posted
So yesterday I had my annual review. Boss man went on and on about how wonderful an employee I am, and how my performence has gone up so much over the past 2 years. He said there has never been a moment he regretted hiring me. He mentions a couple small things he would like me to work on, like trying to make small talk with customers. Apparantly one customer told him I wasn't very personable in that regard.
Considering my high marks otherwise I decided to ask him for a raise. It would have been fine if he had just said no, that he couldn't afford it (it is a small business), or whatever. But after staring blankly at the ceiling for a few moments he mentions that if I ever find something else, to come and talk to him. Basically if someone offers me the same job for more money, then I should talk to him. I remembered one of my co-workers mentioning that she got a raise before I started working there when he thought she was going to quit.
I don't play that game. If he doesn't think I am worth more money, and someone else does, then I won't stay for any amount higher. Especially considering my current 40 minute commute.
Posts: 3134 | Registered: Mar 2005
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quote:Originally posted by mr_porteiro_head: Maybe he should know that.
Well, I don't necessaily want him to know I will be looking around. Then he might start looking around himself. I get the impression he doesn't feel like I could find anything better.
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posted
Stephan: That sounds EXACTLY like my annual review (up until the raise part). If you had had my review your employer would have then proceeded to say, "After the Christmas holidays, we are not going to need you."
You would have then asked in shock why you were being fired, and your employer would have said, "We are not legally required to say why, and it would probably be illegal for us to tell you in the first place." "Do you have any questions?"
My advice: Throw your weight around at some job hunting sites and see what turns up. If you get a better offer, go to your boss and say, "They seem to think I am valuable, I'd like to offer you the opportunity to match their offer.
Thats pretty much how things are done in the business world.
edit: I agree you should not let your boss know you are looking around, but your boss is certainly aware that turning down your request for a raise did not exactly reinforce your loyalty to the company. /edit
Best of luck in securing your raise. My commute is 20 minutes one way so I can feel for you.
Posts: 14316 | Registered: Jul 2005
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My advice: Throw your weight around at some job hunting sites and see what turns up. If you get a better offer, go to your boss and say, "They seem to think I am valuable, I'd like to offer you the opportunity to match their offer.
I'll give it some thought. I just don't want to come off as blackmailing him. I don't want him thinking if I were to stay with his counter offer, that I might try this again in the future.
Posts: 3134 | Registered: Mar 2005
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quote:Originally posted by zgator: Did you even get a cost-of-living increase? If not, you're making less now than before
This is a very good point, and one I have thought of. Absolutely no cost of living increase. Fortunately I am married to a teacher that does get nice bumps each year, so financially the household is doing better.
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posted
Offering your current boss a chance to match any offer you get is not blackmail, in any sense of the word.
It's how the business world works. I personally am of the opinion that if it's that difficult to obtain a raise, I'd rather not be committed to that company in the first place.
Posts: 5462 | Registered: Apr 2005
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posted
Stephan: My father works as head of corporate risk at an American owned Japanese bank.
He is VERY often given requests for job interviews. He is obviously at a level where he can be very choosy about what jobs he takes seriously, but its VERY common for men who work jobs that he does to take time off work and attend interviews for jobs that look promising.
His last interview was nice and they really want him, but they did not offer him a big enough assignement even though the pay is fine. Just not enough incentive.
Obviously you and me are alittle lower on the ladder, but there honestly is nothing wrong with keeping your options open and when an opportunity arises, going to your boss and courteously offering him/her the chance to match it.
You do not owe anything to your boss, speaking in a strictly business sense. If he is your buddy (which I doubt) there might be other things to consider.
If your company decides one day they can't afford to keep you, they are not going to look for another job for you, sign you up for an interview, and then lay you off.
Its very healthy to keep your name out there for people to see, and it shows that you expect the company to work to keep you, rather than just keeping your head low and hoping the next wave of job cuts misses you.
The squeaky wheel gets the grease my friend.
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posted
I appreciate the advice. I will definitely keep my name out there. But unless my current boss offered me something significantly higher, I would probably take the offer. Especially if it is closer to home.
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posted
Going off of what BB wrote, it's actually a good thing that you are finding out in advance that this job is a dead end for you, Stephan, and that your boss thinks he doesn't need you enough to give you a raise.
Posts: 13123 | Registered: Feb 2002
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quote:Originally posted by Stephan: I appreciate the advice. I will definitely keep my name out there. But unless my current boss offered me something significantly higher, I would probably take the offer. Especially if it is closer to home.
I completely agree, commuting sucks, I am praying I can earn enough money to buy a beat up car so that I have more freedom in regards to work/employment.
Posts: 14316 | Registered: Jul 2005
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posted
Sorry your review didn't end in a raise. It sounds like you deserve one. Unfortunately Business's don't pay more for what they already have unless they have to.
I know how you feel. I started in my company as a graphic artist which starts at a very low pay rate. The company is good for the most part and does give cost of living raises every year, but all of those raises percent increases of your current salary. So if you start off at a low rate it is hard to get to a higher rate. A few years ago I switched to a Product Manager position which normally pays substantially more than a Graphic Artist. I did get a raise, but again it was percent of the lower paying position. The only way I could get what a typical Product Manager makes would be to go somewhere else. At which point my current employer would probably make a counter offer. It sucks they just don’t pay you for the job your doing, instead of what they think they can get away with.
I also hate our review format. They have a standard form where they rate you on 0-5 scale for several different categories and then they give you an average score and base your raise off of that. Never mind you came up with X number of very creative new products, or you’re valuable employee who keeps moral up, or whatever doesn’t fit on the standard form. You only got 2 out of 5 for organization so your average is not as high. My boss also feels in most reviews people are too nice, so he doesn’t give many high marks on the review form. End result, low average, low a raise. But he always confides in me how we need a couple more good employees like myself and one of the other guys in my department. You would think he would give me a better review, especially considering he knows I am not getting paid what the other people in my department are.
Sorry, enough sour grapes. There are a lot of good things about the job, but I have a feeling one day I will decide to go for the $$$ and see what I can get.
Posts: 555 | Registered: Jun 2005
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posted
Wow. After paying attention to my husband's Organizational Behavior class (basically principles of management), I'm starting to think that you guys' bosses need to take it.
Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
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quote:Originally posted by ketchupqueen: Wow. After paying attention to my husband's Organizational Behavior class (basically principles of management), I'm starting to think that you guys' bosses need to take it.
Mine did. He majored in Business Administration just like I did.
Posts: 3134 | Registered: Mar 2005
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quote:Originally posted by SC Carver: Sorry your review didn't end in a raise. It sounds like you deserve one. Unfortunately Business's don't pay more for what they already have unless they have to.
I know how you feel. I started in my company as a graphic artist which starts at a very low pay rate. The company is good for the most part and does give cost of living raises every year, but all of those raises percent increases of your current salary. So if you start off at a low rate it is hard to get to a higher rate. A few years ago I switched to a Product Manager position which normally pays substantially more than a Graphic Artist. I did get a raise, but again it was percent of the lower paying position. The only way I could get what a typical Product Manager makes would be to go somewhere else. At which point my current employer would probably make a counter offer. It sucks they just don’t pay you for the job your doing, instead of what they think they can get away with.
I also hate our review format. They have a standard form where they rate you on 0-5 scale for several different categories and then they give you an average score and base your raise off of that. Never mind you came up with X number of very creative new products, or you’re valuable employee who keeps moral up, or whatever doesn’t fit on the standard form. You only got 2 out of 5 for organization so your average is not as high. My boss also feels in most reviews people are too nice, so he doesn’t give many high marks on the review form. End result, low average, low a raise. But he always confides in me how we need a couple more good employees like myself and one of the other guys in my department. You would think he would give me a better review, especially considering he knows I am not getting paid what the other people in my department are.
Sorry, enough sour grapes. There are a lot of good things about the job, but I have a feeling one day I will decide to go for the $$$ and see what I can get.
My last company had the same way of giving raises.
COLAs should be standard. Without them one truly does make less each year. Especially when the insurance company your boss gets his money from raises rates, hence his commision/residuals go up by the same percentage.
I really need to just go and open my own agency.
Posts: 3134 | Registered: Mar 2005
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quote:Originally posted by Stephan: So yesterday I had my annual review. Boss man went on and on about how wonderful an employee I am, and how my performence has gone up so much over the past 2 years. He said there has never been a moment he regretted hiring me. He mentions a couple small things he would like me to work on, like trying to make small talk with customers. Apparantly one customer told him I wasn't very personable in that regard.
Considering my high marks otherwise I decided to ask him for a raise. It would have been fine if he had just said no, that he couldn't afford it (it is a small business), or whatever. But after staring blankly at the ceiling for a few moments he mentions that if I ever find something else, to come and talk to him. Basically if someone offers me the same job for more money, then I should talk to him. I remembered one of my co-workers mentioning that she got a raise before I started working there when he thought she was going to quit.
I don't play that game. If he doesn't think I am worth more money, and someone else does, then I won't stay for any amount higher. Especially considering my current 40 minute commute.
What a cooincidence I just hit my 1 year mark at work and my boss has been avoiding me like the plague. I think he thinks that I'm going to ask him for a raise. Well he's right I am, ha ha.
As for your situation, yeah playing the money game is BS, I say if you find something better just give your 2 weeks and be on your way to better things. But that is just how I was taught to play that game. Hope you get a raise, especially if you are as good as employee as he says you are.
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