How do you ask for a raise?

[EsmeraldaX]

Hi all,

Here is my situation. I have been working for a large publishing company for four years. During that time, my salary has barely moved. I did 2 years in customer service and turned down a raise to move to a dept. with more "room to grow". This dept. is called Support Services and most of the members of the dept. research claims, etc. I do something very specialized and I'm the only one who does it. As such, I have been told now that I am not technically a member of the dept. eligible for the next step up promotion to senior Support Service rep.

Well fast forward 2 years. My salary is only about $1000 more than when I started in this dept. (approx. 30K). I started off with the job I applied for. Doing a large returns report and making sure every return in our warehouse processes smoothly. At the end of last year, there was a pay freeze and no one got promoted or a pay raise. Fine.

But during my last review I was told I would now be also taking over the responsibility of getting proof of delivery for upwards of 100 shipments per week to help our finance dept. collect on unpaid invoices. POD obtainment used to be someone else's full time job.

So now I basically do two full time jobs. I have been doing so for the last 6 months.

Most people get a mid year review in June. My boyfriend and best friend, both of whom started in customer service TWO years after I did, have just gotten 5K raises and promotions bumping their salary up to 35K. Keep in mind that they both started working here two years later than I did and are still doing essentially the same job that they did when they began.

I have seen no pay raise, no acknowledgement of my "second full time job", nothing. And quite frankly, I am FURIOUS.

Normally, I expect I would have brought this up and pushed for a promotion/raise during mid year review. However, my boss has been out on extended family leave for 3 months and will be gone for another month and half. I don't feel like waiting for her to return nor do I think I should have to. My dept. will have no mid year reviews.

My plan is to go to our human resources dept. today and discuss this. However, I have never asked for a raise before. I want to make it quite clear that I am angry, but I have been advised not to mention other, newer employees in other depts.

What would you all suggest? Has anyone ever asked for a raise before? I have no idea what to even say.

Help!
Sheri

 

[Pop Daddy]

flirt , say "mr boss man, you sure look sexy today"

 

[dumboiu]

Juat a question, does your BF and best friend have more formal schooling than you.........or is everything equal?

 

[EsmeraldaX]

Originally posted by Pop Daddy
flirt , say "mr boss man, you sure look sexy today"

Well, she's a woman, and I don't think she's into that sort of thing...

 

[powellrj]

no advise just good wishes....

 

[EsmeraldaX]

Originally posted by dumboiu
Juat a question, does your BF and best friend have more formal schooling than you.........or is everything equal?

Boyfriend dropped out of college no degree.
Best friend has one bachelors degree.
I have two bachelor's degrees.

This, to be honest, only serves to make me more angry about it.

 

[dumboiu]

Originally posted by EsmeraldaX
Boyfriend dropped out of college no degree.
Best friend has one bachelors degree.
I have two bachelor's degrees.

This, to be honest, only serves to make me more angry about it.

I can see why! Has anyone given you a reason for the lack of financial promotion? Do they do something that is more specialized than your job? Are your titles the same (and hence your pay scales would be identical)?

 

[EsmeraldaX]

Originally posted by dumboiu
I can see why! Has anyone given you a reason for the lack of financial promotion? Do they do something that is more specialized than your job? Are your titles the same (and hence your pay scales would be identical)?

Well, our departments fall under the same group (mine is technically a little higher up on the scale). There are regular support service reps and customer service reps. The next bump up is senior support service rep or senior customer service rep. Up until lastw eek, our salaries were exactly the same.

There isn't a reason I've been given. We report to different people. The person I report to has been out of the office for months on leave.

 

[Disney01]

As someone who was once in a position to give raises, one thing I would never do is ask for a raise because "SO and so got one and I it's not fair-I want one to". Even though that may be the case, it's not your best bet. In fact, someone at our office is very bitter because someone else got a raise, so they asked for one too and got turned down. Ask for a raise based on your own merits, your own job skills and what you bring to the table. Don't bring up other employees during the meeting. And never say "It's not fair".

 

[EsmeraldaX]

Originally posted by Disney01
As someone who was once in a position to give raises, one thing I would never do is ask for a raise because "SO and so got one and I it's not fair-I want one to". Even though that may be the case, it's not your best bet. In fact, someone at our office is very bitter because someone else got a raise, so they asked for one too and got turned down. Ask for a raise based on your own merits, your own job skills and what you bring to the table. Don't bring up other employees during the meeting. And never say "It's not fair".

I am going to try very hard not to compare myself to them. There is also a chance I am going to go into HR and she's going to tell me nothing can be done till my boss gets back. If that happens, I am going to start seriously looking for a new job. I have already submitted my resume to several places but have not gotten any callbacks.

 

[monkeyboy]

Make a list of all you have done "ABOVE AND BEYOND" your job description.

Have you saved the company any money?
Bosses like cost cutting stuff.

 

[alecam]

It sounds to me like you have a good head on your shoulders!! Keep applying for a new job and start fresh somewhere else. I'm sure you know it takes a while, don't get discouraged. Keep looking and the right job will find you!

Best of luck!!

 

[Strawberry Lemonade]

I agree with monkeyboy - make a list of all you've accomplished and all you've done outside the scope of your job description. You should also put your raise request in writing. Keep a copy for yourself and give a copy to HR.

 

[EsmeraldaX]

Originally posted by Strawberry Lemonade
I agree with monkeyboy - make a list of all you've accomplished and all you've done outside the scope of your job description. You should also put your raise request in writing. Keep a copy for yourself and give a copy to HR.

Is there a particular format to putting a request in writing? I have never had to do this before.

 

[Bob NC]

I've been the one on the other side of the table many times, the one giving raises. It sounds like in your situation a comparative analysis would be a good place to start. List your job description and duties when you started. Then cover what your current responsibilities are. Point out where you have excelled in your current position. If things are as you say, it will be apparant that you are deserving of a bump in salary.

Keep it all very business-like and matter-of-fact. I agree with folks that have said not to bring 'fairness compared to others' into the equation. Keep your position/responsibilites/accomplishments as a 'stand alone' issue.

Good luck!

 

[Strawberry Lemonade]

I would use a business letter template. If you are using Microsoft Word, it will be able to format the letter for you. All you would have to do is plug in your information when prompted.

 

[EsmeraldaX]

Originally posted by Strawberry Lemonade
I would use a business letter template. If you are using Microsoft Word, it will be able to format the letter for you. All you would have to do is plug in your information when prompted.

Thank you!

 

[CajunDixie]

Be sure to show the company how much money and benefits they are saving by having you do 2 jobs. If you're doing 2 jobs then they do not have to pay for another employee to be trained, their insurance, retirement plan........ So a mere $5,000 a year raise for you would still be saving them money in the long run. BTW if your boss has been out such a long time......who is doing her job? Maybe her job needs to be eliminated.

 

[Strawberry Lemonade]

Originally posted by EsmeraldaX
Thank you!

You're welcome. Good luck!

 

[EsmeraldaX]

Originally posted by CajunDixie
Be sure to show the company how much money and benefits they are saving by having you do 2 jobs. If you're doing 2 jobs then they do not have to pay for another employee to be trained, their insurance, retirement plan........ So a mere $5,000 a year raise for you would still be saving them money in the long run. BTW if your boss has been out such a long time......who is doing her job? Maybe her job needs to be eliminated.

I suspect they will argue that since I am able to do both jobs and never have any backlog, that there was never a need to have two employees do it in the first place. The woman who used to do job #2 started doing something else, and this job became too much for her, so it was handed off to me.

lol! My boss is so nice. Which is why I feel bad for doing this. But still, I should not have to wait till Dec for a mere cost of living increase which is what I will likely get. Our assitant manager (who often asks me questions and is clueless , no offense to her, about what I do) is doing her minor responsibilities while she is away.