The art of negotiating a raise *UPDATE*

[gregshin]

I need some advice guys...last year my company offered me a 10% raise and i turned it down saying that wasnt enough. Management says i threw a curveball at them and since then we have not agreed upon my raise issues. Now i'm about to go at it with them again...any advice you can give? They are gonna ask me how much i want...is this gonna be like buying a car? Believe the last thing i wanted to do was say NO to more money...but 10% for what i do is a joke

*UPDATE* Well i stood fast and got a 25% raise instead =)....whew im so glad this is over.
thanks for the help guys

 

[Josh2]

Originally posted by: gregshin
I need some advice guys...last year my company offered me a 10% raise and i turned it down saying that wasnt enough. Management says i threw a curveball at them and since then we have not agreed upon my raise issues. Now i'm about to go at it with them again...any advice you can give? They are gonna ask me how much i want...is this gonna be like buying a car? Believe the last thing i wanted to do was say NO to more money...but 10% for what i do is a joke

What DO you do?

 

[agnitrate]

I would gladly take 10% per year. I guess to know how much you should get, we'd have to know your current job and your current salary. That's not info I would be comfortable giving out though.

-silver

 

[dquan97]

what is your counter-offer?

 

[Angrymarshmello]

Yea, what do you do? And did you ask for the raise or did they offer it to you out of the blue? Just sit down with them and ask them about the quality of work you do, etc and just get an idea of how much they would be willing to offer you

 

[spidey07]

A 10% raise is actually pretty high. Merit raises by themselves can be from 2-6 percent.

You are not asking for a raise, you are asking for a promotion. Compare your job with other positions in the company and justify why you should be in that position. Then say "I expect this position to pay between x and y", realizing that the company doesn't even want to pay you x"

 

[Hoober]

10% is really high. Most raises, as Spidey said, are betweeen 2 and 6 percent. That sounds more like a promotion than a mere raise. Especially if you are looking at more than 10%.

 

[palad]

Dude, I would love a 10% raise. And frankly, anybody who turns down an offer that good is just plain dumb and stupid.

 

[djheater]

Originally posted by: Hoober
10% is really high. Most raises, as Spidey said, are betweeen 2 and 6 percent. That sounds more like a promotion than a mere raise. Especially if you are looking at more than 10%.

considering the economy I've been truly grateful for the 3% I've received bi-annually for the past couple of years. I'm surprised they didn't tell you to take a walk, my job would've been looking for your replacement.

 

[ManSnake]

A 10% raise is really good, assuming you are making $80k/yr, that's a $8k raise, pretty significant. Usually 3% is the norm these days.

 

[Hoober]

Originally posted by: ManSnake
A 10% raise is really good, assuming you are making $80k/yr, that's a $8k raise, pretty significant. Usually 3% is the norm these days.

A 10% raise at any amount is significant, especially in today's economy. Most companies are looking to cut budgets, not increase them.

 

[Radiohead]

Time to write some notes, I will be asking for a raise soon also.

But like what everyone else has said, what do you do & how much were you asking?

 

[fonzinator]

Come prepared with research of what someone doing what you do, in the city you live, would make. They should pay you competively with the market. I'd have some figures to show them to back up your asking price, or to deflate any lowball offers they give you. There's plenty of salary research sites out there. Talk to HR people you know inside/outside of company and get their opinions.

 

[yoda291]

negotiation at gunpoint works really well.

jk. you get arrested.

 

[rh71]

Assuming you're in IT... if you have 3+ years of experience and you're still in the $30k-40k range, then MAYBE you deserve more than a 10% raise. You do realize people are taking pay cuts these days just to stick with their job don't you?

If you demand too much, they will go out and get someone who will easily work for any amount, especially nowadays.

I realize this wasn't the purpose of your post, but you have to be realistic. That's probably what your mgmt meant when they said you threw them a curveball. They were thinking there's no doubt you'd take it.

EDIT>>> Ammunition for raise/promotion talk requires proof of how you've helped your company the past year(s). Realize... a manager's motto is: "if it's not measureable, it's not manageable"... they need to see the numbers. Show them how you've undoubtedly helped automate things, or how you've made a process more productive... things of that nature. You need the proof if you're looking at this seriously.

 

[T2T III]

last year my company offered me a 10% raise and i turned it down saying that wasnt enough.

Ouch. One corporation - that I used to be affiliated with would hand out raises in a 12 - 18 month cycle based on your performance. One could wait 18 months and only get 3% - and this is from a corporation that had a 70% salary band in each pay grade. I think in your situation, your company may have been testing you. If the company is smaller, they could have maybe adjusted the rate a bit - and then labeled you as having an "attitude" problem. If the company was larger, the political mess would have made increasing the amount impossible - and then they would have still labeled you as having an "attitude" problem.

To add to what some of the others have suggested. Do thorough research as follows:

1) See what title in the "market" is most appropriate for what you do.
2) Pull lots of information (e.g. Salary.com) and see what the position that you are involved in pays for your area.
3) Document extensively the activities that you do.
4) See if you can get an "official" job description of your position; document the activities that you are doing above and beyond what is asked for.

I do wish you the best of luck. So many people are out of work and most people who are currently working would die for a 10% raise right now.

 

[Yossarian]

I don't get it, they offered you +10% last year, you turned it down... and got nothing? Who's the fool here?

 

[gregshin]

Originally posted by: PipBoy
I don't get it, they offered you +10% last year, you turned it down... and got nothing? Who's the fool here?

Who ya calling fool now?

 

[AgentEL]

Originally posted by: gregshin
*UPDATE* Well i stood fast and got a 25% raise instead =)....whew im so glad this is over.
thanks for the help guys

wow 25%. how hard was it to get the raise?

 

[rh71]

Originally posted by: AgentEL

Originally posted by: gregshin
*UPDATE* Well i stood fast and got a 25% raise instead =)....whew im so glad this is over.
thanks for the help guys

Wow 25%. how hard was it to get the raise?

U musta REALLY deserved the pay difference. A regular employee never gets 25%. Job details? What was your salary range before ?

 

[jlee]

I'd love a 25% raise...my last one was $0.50 ($6.25 to $6.75)..a $0.25 raise is typical (I only got this one for agreeing to clean the employee restrooms every two weeks)..

 

[gregshin]

i am the lone tech man for a $100 million dollar apparel company. I do everything here. and i mean EVERYTHING. Been here 3 years i and deserve this fuggin raise.

 

[Antisocial Virge]

Originally posted by: rh71

Originally posted by: AgentEL

Originally posted by: gregshin
*UPDATE* Well i stood fast and got a 25% raise instead =)....whew im so glad this is over.
thanks for the help guys

Wow 25%. how hard was it to get the raise?

U musta REALLY deserved the pay difference. A regular employee never gets 25%. Job details? What was your salary range before ?

$6.00 to $7.25. They moved him from table wipe to drive up window.

 

[rh71]

Originally posted by: gregshin
i am the lone tech man for a $100 million dollar apparel company. I do everything here. and i mean EVERYTHING. Been here 3 years i and deserve this fuggin raise.

You took a hefty risk there... in this economy and with all the competition... but if after a 10% raise you were still making in the $30k or low $40k's... then you definitely deserve more after 3 years.

 

[T2T III]

*UPDATE* Well i stood fast and got a 25% raise instead =)....whew im so glad this is over.
thanks for the help guys

Congratulations! You've done very well. However, for the rest of the population - I will preach a word of caution: be very careful when negotiating your raise - if you are given the opportunity to.

1) DO frequently check the market salaries for your area and your position.
2) DO keep a journal of your work activities so you can refer back to the events, if required.
3) DO meet with your manager/supervisor if it's felt that you deserve more money than you are currently making. Be prepared to provide lots of facts - and I do mean FACTS demonstrating that you often go "above and beyond" the call of duty.
4) DO NOT refuse a 10% raise when you are offered one. The market sucks right now - take what you can get. If you feel you deserve more, pocket the 10% and work on an additional amount once you have your facts organized.

Clearly, the market stinks right now. Most people searching for I.T. work are seeing salaries 10-15% *lower* than they were making in previous positions. If you get a 10% raise, you are very much ahead of the game. Best of luck!