It is not a question of how long you have been in the company or the length of time you have committed to your task that prove you deserve a raise. The management can decide to reward the newest recruit with a pay raise and ignore the staff that has been with it for a longer period. When it comes to earning a pay raise, strategic thinking and smart delivery is very important.
The staff that goes to complain to the supervisor to increase the salary could get a negative response. It is not always about the type of questions that’s prepared or the manner in which they are framed. In some cases, you might get the raise, notwithstanding; it will not be the same with when your employer gives you a raise because you have more than proven worthy.
To earn a raise before you ask for it, think value addition. What value are you adding to the company? Let’s start with your work, how has it changed since you took over the responsibility? Is it easier, richer and faster? What feedback are the customers bringing to the management as a result of interacting with your service? Nonso Echukwu, a planning and finance expert puts it this way “higher value attracts higher pay.” People will always pay you more when it is clear that you bring more to the table.
“One of your prove that you deserve a raise is when you save your company money through your inventive ideas,” Nonso said. “My company once proposed to shut down one of its plant that was having serious problems and that would have cost them a lot of money. However, I came up with an idea that eventually forced them not to shut down the plant and save a huge sum of money.” Companies are in business to make profit and are constantly searching for avenues to reduce cost of operations. When cost is reduced more money is made.
Your experience is not enough. Think about civil servants, the mere fact that they stay on the job does not mean they get better pay putting all their time. According to Nonso, “The establishment will reward the staff that brings ideas.” The few that distinguish themselves by constantly bringing innovation to the job gets the attention of their employers. They are the types that are relied upon for more responsibilities. The boss can trust that something new will come out of a task if it is assigned to them.
More responsibilities often mean more money. This is different from when you are being overworked because management took a decision to downsize. This is deliberate effort to stand out from your peers by asking to assume roles that are not in your daily routine. But before you do this, be sure that your core responsibilities will not suffer. A more strategic way of looking at it is to volunteer to take shelve some task from your boss’s plate. Ask to help him minimize some of tasks. Often he may not be certain about your intentions and therefore not forthcoming. Don’t get discouraged. But be ready to get the not-so-fun assignments. You asked for it remember.
Get more education and consciously covet new skills. If you are already good at accounting techniques why not add social media skills to your skill set? You can help project the image of the company positively on social media. You can also help it make more money through different platforms. Bottom line, you can be equally good at something else. Improve on what you already know and learn a new one, you never know when your boss is going to need it.
Most organizations attuned to the best industry practice will not make you ask for what you deserve. Nonetheless, if it appears the company is taking too long to recognize your efforts, then it might be better to ask for a raise but before you do there are certain steps you should take.
Write the numbers down. Every achievement you attain should be documented. Writing it down helps you present it as evidence to the management. Be sure to analyse the profits and give examples of how you contributed. It could be a project you spearheaded, a cost-reduction idea, a problem you diverted by taking responsibility and so on.
Now you have your proof, make an appointment in advance so you can have time to prepare your approach. Imagine the different scenarios that may arise while you are presenting your case; what are the likely questions your boss will ask and how will you respond? A little practice with a friend might leave you more confident.
When at the meeting be sure to not sell yourself short. You may not get an immediate response. Have faith in the establishment and continue to distinguish yourself.
