Negotiating A Higher Salary?

[Hachiman]

Hey everyone!

I'm turning to my board buddies for any advice for negotiating a new salary. Anyone have any experience with that or comical stories?

[Benedict Judas Hel]

Make sure you're wearing pants when you're asking for a higher salary. The bosses seem to like it when their employees are properly dressed.

Also avoid calling them "cheap", "stingy" or "ungrateful taskmasters". Those phrases don't go over too well.

Punching them in the back of their knees doesn't help either in achieving your goal.

[GeologyMule]

In this economy I don't even bring it up. I'm happy with what I am getting.

However, play to your strengths. If you feel you do an exceptional thing that requires more money, then point that out.

[Dice]

Seriously, I've found over the years that you never really know how much you're worth to a company until they think you're leaving.

BUT NEVER THREATEN THEM.

I've gotten all my pay raises after turning in two week notices. In all cases I was only leaving for monotary reasons and in all cases my current company was suddenly able to pay me much more than what was previously avaliable.

I'd just talk with them and have always been told the best thing you can do is not ask directly for money, but instead for things you can do in order to earn more $$$. If they tell you it's just not there, you know it's time to go look elsewhere.

[Heeeere's Olesker!]

GM is on the right track. First understand that your needs are not what's important in this instance.. Many people have a family to support, higher expenses, a spouse or partner that has recently lost a job. Doesn't matter.

What matters is what's important to your supervisor and the company. What's important to your supervisor is that you make a significant contribution -- preferrably in terms of revenues -- for the company, that you make your supervisor look good and that you relieve some of their workload. Supervisors want to retain good and valuable employees because it makes them look good in their supervisors' eyes and also because they usually cannot move up the ladder until they have people that can handle their job for them.

One of the biggest mistakes people make when seeking a raise is not going in with a carefully thought out agenda. Think of it as a battle campaign and you're the General. You wouldn't just march into battle without a plan or a strategy, would you? Like all good strategies, you need to maximize your own strengths, take advantage of your opposition's (in this case a friendly opponent in the form of your boss) weaknesses and, importantly, have contingencies in hand so you can launch them if needed.

Your agenda -- which you should rehearse several times before you go into the office -- is to open pleasantly. "I really enjoy working here and I enjoy my job." Then launch into two or three -- but no more -- examples of how you have made a contribution to the company. Keep them short and to the point. If you have back-up documentation it's good to provide it. (This not only shines a light on your good points but plays to your boss's 'weakness' -- in this case their concern over the possibility of losing a valuable employee if they don't give you a raise.) Finally, you need to justify why the raise will make sense as time goes by -- "I've laid a foyundation of contacts and now I'll be able to continue to make sales and bigger sales, increasing my worth to the company."

As for contingencies, think about your boss' possible objections: 1) "The company doesn't have the money for raises right now." or 2) "Actually, we're thinking about cutting back." In those cases your response can be, 1) "I'd be willing to take on additional responsibilities." or 2) "I understand the importance of streamlining to keep down the bottom line." (You're showing that you're both on the same page.) And then go on to say, "How about you let me take some of the tasks of the staff you're letting go?. I'll do a better job and the company will save money." Whatever the case at your company, try to think of every objection they could have and have a good return prepared in advance. It's so much better than trying to come up with something on the fly.

Making eye contact, dressing appropriately, straight posture and a relaxed attitude to show confidence and an occasional smile to show friendliness are also important. These things will help you to get on the same page with your boss rather than being adversaries..

But most important is how what you are doing and will continue to be doing has and will continue to help your boss and the company. If you get a turndown, sincerely thank your boss for their time, tell them you will continue to work hard and ask if you can both revisit this in six months. You'll be showing respect, your stock will go about a couple of notches and you'll have set the table for your next meeting.


Personally, I wouln't worry about the ramifications of asking for a raise in a respectful and in a businesslike manner. Most bosses appreciate the courage it takes to ask for a raise. I know I do. It demonstrates confidence, so long as that that confidence is justified. The worst you'll get is a 'no'. And if you don't ask? Well, hockey great Wayne Gretsky once said, "You miss 100% of the shots you don't take." So go for it!

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

[Hachiman]

WOW Great ideas all around; GM's had me snorting coffee at my desk. I've been working at an underpaying civil service job for far too long, and have a bunch of interviews on the outside lined up. Your advice will certainly help, as everyone tries to lowball you, especially if your a public employee.

[TheShadow]

This is how I accomplished mine: I get automatic raises, but I felt that I was going above and beyond my job duties and deserved a reclassification (HR to come in and change my title, etc.). My supervisor didn't seem inclined to fix this (though I never asked her directly) so I applied for another position at the same university I already work at. Once I did that, my supervisor had me reclassed to a different title with a higher pay scale and I received all new equipment for my office (computer, laptop, iPad, you name it...). So, there is truth to them not doing anything until they think you are about to leave.

[BCI Guy]

But most important is how what you are doing and will continue to be doing has and will continue to help your boss and the company. If you get a turndown, sincerely thank your boss for their time, tell them you will continue to work hard and ask if you can both revisit this in six months. You'll be showing respect, your stock will go about a couple of notches and you'll have set the table for your next meeting.

IMO, this is the best possible thing you can do if they say no. It tells your boss that you aren't going to slack off because you were denied the raise, and if anything you'll work that much harder over the next 6 months to prove your worth.

[JonWes]

The only thing that's ever been effective for me is making myself utterly invaluable (not always possible, I know, depending on the work/position) and then securing another position with another work place. I talked to my boss about it openly, not in the form of a threat, and let them make an offer to me.

[Heeeere's Olesker!]

It's an excellent point. Early in my career I was exactly like that --especially during my years at DIC Entertainment and with Jetlag. When Jean Chalopin left DIC to start Jetlag, I became his absolute go-to guy. Jean lived in Paris at the time and I lived in L.A. I would take calls from him around the clock anbd I had no conception of what a weekend was. Mark Taylor, who was Jean's top exec and would go on the be GM at Nickelodeon for a decade, once told me that the reason Jean would give me all-episodes writing assignments for a series was because he felt no one else could or would do what I would do for him. After I wrote a ninety-six page series bible and thirty-seven episodes of The New Adventures of He-man in a space of nineteen weeks, Mark told me that Jean referred to me as "The Animal". I took it as a compliment.

Three decades in the entertainment industry have allowed me the luxury of working at a more leisurely pace now. But my dedication and determination remain the same and that is well known to my associates.

The point is, as JonWes says, to separate one's self out from the pack, to be willing to work relentlessly, with dedication and an adamantine determination to get the job done well and on time. Employees that do that are never out of a job and the task of negotiating a raise is made substantially easier.

The only thing that's ever been effective for me is making myself utterly invaluable (not always possible, I know, depending on the work/position) and then securing another position with another work place. I talked to my boss about it openly, not in the form of a threat, and let them make an offer to me.

[Southzen]

I offered to take on more responsibilities in addition to helping in receivables to assist in the higher pay. I also went forth on my own time and money outside work to train myself in task that were related to my job to make me a larger presence. I gained experience and knowledge of things quickly that not many possessed. I also built a great working reputation with people in and around our business as well as large clients. Now that I am in school to do a complete change of career, the company is not comfortable.

[Heidi]

This is a great thread - lots of good advices here.

This is how I got my raise: first I offered to take on extra responsibilities on an area that I have expertise on. Then I did that for six months. After that I told my employer that I would be happy to do this in the future as well and asked if my pay-grade should be re-evaluated if I continue to do this. It was not a threat - I had already said that I'd continue doing what I do in any case, but I just asked that if it should be accounted for in my salary. And I got a raise.

[Brad2dbone]

I did this successfully once- I explained that I enjoyed my job and didn't want to leave, but that I had a job offer with a higher salary that I was considering. This way I'm not threatening to leave and I'm not saying that I'm leaving (they might call your bluff), I'm just letting them know that I would like more money and they could lose me. They wanted to keep me so they gave me more money. If it doesn't work it's really easy to do what Olesker said and tell them you decided to stay because you like the company, so you'll work hard and see them again in a few months.

[Hachiman]

Thanks again for all your advice! I had my interview and I think it went well. If they make me an offer I'm now confident to ask them for a little more money! Good work guys!