereto, with dates, to show that your merit is not subjective, but rather based on performance fact.
I Presence pays. It is important not to get over zealous and storm in to the boss‚ demanding a raise (as empowering as that fantasy is), as doing so will put the boss in a defensive mode that is not conducive to a positive discussion or outcome. Simply tell the boss you would like to discuss the subject, and ask when it would be convenience for him or her to do so. Then, prepare, prepare, prepare.
While some may feel this next piece of advice is counter productive, I do recommend that you offer to give your self-assessment to the boss before the meeting so he or she can understand your point of view and prepare accordingly. By no means is this telling the enemy your strategy, rendering your defeat inevitable. Rather, in any negotiation — and this “is” a real negotiation for you — it is best to lay out your cards in an honest and forthright manner. If the boss wants to keep you happy and on staff, your information will help he or she understand your value in undeniable terms. If, on the other hand, the boss has no intention of rewarding you in a manner that you feel is fair and appropriate, he or she will always find a way to justify that decision. So, providing the boss with your input prior to meeting will only make it easier to find out the ultimate, final outcome and you can make an educated decision regarding your future with that company accordingly.
In the spirit of providing ambitious business people with a viable resource that can pay dividends in their upward business mobility, McKee is offering a new online one-on-one coaching program entitled “11 Steps to Total Success” at an introductory price of just $99. This E-Course helps individuals create and manage a completely balanced life plan covering all facets of life: career, financial and personal. Visit www.BusinessSuccessCoach.net for more information.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on February 16, 2006. Read the original PDF.