Asking for a Raise at Work...

[Terminated]

Just looking for some input from people who may have been in this situation.

I work for a small company (5 people). The other support guy left in November for a job closer to home, paying more money. Up to that point I had no idea what he made.

About 2 weeks later I took over his desk/office. In the drawer I found a recent review showing his salary, which was about 25% more than what I make. About the only thing he had over me was 1.5 yrs more time in the company. In every other aspect of the job I blew him away, performance-wise.

Fast forward to around December, I approach my boss about receiving a raise. I had gotten about 4.5% at my last review (July 2012), but keeping in mind I am far below what the other guy made. I made hints that I wanted to be where the other guy was at, but I never discussed numbers. I was told he wasn't getting a raise this year and that he was possibly going to be let go at the end of the year because he was making too much (he was hired during the first year before they had really seen their budget I guess?). I am a salary employee, no OT or commissions, profit share bonus.

My question is, has anyone encountered this situation and how did you handle it? I really enjoy my job and I thought my pay was adequate to my job, until I found out what the other guy made. Now I constantly question why I am not making the same, and feel like I should be paid what I deserve and what may be available on the market. I am coming up on 2 yrs with the company and I feel like my work has really helped the company grow more than it ever would have with the other guy at the helm.

Any ideas?

Thanks!

Dan

[venom]

The worst thing to do is to find out what others make. I found out years ago, and immediately asked for a raise. It drove me crazy thinking about what others did versus what they were paid. Didn't get offered a raise, so I looked elsewhere.

I guess you should keep asking and asking until you get what you want.

[SonofaBish]

Well, for one, was the other guy getting over-paid? I am in management and I can tell you that sometimes people get over-paid to come from another position - its a part of attacting new talent... now that he's gone, just because he got paid more than you do now, does that mean you are underpaid?? I understand that your performance may be better than his, but he's gone now.... and if he was being over paid, the company is not going to over pay a second person just to be fair... they're going to eliminate the over paid, under producting employee, and keep the good employee at his current pay rate.....

Honestly, if you voice your concerns, and they're valid, your manager should be understanding... however, if you are getting paid commensurate with your experience, its could strain the relationship you have with your employer.

My opinion - if you feel you're being underpaid, or your not even sure, look elsewhere for a job - it doesnt mean you have to take another one, but apply for some other jobs and do the interviews... if you get offers, and they're in the same ballpark as what you make now, then you can probably feel confident you're being paid the going rate... if they're much higher than your current pay, then take that offer to your current employer... explain to them that you don't want to leave, but you feel that the pay desparity between the two jobs is such that you have you do what's best for you and your family... Your current employer may not be able to match that offer, but they may be able to meet you half way....

And, you never know, maybe the other job presents you with a better place to be... it never hurts to interview elsewhere and see what's out there.

[SonofaBish]

Proper compensation is something that some managers keep a close eye on, and something others don't pay a bit of attention to......

I've been very lukcy in my position - before i was promoted into management, i was taken a side several times and asked if i was happy with my work environment and my pay.... i was told that if i ever felt like i was being underpaid or i wanted to leave, just talk with my manager first, and they'll figure something out....

In keeping with this style, i've kept a close eye on what i pay my employees, and i feel like this is what good management does.... But even within my own department, i know of managers that don't pay much attention to it, and it results in poor morale and the urge to look elsewhere.

[blackfive-o]

I have worked for the same company for 25 years. My last raise was 2008..just sayin..

[vitaleffects626]

Who cares what anyone else makes. If your not happy with what you make let your boss or look elsewhere . And good for you if you work harder than others . Its not what you do its how much you make .

[Terminated]

Well, for one, was the other guy getting over-paid? I am in management and I can tell you that sometimes people get over-paid to come from another position - its a part of attacting new talent... now that he's gone, just because he got paid more than you do now, does that mean you are underpaid?? I understand that your performance may be better than his, but he's gone now.... and if he was being over paid, the company is not going to over pay a second person just to be fair... they're going to eliminate the over paid, under producting employee, and keep the good employee at his current pay rate.....

Honestly, if you voice your concerns, and they're valid, your manager should be understanding... however, if you are getting paid commensurate with your experience, its could strain the relationship you have with your employer.

My opinion - if you feel you're being underpaid, or your not even sure, look elsewhere for a job - it doesnt mean you have to take another one, but apply for some other jobs and do the interviews... if you get offers, and they're in the same ballpark as what you make now, then you can probably feel confident you're being paid the going rate... if they're much higher than your current pay, then take that offer to your current employer... explain to them that you don't want to leave, but you feel that the pay desparity between the two jobs is such that you have you do what's best for you and your family... Your current employer may not be able to match that offer, but they may be able to meet you half way....

And, you never know, maybe the other job presents you with a better place to be... it never hurts to interview elsewhere and see what's out there.

Proper compensation is something that some managers keep a close eye on, and something others don't pay a bit of attention to......

I've been very lukcy in my position - before i was promoted into management, i was taken a side several times and asked if i was happy with my work environment and my pay.... i was told that if i ever felt like i was being underpaid or i wanted to leave, just talk with my manager first, and they'll figure something out....

In keeping with this style, i've kept a close eye on what i pay my employees, and i feel like this is what good management does.... But even within my own department, i know of managers that don't pay much attention to it, and it results in poor morale and the urge to look elsewhere.

Thanks this is good advice! As I mentioned, I didn't feel like I was underpaid until I found out what the other guy made. I would say if he held up his end of the job his salary would have been competitive, and me making that much would have been fair as well. As of right now I am the main support guy for a software platform that is used nationwide, I feel like that is at least worth something. We just brought a new guy on but he's only been here 3 months. My boss is pretty flexible with anything I need in order to do my job well, but ideally I'd like to be making more money. I would like to find out what else may be out there, but I also need to choose wisely when leveraging that for a raise.

I think if anything, I am consistently being asked to do more than what my original job duties were, and my pay hasn't reflected much change. And again, I would have been none the wiser, and may not have even cared after I found the other guy's review, if it wasn't such a major gap in between the two numbers. Our company relies heavily on sales, and part of my job includes the inside non-commission sales, as well as nationwide travel, which I think also should merit some extra $$$.

[Terminated]

Who cares what anyone else makes. If your not happy with what you make let your boss or look elsewhere . And good for you if you work harder than others . Its not what you do its how much you make .

Also very true. I have a review coming up soon and plan to bring the pay issue up again, but just waiting to see what will happen til then. Just hate having to come into work and have that stuff in the back of my head.

[sutyak]

Depending on your boss, he may be very approachable about salaries if you just ask. He might just tell you the other guy was overpaid, there's not enough in the budget, etc.
No need to wait for an annual review.

[TJH64]

Here is my advice. Under no circumstances do you ever bring up a coworkers salary and use that for leverage, nor do not even give your boss any indication that you know what someone else makes when negotiating for a pay increase. You cannot go into this saying so and so made $xxx and I do a better job than him, so I feel entitled to the same money. Instead, go in and sell your strengths and value as an employee. This carries more weight in managements eyes. Go online and research what others make in the field you are in, and see where you are placed. It is possible the other guy was a better negotiator than you, and was able to secure a better starting salary. You were obviously happy with your starting salary, as you excepted the job. Do not let this bother you, as it can start to affect your performance at work, which could further harm any chance of getting the pay increase. There is my 2 cents.

Good Luck!

[Silverhatch]

Depending on your boss, he may be very approachable about salaries if you just ask. He might just tell you the other guy was overpaid, there's not enough in the budget, etc.
No need to wait for an annual review.

Lol, actually they could double his current salary and save money right? A guy just quit that was making more, so they seem to have a lot of "cap" space.

[somethingclever]

I work for a small company (5 people).

I have worked for the same company for 25 years. My last raise was 2008..just sayin..

Did you just ask blackfive-o for a raise on the internet?

[Terminated]

Depending on your boss, he may be very approachable about salaries if you just ask. He might just tell you the other guy was overpaid, there's not enough in the budget, etc.
No need to wait for an annual review.

Yeah those were the top 2 responses after I asked haha.

Here is my advice. Under no circumstances do you ever bring up a coworkers salary and use that for leverage, nor do not even give your boss any indication that you know what someone else makes when negotiating for a pay increase. You cannot go into this saying so and so made $xxx and I do a better job than him, so I feel entitled to the same money. Instead, go in and sell your strengths and value as an employee. This carries more weight in managements eyes. Go online and research what others make in the field you are in, and see where you are placed. It is possible the other guy was a better negotiator than you, and was able to secure a better starting salary. You were obviously happy with your starting salary, as you excepted the job. Do not let this bother you, as it can start to affect your performance at work, which could further harm any chance of getting the pay increase. There is my 2 cents.

Good Luck!

Thanks! And I agree, I never mentioned any numbers, I simply said that I felt I should be where the other guy was and my performance has shown it, not leading on that I even actually knew what he made. I will just need to forget what I saw and just keep moving on.

Appreciate the input guys!

[95V6]

Just saw your Facebook status. No wonder you need a raise! Congrats.

[Terminated]

Just saw your Facebook status. No wonder you need a raise! Congrats.

HAHA yeah man, more money will definitely help! Thanks!

[Terminated]

Did you just ask blackfive-o for a raise on the internet?

HAHA I though my boss only had a GMC Sierra, but...???

[cLockWise]

Dan,

I was in a similar situation. I can tell you this much, I brought up my salary to my manager, and got declined anymore money. I was told that I was an "asset" and that at this current time frame I am within the top 10% of highest paid employees in my area for my position. The only people who were making more money than me were employees that have been with the company longer. I still felt robbed, but I'm hoping that maybe they'll give me a better raise than the measly 2% they gave me in 2012. It's sad that I work in the healthcare industry, which is absolutely thriving, and I get minimal bonuses with poor increases in pay during reviews even when I scored above and beyond 90% of other individuals.

My questioning is similar to yours, but in a different aspect. I question why UPMC gets away with causing a monopoly in the Pittsburgh area affecting me and the surrounding companies. Why my company can afford to pay some "person" who has no experience in my field the money they do and why they are my boss, when I know more than they do about what's going on and most of all I question why I'm not making what some other people are making that have been there about the same amount of time as me.

The answer to the question was I had poor negotiating skills when I first took my job. I negotiated less than the other person and thats why they make a higher rate than I do. And at the end of the day, all this middle management garbage could

As others have said, if your boss is someone you can approach sit down with him, discuss some options with him, see what he has to say. I attempted the same thing, but they didn't want to budge for me, but that doesn't mean it won't be a better outcome for you. I'm in a field where they can fire me tomorrow and not care because 1,000 other people are waiting in line for my job..

Just use your best judgement. But try not to dwell on the other guy. As others have said, he could have been extremely overpaid for his qualifications. I've saw that happen at quite a few companies, Samsonite Luggage was one of them when I worked there. I lost my job as did my Area Manager, who was in charge of 7 states on the Eastern Coast..