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How to… get a pay rise
How to…
None of us exactly relish the prospect of asking for a salary increase, but here are seven successful strategies to help you tackle your boss
get a pay rise
- Start with your Annual Performance Review (APR). ‘Do your homework,' says career coach Sue Clarke. 'Tell your boss why you deserve more. Be your own PR.’
- Never let an opportunity pass you by. ‘When you start a job, go in as high as you can in terms of salary,’ says Clarke. ‘Internal moves are the next best thing. Be ambitious — the company’s alternative is to bring in someone from outside, which is often more expensive.’
- Do your research. Find out what your company’s unofficial pay policy is and know your market rate. Log on to www.payfinder.com to check salary scales. Also check with recruitment agencies and job pages.
- Get noticed. ‘It’s not how well you do your job but how you make your boss and your company shine,’ says Clarke. Do you bring in more contacts or raise the profile of your organisation?
- Be professional. If you’re going to ask directly for a rise, request the meeting only when you’re prepared. Demonstrate exactly how your performance is improving the business. It could be that you’re taking on more than was agreed when your salary was set.
- Be flexible. ‘Don’t get too hung up on salary, as many organisations have rigid budgets,’ says Clarke. ‘They might have other perks — a company car upgrade, health club membership or a secondment abroad. Make the most of what’s available.’
- Don’t give up. If you're not successful, ask, ‘What would I have to do to be worth a pay rise in six months’ time?’ ‘They can’t very well tell you there’s nothing you could contribute to the company that would increase your value to it, so they’ll have to give you, in effect, a target,’ says Jay. ‘All you have to do then is achieve it.'
For more information, read: How to Get a Pay Rise by Ros Jay (£9.99, Prentice Hall) and Reinvent Your Career by Sue Clarke (£4.99, Hodder Mobius)
Thursday 26 January 2006
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