Is it appropriate to ask my new employer if my salary will increase over a period of time?
April 15, 2011 8:25 AM Subscribe
Is it appropriate to ask my new employer if my salary will increase over a period of time? I forgot to ask that question during the job interview.
I've just got a job which I'm happy about. It's my first real job. I'm happy with the salary and benefits.
However I'm curious if they give people raises after they've worked X amount of time, among other factors. Unfortunately I didn't think to ask this question during the job interview.
The point is, I'm *extremely* happy with the salary and benefits and other perks NOW, but I'm young, single, mobile and unattached. 5 years in the future, I may want to start a family or have other things come up, and I may need to make more. Do you think it's appropriate to go back and ask my future boss if they give raises? My start date is not for a few weeks.
I don't want to sound selfish or unappreciative, as though the only thing I care about is money. I want to stay with this company forever and ever, but I do need to know if there is an opportunity for salary increase over time. Would this be an OK way to word the question: "I'm very satisfied with the compensation and benefits that you're offering me. I was just curious if compensation increases after X amount of time, among other factors" ?
Or do you think it would be best to stay quiet about it for now and just see what happens after I work there for a few years? If for some reason my life situation changes and I DO need more pay, I could just find a way to hint at it? Thanks!
I've just got a job which I'm happy about. It's my first real job. I'm happy with the salary and benefits.
However I'm curious if they give people raises after they've worked X amount of time, among other factors. Unfortunately I didn't think to ask this question during the job interview.
The point is, I'm *extremely* happy with the salary and benefits and other perks NOW, but I'm young, single, mobile and unattached. 5 years in the future, I may want to start a family or have other things come up, and I may need to make more. Do you think it's appropriate to go back and ask my future boss if they give raises? My start date is not for a few weeks.
I don't want to sound selfish or unappreciative, as though the only thing I care about is money. I want to stay with this company forever and ever, but I do need to know if there is an opportunity for salary increase over time. Would this be an OK way to word the question: "I'm very satisfied with the compensation and benefits that you're offering me. I was just curious if compensation increases after X amount of time, among other factors" ?
Or do you think it would be best to stay quiet about it for now and just see what happens after I work there for a few years? If for some reason my life situation changes and I DO need more pay, I could just find a way to hint at it? Thanks!
Response by poster: Thanks Perplexity, for your answer. This company is a start-up, technically (but not NEW new). They've got a lot of funding and are planning to grow over a period of time. So do you think that makes a difference?
posted by starpoint at 8:31 AM on April 15, 2011
posted by starpoint at 8:31 AM on April 15, 2011
Unless you are planning to quit if you don't like the answer, what exactly do you gain by asking? And honestly, nobody deserves raises over a period of time. You get raises by becoming more valuable to the company. If you do that, they should pay you more whether you've been there 6 months or 6 years. If they don't and you can find somebody else that will...
posted by COD at 8:35 AM on April 15, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by COD at 8:35 AM on April 15, 2011 [1 favorite]
I'm not so sure that it should be considered a given that you'll get raises but I don't think it hurts to ask. Just be sure to frame it tactfully like, "What is your policy on performance evaluation and compensation?"
posted by ghharr at 8:36 AM on April 15, 2011
posted by ghharr at 8:36 AM on April 15, 2011
Response by poster: "Unless you are planning to quit if you don't like the answer, what exactly do you gain by asking?"
COD: Wow, good point. I never thought of it that way.
posted by starpoint at 8:37 AM on April 15, 2011
COD: Wow, good point. I never thought of it that way.
posted by starpoint at 8:37 AM on April 15, 2011
And honestly, nobody deserves raises over a period of time.
Of course they do. Cost of living increases over time.
I'm sure at this point, they may not have given it much thought since they're a startup, but usually there will be opportunities to get a pay raise over time. So they'll almost certainly tell you that there will be opportunities to do this even if they have no idea what structure it will take.
posted by inturnaround at 8:38 AM on April 15, 2011 [5 favorites]
Of course they do. Cost of living increases over time.
I'm sure at this point, they may not have given it much thought since they're a startup, but usually there will be opportunities to get a pay raise over time. So they'll almost certainly tell you that there will be opportunities to do this even if they have no idea what structure it will take.
posted by inturnaround at 8:38 AM on April 15, 2011 [5 favorites]
Give it one year, if no one has mentioned or said anything, bring it up. At that point, have an exit strategy, just in case.
posted by blue_beetle at 8:40 AM on April 15, 2011
posted by blue_beetle at 8:40 AM on April 15, 2011
You can ask about your "career development", which entails more responsibility and skill development, but really for most people means "how do I get more money".
posted by sandmanwv at 8:43 AM on April 15, 2011
posted by sandmanwv at 8:43 AM on April 15, 2011
Your career development is your responsibility. I think it's workable to frame it as such: "I'm interested in augmenting my skills and taking on new responsibilities over time. What are the mechanisms within the company to help me do that?"
posted by Emperor SnooKloze at 8:46 AM on April 15, 2011
posted by Emperor SnooKloze at 8:46 AM on April 15, 2011
Mod note: help the OP answer the question and don't fight with each other please
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 8:49 AM on April 15, 2011
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 8:49 AM on April 15, 2011
I would wait until you start the job; then, when you are filling out the new-hire paperwork, you can inquire about any workplace policies you should be aware of (including whether there is a schedule for performance reviews.)
posted by messica at 8:51 AM on April 15, 2011
posted by messica at 8:51 AM on April 15, 2011
If the company has an online or hard copy of their HR policies, they usually mention things like pay increases and performance reviews.
posted by KogeLiz at 9:02 AM on April 15, 2011
posted by KogeLiz at 9:02 AM on April 15, 2011
I like ghharr's suggestion: "What is your policy on performance evaluation and compensation?". This is a reasonable question to ask, especially if they're a start-up-- they may not have a defined policy, and your question may prompt them to set one. What you gain by asking is some expectation of certainty that there is a structure to review your performance and advance you as appropriate. Unless you're really snitty about it (or, I guess, your new boss is totally unreasonable), asking this question shouldn't hurt you or your prospects at this company.
Annual performance reviews are pretty standard, in my experience/opinion. Most of the places I've worked have had some sort of step increase that's tied to your annual review. For for-profit, private companies (admittedly not the bulk of my work experience), better performance=more positive review=larger pay raise-- and, conversely, poor performance=poor review=smaller-or-no pay raise. Cost-of-living raises may or may not be included in this increase-- my current employer does COL raises as budget permits, and step increases based on annual performance reviews.
posted by Kpele at 9:17 AM on April 15, 2011
Annual performance reviews are pretty standard, in my experience/opinion. Most of the places I've worked have had some sort of step increase that's tied to your annual review. For for-profit, private companies (admittedly not the bulk of my work experience), better performance=more positive review=larger pay raise-- and, conversely, poor performance=poor review=smaller-or-no pay raise. Cost-of-living raises may or may not be included in this increase-- my current employer does COL raises as budget permits, and step increases based on annual performance reviews.
posted by Kpele at 9:17 AM on April 15, 2011
Unless you are planning to quit if you don't like the answer, what exactly do you gain by asking?"
Well, when you don't get a raise after a year, you will probably ask then if raises are normal, so might as well set expectations now.
posted by smackfu at 9:22 AM on April 15, 2011
Well, when you don't get a raise after a year, you will probably ask then if raises are normal, so might as well set expectations now.
posted by smackfu at 9:22 AM on April 15, 2011
Best answer: I would say that for now it's best not to rock the boat. Another words you're about to start a great new job with a decent salary and good benefits. Even if they say, "yes you'll likely get raises and bonuses in the future" it doesn't mean it will happen. Due to the economy, many people haven't gotten raises or bonuses in a while. So there's really no value to the question and I think it could hurt you more then help you. Perhaps you could have asked it during your interview but that time has past. Hopefully, the opportunity for more money will be there in the future with this company but who knows. You don't want to start this working relationship off by giving your employers the idea that all you care about is getting raises. Don't risk putting a bad taste in their mouths. You can always bring this up after 6 months to a year of good work.
posted by ljs30 at 10:10 AM on April 15, 2011
posted by ljs30 at 10:10 AM on April 15, 2011
Best answer: Nobody is going to give you more money for the fun of it. Your employer is only going to give you a raise to keep you working for them instead of the competition, and they will only do that if they value you and they believe you're likely to leave if they don't pay you more. Some employers are proactive about it, giving raises in some structured and predictable way to keep you more or less on par. Some companies will wait until you ask. Some will resist even when you ask, right up until you've given your 2 weeks' notice.
The main thing you need to worry about is how to make yourself more valuable as an employee. Unless you are doing something very specialized, it's likely that the skills you acquire in the course of making yourself valuable to your current employer will also make you more valuable to other potential employers, which in turn makes it likely that if your current employer won't give you a raise, somebody else will.
posted by jon1270 at 12:11 PM on April 15, 2011
The main thing you need to worry about is how to make yourself more valuable as an employee. Unless you are doing something very specialized, it's likely that the skills you acquire in the course of making yourself valuable to your current employer will also make you more valuable to other potential employers, which in turn makes it likely that if your current employer won't give you a raise, somebody else will.
posted by jon1270 at 12:11 PM on April 15, 2011
Startups often have very loose policies on stuff like this. They may not even know the answer yet. Things like incentives and career development get more formalized as a company matures and grows. So honestly I would expect any answer now to change, and in my experience startups have very few "formal" policies (like people at level X make between Y and Z dollars) and instead do everything on an individual basis (things like levels, salary ranges, raise/bonus policies come once it gets past the size where this individual approach works).
posted by wildcrdj at 2:50 PM on April 15, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by wildcrdj at 2:50 PM on April 15, 2011 [1 favorite]
Your raises will depend on the economy and how your business is doing. If everything sucks, nobody gets raises and gets laid off instead. Sad but true. "Technically" all jobs should offer the opportunity for raises, but these days I wouldn't hold my breath about it.
posted by jenfullmoon at 6:57 PM on April 15, 2011
posted by jenfullmoon at 6:57 PM on April 15, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Perplexity at 8:29 AM on April 15, 2011 [3 favorites]