How To Approach Your Employer For A Pay Rise

How To Approach Your Employer For A Pay Rise

The main things you need to ask yourself is are your efforts are being properly rewarded and has your salary kept pace with the current market rate?

It is all too easy for an employer to take staff for granted and to overlook them, and often the best chance to get the right deal is when you are taking on a new role or have been given a promotion.
People who have been in the same role for several years need to make sure that their level of pay reflects the contribution they make to the firm. Sometimes it is the longest serving members of staff who may be taken for granted, and their loyalty to the firm can stop them from pushing for a pay rise.


As an individual I have always reviewed my progress on a regular basis and I would recommend that everyone should carry out a career health check at least once every 12 months.

Once you have carried out your own personal check-up there is no point in sitting in silence if you believe that your efforts are not being properly rewarded. The best time to raise the question with your boss is away from the office but in a formal setting such as a one-to-one or in your annual appraisal.
If your firm is not in the habit of holding regular appraisals then you should ask your line manager for an opportunity to sit down and talk about how they see your current performance and career progression.

I would never advise people to go in all guns blazing; it would be unprofessional to walk straight into a situation and start talking about money from the outset. It is far better to ask your manager for their opinion on how you are performing and what attributes you bring to the business.
If they tell you that you are a valuable member of staff, then that is the time to introduce the tricky subject of remuneration.

But you should also be aware that there is a risk attached to this strategy and you need to be confident you are performing up to the required level. If you ask for an honest opinion of your performance you might not get the answer you are expecting. As a manager I expect every single staff member's contribution to be clearly measurable, so I can see exactly how much value they are adding.

If there is a big difference in the way you and your manager view your performance, then the time has come to make some difficult choices.

Either you can make a decision to stick with what you have got and aim to improve. But if you genuinely believe that you are being undervalued then time has probably come to move to pastures new.

It is worth remembering that if you pose the question, then you might get a lot more than you bargained for.

In the course of my career, I have interviewed hundreds of prospective employees, and I’m always amazed by the way so many of them get the process so wrong. At the end of the day, the interview is really about one thing: Making the person across the table fall in love with you. Here are a few ideas to help you make that happen.

Don't be a Diva

The single biggest mistake many job candidates make is to walk in with attitude. Even if you think the company would be lucky to have you, and even if – based on your talents and work history – you’re right, no one wants to work with a diva. You’ve been given thirty minutes to impress the interviewer, but the 

wrong attitude will lose you the job in the first five.

Dress for Success

Another deal-killer is poor aesthetics. You may think you’re the next Mark Zuckerberg, and for all I know you are, but I’m not going to be impressed if you come to see me in a hoodie and torn jeans. We’re pretty casual at RadiumOne – it’s rare to see that many ties in our offices – but if you’re coming in for an interview – remember the importance of a first impression.

Body Language

Body language is also crucial. Be articulate – not boring. Sagging shoulders, slouching, fidgeting – those behaviors make people uncomfortable, and who wants to work with someone that makes them uncomfortable? Be courteous. Smile. Make eye-contact. And treat everyone with respect, including everyone you meet. After all, they may be asked for their opinions after you’ve left the building.

Be Prepared

Another common mistake is to come to the interview unprepared. I think a prospective employee should take the time to do his or her homework, and this will become evident through the quality of his questions. When someone asks who they’re going to be working with, is curious about the specifics of the job, and talks about opportunities for growth, I feel I’m dealing with a person who’s there for the long-haul, and that’s the kind of person I want to invest in.

You should also be prepared to answer the interviewer’s questions, and these tend to be fairly predictable: Why do you want this job? Where do you see yourself in three years? What are your greatest strengths and greatest weaknesses? If you aren’t prepared, and if you’re struggling to formulate answers, that’s not going to impress anyone. Think of the job interview as a test, and try to prepare for it before you come through the door.

Focus

This is a job interview; try to remember that. Small-talk is fine, but this is not the time and place for it. The interviewer doesn’t want to hear about your crazy night at the bar, about the relationship that broke your heart, or about your horrible last boss. Focus on the job, and on yourself as the right person for the job. Be professional. Inappropriate talk and inappropriate behaviors can and will be used against you. And speaking of inappropriate behaviors, remember that everything you post online is viewable to everyone - including an employer. So if you have any embarrassing pictures of yourself, don't post them. Or change your privacy settings. Better yet, change your privacy settings today.

Don't Talk Money

Another common mistake is to talk about compensation. If the interviewer brings up money, fine, but don’t go there unless invited. The money conversation will take place in due course, once you’ve been offered the job. And money shouldn’t be the deciding factor, anyway. If you take the job, you’ll have plenty of chances to show the company what you’re worth. And if you turn out to be a rock star, you’re going to get rock star wages.

Be Yourself

This may be the hardest advice of all. You’re in there to get the job, and you’re worried about blowing it. Plus there’s so much to think about: Don’t be a diva. Be prepared. Dress like you want the job. Watch the small- talk. Don’t discuss compensation.

Still, at the end of the day, you’re human. Your potential new boss wants to see the person they’re hiring, not the person you think you want to see. Don’t sell anyone a phony version of yourself. If you’re there it’s because you impressed them enough to get the interview, and they’re just as eager to get to know you, as you are to get the job. Don’t overthink the situation, and don’t try to sell a manufactured version of yourself. 

Authenticity always wins out.

The Follow Up

Finally, I am always surprised when people fail to follow up after the interview. All it takes is a short, polite email, in which you thank the interviewer for his time and remind him or her that you are seriously interested in the job. Sometimes a candidate doesn’t do well in the room, but I hear from them later in the day and I decide to have a second look. That call or email tell me two things: The candidate has proper etiquette, and they WANT the job.

And Finally if the employer have decided not give a pay rise then none of the above mentioned things will work.

But be positive....Believe in yourself...!!!

GOOD LUCK!