SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA JOB MARKET : PART ONE: GETTING AHEAD : Strategies for Winning That Raise : Demonstrating That You’re Worth Higher Pay Is Half the Battle
Sarah, a 28-year-old civil engineer, had been putting in long hours on major projects for her company. She’s one of the few women civil engineers at the Atlanta firm, and she says she is free to work the extra hours because she has no family responsibilities.
Yet for some time, Sarah had felt underappreciated and underpaid, especially compared to men doing the same work at her company, which provides engineering and design services to paper manufacturers.
So, when a company client in Idaho unexpectedly called with a job offer, Sarah agreed to go for an interview even though she did not expect to pursue it seriously.
She made sure her employer knew she needed a Monday off because she was taking a trip to Boise.
When she returned to her job the following Tuesday, the company president took her to lunch. In a recent interview, Sarah recalled his words: “We just want you to know we appreciate the effort you’re putting in, and I think you’re going to be very pleased with your bonus this year, and with some new responsibilities we have in mind.”
Her employer, suddenly aware of her worth, managed to keep Sarah. She has since moved into management.
Convincing your employer that you are worth more money or better perks is one of the trickiest aspects of working, career counselors and executives say.
What Sarah did can work only if you have a serious offer lined up. Otherwise, trying to use that kind of leverage is known as a “squeeze play,” and most employers resent it.
“If someone does not think they are getting what they are worth in our company, the wrong way to deal with it, from our point of view, is to say, ‘I’ve just talked to such and such a company and I think I’m worth at least 20% more than I’m getting,’ ” said Patricia Smith, personnel manager for Javelin Electronics of Torrance.
“That puts us in a cross-bid, and we refuse to be put in that situation,” Smith added.
At Javelin, which makes closed-circuit security systems, Smith said that “the preferred way for an employee to ask for more money is to simply come in and explain why they think they are worth more.”
Be ready to make that explanation in some specific detail, however, because the old image of Dagwood Bumstead marching up to his boss and demanding a raise is just that--a comic strip idea.
“I would never recommend that anyone walk into a supervisor and say, ‘I need a raise,’ ” said Dick Bradley, vice president of member services at the Merchants and Manufacturers Assn. in Los Angeles, which advises its 3,700 corporate members on industrial relations matters. “That will go nowhere. Instead, go in and say, ‘How can I get a promotion that will give me more responsibility and more money?’
“Going after money and more perks today requires a systematic approach,” Bradley said. “Do whatever you do a little better. Work--work harder.
“And I cannot emphasize the following enough: If you want to get the attention of your boss, how you dress and how you present yourself every day are very important.
“It can be a delicate balancing act in the corporate culture,” Bradley added. “You have to fit into the system, but to get ahead, you also have to stand out.”
James L. Love, a retired executive with Rosemount Inc. of Minneapolis, said: “The plain fact is if you have not made management notice your good work, you’re going to have a hell of a time going in out of the blue and telling management what a great employee you are and that you’re worth more money.”
Susan W. Miller, who founded Vocational Training Consulting Services of Los Angeles, said she advises anyone going after more money or perks within their company to remember the “two Ps”: prepare and practice.
“Do your homework,” she said, “and be sure you are prepared to talk to your boss about two things--your own accomplishments and contributions to the company and what your peers are getting (elsewhere) in the marketplace, compared to you.”
For the latter, she said, look at surveys of salaries in your field. Professional associations are good sources of data.
The Merchants and Manufacturers Assn. does salary surveys, but Javelin’s Smith warned that all such figures are out of date by the time they are published, so be sure to adjust them upward to make them current.
“Practice your presentation,” Miller said. “Figure out the ‘yes-buts’ your boss is likely to come up with, and be prepared to counter them with persuasive information.”
One way to make sure your employer is aware of your value, Miller said, is to ask clients of the company to pass along their praises of you to your boss.
“Most will be glad to do it,” said Miller, “if you ask them nicely. Some employees have trouble doing this because our mothers taught us to be modest, but to get ahead, you have to be willing to draw attention to yourself.”
Along with salary, Miller said, be prepared to negotiate for perks such as a company car, stock, free financial advice, professional association dues and tuition reimbursement.
Bradley said that often the key to getting a raise is to demonstrate self-improvement.
“Get an MBA in your spare time,” he said, “or let your employer know you are taking some courses that will make you more valuable to him.”
Love said high-achieving employees are sometimes shortchanged by their companies even though they make contributions above and beyond normal duties.
“Most companies’ human resource departments come up with the average yearly pay increase across the board,” he said, “and most mid-level managers chicken out and give all employees about the same amount. Some, obviously, are worth more, while others are worth less.”
Love had another bit of advice on going for higher pay.
“Asking for a raise out of sympathy rarely works,” he said. “The employer will not be all that sympathetic if you say you can’t live on what you’re making. After all, that could be a result of a lot of factors.”
