Have you ever negotiated a raise at your job?

[npmommie]

How did you approach the topic?
Did you come right out and ask for the rate you felt you were worth?
did you back it up with any information from your field ( what others in the area make?)

 

[Mimi1965]

In this calendar year-everyone at DH's company has taken 2 pay cuts

Everyone works less hours at my place of business

Honestly-it would be very hard to do this in todays ecomomy-unless you were hired at a lower rate with the promise of a raise?

 

[npmommie]

the company I work for is actually doing very well, expanding and hiring more clinicians.
even moving to a bigger clinical space.
they are approached from facilities that need our service but they cannot keep up with the demand.
they continuously offer me more hours and facilities to service

eta, I only say this because I don't think the economy could be a reason for no raise.

 

[aprilgail2]

I asked for a raise once when I was a kid ( 19) and I remember just going in and saying that I felt like I was worth more than I was being aid and I would like a raise---I actually got it LOL.....now that I am union we get contractual raises every year--no having to ask for anything!

 

[bballmom56]

Actually, I just did.

I work in a place with few employees. All the rest had left except me. So I approached it that I have had to pick up many more chores and responsibilities, I have called in sick once in 9 years (and that was 8 years ago when my child was sick), I am reliable, dependable and competent, I have the education and experience, I have a great relationship with her customers and vendors, and I am always flexible and will agree to change my schedule to accommodate hers.

She did ask if I had a figure in mind. I did, but because she was hesitating, I said no, whatever you think is fair. She actually offered the amount I wanted which was substantial (almost 15% more), but asked if I would cut my hours by an hour a day. That worked for me, because it is a very hard, physical job. So I make about what I was making, but working less hours.

 

[kelleyrn2000]

I did this several months ago. I was on a general pay scale for my field. I work in a specialty field, and the closest large city (Chicago for me) was paying alot more than I was making.

My manager had HR do a special market pay analysis, to fine out what the pay was in the area (including Chicago) and after they came back, they agreed to change the payscale and that gave me a raise that was called a "special market pay increase." And I still qualified for my annual hospital wide raise that everyone gets in the fall.

 

[amyy]

I did but it helped that I have a degree that is high in demand. Depending what kind of clinician you are you might be able to play that card too.

 

[SeaSpray]

I asked for, and got, a raise about a month and a half ago. In the summer I was inadvertantly handed my co-worker's pay stub by mistake. Not realizing that it wasn't MY pay stub, I opened it and peeked inside. When I saw the increase, I assumed I had been given a raise due to the recent work load increase that I "inherited" when our manager quit. But when I opened the envelope and removed the entire pay stub, I saw that it wasn't MINE.

Anyway, long story short, I went to HR and told them (for many, many reasons) that I felt that I deserved a "salary adjustment", due to my new increased work load, and due to the 35% difference in salary between myself and my co-worker. I told them the truth about why I wanted the increase; that if they felt that she deserved her salary, then I feel that I deserve a bit more (but still less than her) than I was currently making.

The owners agreed, and I ended up with a 20% increase. She's worked for the company for about 9 years longer than I have, so I feel that her 15% more is fair.

It may have been an unconventional way to ask for a raise, but I trusted my own instincts, wasn't afraid to ask, and ended up with the raise that I wanted.

I think you should ask for a raise if you feel that you deserve one!

 

[bballmom56]

I think you should ask for a raise if you feel that you deserve one!

That was the way I felt too. I was starting to feel resentful that I now had so many more responsibilities and for what she wants, expects, and asks from us, I definitely felt I was worth it. (Add to my list of duties being on call 24/7 whenever she is away).

I know my boss fairly well. I approached when I felt she was in a good mood and I had a clear list of the increased responsibilities I had taken on since my last raise. I knew she couldn't argue with that and I knew she would not fire me, lol! All she could say was no - and then she would have a very disgruntled employee!