Proper way to ask for better compensation?

[Qacer]

Now is not a good time to ask a raise. Go with the flow until the economy picks up.

 

[Eli]

Now is not a good time to ask a raise. Go with the flow until the economy picks up.

See, I agree with the sentiment, but there has to be a line drawn. With this logic, why don't they just drop everyone down to minimum wage? And we should be happy just to have a job! Right?

It obviously doesn't work like that. I just don't know where the line is, I guess.

 

[Qacer]

See, I agree with the sentiment, but there has to be a line drawn. With this logic, why don't they just drop everyone down to minimum wage? And we should be happy just to have a job! Right?

It obviously doesn't work like that. I just don't know where the line is, I guess.

As the economy gets worse that line becomes blurrier. But that is also dependent on how much risk you're willing to make. If you feel comfortable asking for a raise, then lay down the reasons why you deserve a raise. Make sure that these reasons are valid and measurable. If they still don't bite, then go with the flow until the economy picks up. Until then, you won't be able to move easier to greener fields.

 

[shortylickens]

Wayne Brady style.
Threaten to choke a bitch.

 

[AznAnarchy99]

Threaten to quit.

 

[Bignate603]

See, I agree with the sentiment, but there has to be a line drawn. With this logic, why don't they just drop everyone down to minimum wage? And we should be happy just to have a job! Right?

It obviously doesn't work like that. I just don't know where the line is, I guess.

The line is based on how hard you're willing to push. If you can walk out into a better paying job you'll be willing to push quite a bit harder than if you've got no where else to go. If you're not willing/able to leave it sounds like you've done all you can by talking to your boss.

 

[alkemyst]

It still grinds my gears that I could literally be making the same amount at Starbucks(10$/hr+tips, averages out to about 13$/hr). And I would get free coffee to boot.

Do you have benefits at your job?

If you are targeting $13/hr and not getting benefits you should be able to find better gigs out there. I don't always agree with you, but you seem smart enough to get into the cookie cutter $30k+ bracket with insurance, 2 weeks vacations, 5 sick days/2 personal and a 401k (maybe with company matching contributions even).

 

[BassBomb]

steal enough in jewels to live like a king

 

[DesiPower]

I just want a job. Jerk

You keep it to yourself, and be happy to be working.

Now is not a good time to ask a raise. Go with the flow until the economy picks up.

I felt the same way about a year back when I was desperate, today I am in OP's shoes. Its strange how quickly ppl change their point of view about life... But on the other side when you are working hard and see what other ppl around you are getting, or what you can get, a sense of competition cannot be avoided.

 

[Eli]

Do you have benefits at your job?

If you are targeting $13/hr and not getting benefits you should be able to find better gigs out there. I don't always agree with you, but you seem smart enough to get into the cookie cutter $30k+ bracket with insurance, 2 weeks vacations, 5 sick days/2 personal and a 401k (maybe with company matching contributions even).

We have benefits.. health with Lovelace(blech), and 401k. I opted out of health insurance. Contributing 10% to 401k(6% matched). I could technically afford health, but like I said my fiancee and I are trying to rapidly pay down our debts, save for a down payment on a house and create a real future for ourselves.

I do get vacation now that I've been there for a year, 5 days. Woohoo.

I'm not really targeting 13$/hr, that's just where I'm at. My technical job title is supposed to pay up to 14$/hr, and I'm doing more than that.. that's why I really feel like I'm getting the short end of the stick. I fully expected another ~12% raise.. I guess thats what I get for expecting anything from a corporate entity.

 

[alkemyst]

We have benefits.. health with Lovelace(blech), and 401k. I opted out of health insurance. Contributing 10% to 401k(6% matched). I could technically afford health, but like I said my fiancee and I are trying to rapidly pay down our debts, save for a down payment on a house and create a real future for ourselves.

I do get vacation now that I've been there for a year, 5 days. Woohoo.

I'm not really targeting 13$/hr, that's just where I'm at. My technical job title is supposed to pay up to 14$/hr, and I'm doing more than that.. that's why I really feel like I'm getting the short end of the stick. I fully expected another ~12% raise.. I guess thats what I get for expecting anything from a corporate entity.

your status lets them know you can't barter. Get out of debt, get money saved, then go to bat.

being you aren't taking the health insurance and probably replied to the company you are under none shows alot to them.

 

[Eli]

your status lets them know you can't barter. Get out of debt, get money saved, then go to bat.

being you aren't taking the health insurance and probably replied to the company you are under none shows alot to them.

I don't quite understand what you mean. So by opting out of health insurance, you're saying that I'm showing them I'm "desperate"?

That's silly. I seriously doubt they're analyzing it on that level. I bet my boss doesn't know or care who and who doesn't have health insurance, though obviously HR does.

Why does the fact that I'm trying to pay off debts and better my life mean that I can't barter? I don't understand. If anything, doesn't it allow me more bartering room? IE: If they cared about me as a human being?

The only reason I'm still there was because a few friends at work had a conversation with the VP. They were going to lay me off last January, but decided to keep me on in part because I had just moved to Santa Fe. I would have been totally fucked and probably would have moved back to Portland if they laid me off at that time.

 

[Farang]

You're in a very similar situation to me (we are even payed the same). From what I gather you're being foolish to push for a raise at your current company. Use it as a steady income while you look for a new job.

Fact is many, many places hand out 2 weeks vacation + sick pay + other benefits (pension, stock, etc. etc.) standard. And pay of $30k-$40k is a reasonable goal for anyone who is a good employee and can talk about positive things they've done for a company. When you compare the starting pay of many places to what you're getting, it isn't even worth pushing for a raise. Yes maybe you get $15 an hour, in the best of outcomes, but you're still way behind what others might offer you in the market when you factor in benefits.

And really no matter how good you are, at $13 an hour you are replacable. Its likely the company simply does not need someone of your caliber in that position. If they're paying that much it means they are willing to accept an incompenent fool and all of the mistakes that entails. It just so happens they got lucky with you.

 

[Bignate603]

We have benefits.. health with Lovelace(blech), and 401k. I opted out of health insurance. Contributing 10% to 401k(6% matched). I could technically afford health, but like I said my fiancee and I are trying to rapidly pay down our debts, save for a down payment on a house and create a real future for ourselves.

You get in one serious issue and you'll wipe out everything that you've saved and then some. If you can possibly afford health insurance you should get it. If you can't afford it figure out if your state has some sort of aid. It's absolutely idiotic to think that you're making good financial choices when you're leaving yourself exposed to basically go bankrupt from anything that would require hospitalization.

 

[Eli]

You get in one serious issue and you'll wipe out everything that you've saved and then some. If you can possibly afford health insurance you should get it. If you can't afford it figure out if your state has some sort of aid. It's absolutely idiotic to think that you're making good financial choices when you're leaving yourself exposed to basically go bankrupt from anything that would require hospitalization.

Yeah, I know. We're going to see about adding me to my fiancee's insurance when re-enrollment comes around. It's cheaper through her than through my company.

 

[Bignate603]

Yeah, I know. We're going to see about adding me to my fiancee's insurance when re-enrollment comes around. It's cheaper through her than through my company.

If that doesn't work out seriously take a look to see if your state has any sort of health care programs for low income people. It varies depending on where you live but it's worth a shot to see what's out there.

 

[BarneyFife]

Here is my simple advice. Get health care. Call Blue Cross on Monday and sign up for Catastrophic. It is idiotic to not take health care to save for a down payment on a house.

 

[Eli]

Here is my simple advice. Get health care. Call Blue Cross on Monday and sign up for Catastrophic. It is idiotic to not take health care to save for a down payment on a house.

Shrug. I haven't had healthcare for 28 years. I'm not terribly worried about it.

I know that's short sighted, and I am trying to change that - like I said, I should be added onto her health insurance in the next 6mo.

 

[alkemyst]

I don't quite understand what you mean. So by opting out of health insurance, you're saying that I'm showing them I'm "desperate"?

That's silly. I seriously doubt they're analyzing it on that level. I bet my boss doesn't know or care who and who doesn't have health insurance, though obviously HR does.

Why does the fact that I'm trying to pay off debts and better my life mean that I can't barter? I don't understand. If anything, doesn't it allow me more bartering room? IE: If they cared about me as a human being?

The only reason I'm still there was because a few friends at work had a conversation with the VP. They were going to lay me off last January, but decided to keep me on in part because I had just moved to Santa Fe. I would have been totally fucked and probably would have moved back to Portland if they laid me off at that time.

Fair or unfair it's how pay is determined a lot of the time. All of us have heard of the dude that gets a raise soon after having a baby or some kind of catastrophe...or in layoffs the 'family men' get kept more often. It's bullshit, but human nature is behind these decisions.

Also in almost all companies their are 'salary pools' now. It's shared from the top down...the lower 'the boss' keeps his underlings, the more he can take out of that pool for bonus and direct salary.

There are also salary caps for many positions. I am not sure how much a shipper/receiver can make but it shouldn't be a hard job to fill. Now if you workload majorly increased and now you were supervising a group of them, then your salary could grow more perhaps in the company's eyes.

You also have to look at your starting salary and what kind of increases you have gotten. Sad to say, but those are usually capped and coming in at the highest amount possible usually is worth a lot more than coming in less.

Some company's may allow up to 20% in the same position as growth...after that a job change would be required for more money and even then they will usually only adjust the current salary by 10% or so further limiting you...again that's bullshit to me. Say I came in as an entry level 'clerk' while going to school to be an engineer. I may be making $25-30k. I now graduate and sign up for an engineering slot at $50-60k...chances are I am going to get very close to the bottom of that or maybe even below it with the company crying the most they can adjust a salary is 50% in a job change. Let's say the company is great so I accept this and take the position at $40-45k, instead of the $60k the market would bear...I am leaving over $1000/month on the table.

Now I go through growths, but no higher level positions open up, I now get capped at that 20% number...I am still never at the peak salary possible for people just walking in off the street and getting $60k to start with a max salary potential of $72k...as a matter of fact once I stretch to my limit and them their's our differences in pay approach $1500/month

It sucks...but that's how it works and with no pensions at the end of the tunnel anymore it makes no sense to go long term with any company if more money is offered outside it.

 

[StageLeft]

If they're axing positions you have little leeway most of the time, whether you are "underpaid" or not, it's part of the culture there at the time.

Anyway, this is also why most people's big raises come from new jobs.

Shrug. I haven't had healthcare for 28 years. I'm not terribly worried about it.

Unlike automobile insurance, which you may end up never needing it, you will need health care--and major care--at some point in your life unless you're in a plane crash or something. It's just a matter of time. You could be in a big car accident tomorrow and in no time at all rack up $20-30k in bills, or more. And if you're in the ICU for two weeks? Just forget it. You either have insurance or you are bankrupt, those are your only options.

 

[dmcowen674]

This thread is so full of FAIL

 

[alkemyst]

This thread is so full of FAIL

Thanks for filling it up.

 

[Eli]

This thread is so full of FAIL

How so?

 

[speg]

Holy snap. I thought this was a big deal until the end. All this over $13/h? Yikes. Normally I'd say tell them to shove it and walk - but I'm assuming you can't just walk into another job given the current state of things. Sucks. They got you by the balls and you can't do anything about it 🙁 Are you looking for another job on the side?

 

[Eli]

Holy snap. I thought this was a big deal until the end. All this over $13/h? Yikes. Normally I'd say tell them to shove it and walk - but I'm assuming you can't just walk into another job given the current state of things. Sucks. They got you by the balls and you can't do anything about it 🙁 Are you looking for another job on the side?

Whatcha mean? I was just asking for advice.