I have been working at a company for 18 months now and I am about to go in for my first review. In the past 12 months I have had two job offers in my field (network Admin) for about $12,000.00 more than I?m making now. I then decided to do some research into my pay scale for this area and I did find out that I?m about $10,000.00 under paid. They did agree to pay for some training for me if I agreed not to leave for five years, so they could take advantage of the training they provided me. In this agreement there was no mention that I would be stuck at my current rate. So here is my question, am I justified in asking for a raise? Thanks for your help
am I justified in asking for a raise?
- Thread starter jorton
- Start date
I would be asking for a raise if you felt like you were underpaid. If you go in with an attitude like "so and so is willing to pay me X amount more", you will be shooting yourself in the foot. I would go in and see what they have in mind, and if it's not enough, I would let them know my figure then. If that don't work, I would start looking for a new job 
OK, I really don?t want to leave the company. They are really good about letting me do my job and not micromanaging me. I really wasn?t planing on telling them about the other offers. Just letting them know what the market is paying now
<< Well, you're not going to get a $10K raise. >>
Though, that does happen.. When I was in high school working (read: surfing the web) as an intern at an Army Research Lab there were two gov't contractors in the office I was in. One was kinda in charge of the other, only on paper though. Second guy wants more money and goes job hunting and gets an offer. Tells in charge guy who calls up management and says, "Mike got an offer for XXk and is going to leave us. He needs us to match that offer. Mike's valuable to our mission, blah blah"... Couple minutes later Mike has himself a 15k raise.
Have you already taken the training, jorton? If so, and they won't agree to a raise, you're kinda stuck between a rock and a hard place.. If you leave, they can probably haul your butt into court, if you stay, you're underpaid.
Most companies usually have an agreement regarding training and then agreeing not to leave...but if you already have had offers for (presumably) better positions...then consider that you might be able to pay them back for the training to release yourself from your contract (do you even know what you agreed to in the first place?).
If you already have the training, and are going to benefit from it by a 10k raise elsewhere...then isn't it worth pursuing? Money isn't everything...but a company is ALWAYS going to pay you the least they can. I wouldn't come out and say what the other company offered you...but if the review doesn't give you close to what you think you are worth, then I would ask them about paying them back for the training...so that you can go elsewhere and get paid fair market value on your skills [That will show them that you seriously consider yourself underpaid, plus five years is a long time in this day and age to commit...even if you get training IMO]
NEVER work for less than you are worth...you will regret it down the road.
If you already have the training, and are going to benefit from it by a 10k raise elsewhere...then isn't it worth pursuing? Money isn't everything...but a company is ALWAYS going to pay you the least they can. I wouldn't come out and say what the other company offered you...but if the review doesn't give you close to what you think you are worth, then I would ask them about paying them back for the training...so that you can go elsewhere and get paid fair market value on your skills [That will show them that you seriously consider yourself underpaid, plus five years is a long time in this day and age to commit...even if you get training IMO]
NEVER work for less than you are worth...you will regret it down the road.
I have gone threw most of the training and almost have my MCSE. The review is going to be done my former supervisor and my new current supervisor. I am on very good terms with both of them and they are very dependent on me when it comes to the network. I have totally redesigned their network from the ground up. Updated to all cat 5e as well as migrated to NT from Novell. All new server all new workstations. I also set up an Exchange server and a proxy server so they now have Internet access and email at the desktop. I also manage their telephone switch. Well now I'm just rambling
I wouldn't say the training you get would be worth a 5 year contract, I mean that is way too long just for a training benefit, escpecially in the computer field.
You will probably get, as previously mentioned, anywhere from 10%-20% of an increase, if the company has some decent people running it. You might also, if you pursue another job, get them to pay part/all of the remaining amount you owe due to the contract you had for training.
It is not unheard of. Just don't be belligerent about it. I have made the jump for alot of money before, and the job sucked. Actually came back to my same job for more money
It is not unheard of. Just don't be belligerent about it. I have made the jump for alot of money before, and the job sucked. Actually came back to my same job for more money
Yea the people running the company are very good and they also understand that someone doing my job is expensive, I just don?t think they knew how expensive. And a 20% increase would be fine by me that would put me within 5% of the market value.
You are justified, and it never hurts to ask. And ask again if necessary. But you say you've had two job offers, have you been interviewing? Or has someone made "sight unseen" offers to you?
I was at EDS when they were gobbling up a lot of grads for their training programs, they also had everyone sign an agreement to stay with the company or repay for training. I'm pretty sure there were several lawsuits and most people who wanted to left the co. w/o having to repay anything.
I was at EDS when they were gobbling up a lot of grads for their training programs, they also had everyone sign an agreement to stay with the company or repay for training. I'm pretty sure there were several lawsuits and most people who wanted to left the co. w/o having to repay anything.
also depends on how loyal you feel to the company for your work, if what you do for them is specialized and requires learning how to deal with alot of company processes/policys on how to handle certain files and stuff, that would require a replacment more than 2 months worth of time to learn to get to your speed with those policies, you might be able to squeeze your full value out of them, I.e. my boss used to work as a circulation for larger papers, and has been working with IT and pcs for 10 yrs, so he knows quite well how his job impacts other departments, and also due to that background, he is able to save them from having to teach the departments we interface with from having to learn certain things that he can help with i.e. converting files to be emailed out for approval, and alot of deeper stuff, he aproves and learns new accounting apps, new possitional apps so after the people that need them get them he is able to work out thier problems. .
No I have not been interviewing. The offers I got were because I did some contract consultant work for another PC support company and they liked my work and made me an offer. The other company I had a former boss whom got a job there and wanted me to work for them under him. Even if I don?t get a raise I won?t leave, I told them I wouldn?t and my word is good. But I may consider buying out.
ask for a raise, you deserve it. don't ask for too much, the US economy is not what it was 2 years ago.
there are more things that goes into a job than salary. it's mostly salary, but still, there are the benefits: health insurance, and all that good expensive crap. and other plans they may offer.
tell them that you were offered positions at several companies offering $10k (may not want to specify an amount) more than you are making. tell them that you are not asking for that $10k, but would like a raise. do it in a nice tone, don't be greedy about it. you have to take into account how much the company depends on you as a worker, so if you are not that important, you may not get that much of a raise, though you should get something. ask if you can get a raise, and evaluate the offer they make if they make an offer, OR suggest several thousand if you are asked to spit out a number.
remember, $100 more a week is $5200 a year.
NOTE, since you did give your word to stay, you MUST stay. otherwise, it'd look bad, really bad. certifications mean something. experience means something. but you NEED references in future jobs, so don't screw with this one.
there are more things that goes into a job than salary. it's mostly salary, but still, there are the benefits: health insurance, and all that good expensive crap. and other plans they may offer.
tell them that you were offered positions at several companies offering $10k (may not want to specify an amount) more than you are making. tell them that you are not asking for that $10k, but would like a raise. do it in a nice tone, don't be greedy about it. you have to take into account how much the company depends on you as a worker, so if you are not that important, you may not get that much of a raise, though you should get something. ask if you can get a raise, and evaluate the offer they make if they make an offer, OR suggest several thousand if you are asked to spit out a number.
remember, $100 more a week is $5200 a year.
NOTE, since you did give your word to stay, you MUST stay. otherwise, it'd look bad, really bad. certifications mean something. experience means something. but you NEED references in future jobs, so don't screw with this one.
Keep in mind that job offers and raises might not be as forthcoming if this economy slows down. I think now is a good time if any to ask for a raise, but be realistic about it. Job stability matters a bit more now then it did a year ago. Now, if you are below the average industry pay, but are doing an above average job, then you need to ask for a raise. Put a value on the training you get, and count it as part of the compensation.
glenn1
Lifer
- Sep 6, 2000
- 25,383
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Jorton... quick question for you.... do those other job offers entail the same, less, or more duties, required experience, and responsibilities? You need to know this so you can properly compare the offered compensation from each prospective employer. If the same, consider that they're offering you more money because they don't have to train you. If less, then point this to the attention of your management, and let them act appropriately.
Plus, if you like the employer you work with now, i would tend to want to stay with them, rather than gamble on another company for whom you might hate working. Consider approaching your supervisors with this job offer information, and ask to talk frankly with them about the possibility of your being offered greater job responsibilities (since you feel you're ready for them), and perhaps a higher-level position. That way you won't be framing it simply in terms of asking for more money... you'll be demonstrating a willingness to provide more value to the company as an employee, and your compensation should follow
Plus, if you like the employer you work with now, i would tend to want to stay with them, rather than gamble on another company for whom you might hate working. Consider approaching your supervisors with this job offer information, and ask to talk frankly with them about the possibility of your being offered greater job responsibilities (since you feel you're ready for them), and perhaps a higher-level position. That way you won't be framing it simply in terms of asking for more money... you'll be demonstrating a willingness to provide more value to the company as an employee, and your compensation should follow
The jobs I was offered would require me to design and help set up PC server based networks. In truth it would be just as much work but a narrower area of working (if that makes cense). With the company im with now I am in charge of anything that has to do with the Computer system or Telephone system. And this is everything, from Contracts with the Telco provider to rebuilding a workstation. This also includes ordering of equipment and overseeing the bills that come in concerning the Telco to PC network.
Personally, I would have jumped ship for one of those other offers. $12,000 is quite a bit to ask for in a increase - then again, you may be lucky. Companies lose an average of $70,000 for each turnover -- and they would rather pay this amount than try to keep their employees happy.
I'm in a similar situation as you are. I'm currently doing project leader / managment work, but my pay is more in the range of senior developer / analyst. Companies are not to forthcoming in aligning what they pay versus the competition. Though they like to frequently brag about 'being competitive'.
Good luck!!
I'm in a similar situation as you are. I'm currently doing project leader / managment work, but my pay is more in the range of senior developer / analyst. Companies are not to forthcoming in aligning what they pay versus the competition. Though they like to frequently brag about 'being competitive'.
Good luck!!
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