When’s the best time to ask for a raise?
June 10, 2009 6:29 PM
There have been a lot of shakeups at my work lately, and now they seem to be working themselves out, leaving me with more responsibility. No word yet on more compensation or a title change, so when should I ask for it?
To sum: Last month, Department Head G announced that he was leaving to start a new division in our company. He was quickly replaced by S, who seems great. I’ve been working with S for about 3.5 weeks now—long enough for her to know who I am, but not really know my work.
My direct supervisor, C, announced this week that she is leaving for another department in our company. Her last day will be 6/22 and she will be replaced soon, I hope. My job functions as an assistant to her position, among other things.
My superior colleague, M, was promoted out of my unit today. She will NOT be replaced. In her new position, she’ll retain some of her current responsibilities but some (most?) of them will be shifted to me. So my new job will be a combination of entry level assistant with more senior responsibilities.
No one has mentioned a title promotion or raise to me at this point, which seems strange given the amount of work I’m about to be given. I’m not sure who/when to approach about this.
C, my current boss, who loves me but is leaving in less than two weeks.
S, her current boss, who could probably see my reasoning but doesn’t know me very well. OR
My unknown new boss, after a few weeks/months demonstrating my work for him/her.
A few other tidbits: I love my job and am excited for the new stuff coming my way. I will not leave if my request for a raise isn’t met, at least not any time soon (grad student, company paying for half). I tend to sell myself short, so it would be pretty easy to talk myself out of asking for this raise only...it doesn’t seem very fair to give me lots of additional work without at least a title change, much less some extra cash.
Bonus question: I currently make around $35,000. M was making between 45,000 and 50,000, I think (given similar title postings at my company in the past). How much would be reasonable to ask for, if I have to ask?
To sum: Last month, Department Head G announced that he was leaving to start a new division in our company. He was quickly replaced by S, who seems great. I’ve been working with S for about 3.5 weeks now—long enough for her to know who I am, but not really know my work.
My direct supervisor, C, announced this week that she is leaving for another department in our company. Her last day will be 6/22 and she will be replaced soon, I hope. My job functions as an assistant to her position, among other things.
My superior colleague, M, was promoted out of my unit today. She will NOT be replaced. In her new position, she’ll retain some of her current responsibilities but some (most?) of them will be shifted to me. So my new job will be a combination of entry level assistant with more senior responsibilities.
No one has mentioned a title promotion or raise to me at this point, which seems strange given the amount of work I’m about to be given. I’m not sure who/when to approach about this.
C, my current boss, who loves me but is leaving in less than two weeks.
S, her current boss, who could probably see my reasoning but doesn’t know me very well. OR
My unknown new boss, after a few weeks/months demonstrating my work for him/her.
A few other tidbits: I love my job and am excited for the new stuff coming my way. I will not leave if my request for a raise isn’t met, at least not any time soon (grad student, company paying for half). I tend to sell myself short, so it would be pretty easy to talk myself out of asking for this raise only...it doesn’t seem very fair to give me lots of additional work without at least a title change, much less some extra cash.
Bonus question: I currently make around $35,000. M was making between 45,000 and 50,000, I think (given similar title postings at my company in the past). How much would be reasonable to ask for, if I have to ask?
I tend to be a bit conservative about situations like these, but I think that forcing the title/salary issue immediately after taking on greater responsibilities comes across as being more competitive than cooperative. This is not a good thing when you want them to trust you so much that they will shower you with increases in title/salary.
Here's what I would advise a client in this situation: Talk to C now, as meinvt suggests. But just to convey that you are excited about taking on the new responsibilities not only because you find them very interesting, but also because it can really help you move up to the next level of title and/or salary. And that you hope, at your next performance review, you will have proven yourself fully capable not only of hanging onto those responsibilities, but also of taking on the higher level title and its full complement of tasks on a permanent basis.
Follow it up with a memo (or email) making these same points again. Keep a copy of it, while you handle the new responsibilities to the very best of your ability.
Be sure to ask lots of questions, as needed to make sure you can do a great job (and also subtly remind C or whoever that these are new responsibilities for you, and that you have a real can-do attitude about proving yourself worthy of the trust they're showing in you).
Then be sure to bring the potential title/salary change up during your next performance review if whoever conducts the review doesn't bring it up first.
posted by DrGail at 7:35 PM on June 10, 2009
Here's what I would advise a client in this situation: Talk to C now, as meinvt suggests. But just to convey that you are excited about taking on the new responsibilities not only because you find them very interesting, but also because it can really help you move up to the next level of title and/or salary. And that you hope, at your next performance review, you will have proven yourself fully capable not only of hanging onto those responsibilities, but also of taking on the higher level title and its full complement of tasks on a permanent basis.
Follow it up with a memo (or email) making these same points again. Keep a copy of it, while you handle the new responsibilities to the very best of your ability.
Be sure to ask lots of questions, as needed to make sure you can do a great job (and also subtly remind C or whoever that these are new responsibilities for you, and that you have a real can-do attitude about proving yourself worthy of the trust they're showing in you).
Then be sure to bring the potential title/salary change up during your next performance review if whoever conducts the review doesn't bring it up first.
posted by DrGail at 7:35 PM on June 10, 2009
Yeah - a good bet would be to talk to C and agree that the two of your will approach new department-head. You all agree that if you meet goals X, Y, and Z by annual review, then you're eligible for a raise.
A title change means bringing in H.R. - and that means lots of extra crap for your new boss. Wait that out, but express interest generally.
posted by Pants! at 7:56 PM on June 10, 2009
A title change means bringing in H.R. - and that means lots of extra crap for your new boss. Wait that out, but express interest generally.
posted by Pants! at 7:56 PM on June 10, 2009
This thread is closed to new comments.
Absolutely do not talk yourself out of addressing this. All sorts of bad things could happen, and if you are indeed taking on new responsibilities it is important that everyone discuss what that means. It may be that your title and salary don't change (although given what you are saying it sounds like you deserve it), but not changing after a shared discussion is a lot different than not changed because no one spoke up.
As to the concern/idea of waiting for and demonstrating your work to the new boss, I think it is a bad way to go for two reasons. First, you are going to establish the impression of what you do in the first month of working together. It is a relationship, and you are proposing that you get into it, and then later you'll come back and say 'all that stuff I'm doing, it is actually too much and I shouldn't have to without more recognition and compensation.' This is not a good thing in relationships.
The other possibility is that everything is up in the air and you (potentially unintentionally) are passively resisting taking on extra work that you either can't handle, or don't see as your responsibility or whatever. In this case at best you've missed the chance to prove greater worth and at worse your new boss is confused, frustrated and thinks you are non-committed employee. As someone who manages several people I know how important it is to have clarity about roles and responsibilities. I'd rather have clarity even if it is less than I'd hoped for than a lot of ambiguity about what comes next.
This is a conversation they should want to have with you. You are not just asking for recognition, you are offering to make the company continue to work by willingly and enthusiastically taking on additional responsibilities. Don't feel shy about making the offer to take care of things for them, and asking for a bit of extra compensation in return.
posted by meinvt at 7:14 PM on June 10, 2009