Recruitment Avenue work hard to help people through the recruitment process, but today we want to tackle an issue that falls outside of the recruitment process but might help you to avoid it. No one likes to talk “Money” and no one likes rejection and confrontation. So the thought of approaching your manager and asking for a higher salary can be a daunting experience. This is why many people who are underpaid, often stay that way. Anything for a quiet life some might say, but for real job satisfaction it is important to be on a salary that adequately reflects your skills and hard work. So if you are new to your role, the last thing you want is to upset the boss by asking for more money.
Its review time, it’s the first time you will get to sit with your boss and actually look at all the work you have done all year, and for them to tell you what they think of you and your work. Hopefully you have nothing to worry about. We like to hear how well we have done, and it’s a great motivator to hear that what you are doing is being appreciated. But it’s also the time to discuss your pay rise. It’s time to let your boss know what kind of person you really are. Are you going to be the kind of employee that will nod and accept a below average pay rise that is much less than you deserve? Maybe you will just be happy you still have a job. Or are you going to stand up for yourself and demonstrate just how confident you are, and show them you deserve a better pay rise?
Negotiation skills are not easily learnt, they come over time and it takes plenty of practise to become a master. Three top tips on negotiating well are:
Be Confident
Showing confidence makes people take notice of you, it shows you are no push over. Confidence also shows you are competent and you know your worth. Being confident will command respect and will not allow you to be a push over. Managers that do not want to give out pay rises may try and devalue you, and make you feel you do not deserve a pay rise. This makes it easier for them to keep you at your current rate. Do not let this kind of manager do this to you, know your worth and go to your review knowing you deserve more.
Back Your Self Up
If you are going to ask for more money you need to make sure you know why you are worth more. Go to your review with a list of your achievements and successes so far. You need to give your manager the reasons why you deserve the pay rise and what you have done to earn it.
Another thing to keep in mind, is any failures you have had. You need to be prepared for your manager to bring any mistakes or missed targets to the discussion. You need to have your reasons why this happened, what control you had over it and what you have to remedy this. If you missed a deadline because the deadline was changed, or what was expected by the deadline had been increased then you need to get that point across. Don’t be afraid to admit you have made mistakes; just show them what you have done to overcome it.
Don’t Give Up
If you get refused a pay rise during your review, don’t give up. Take a step back, have a look at the reasons why your manager said no and look at what you can do to change that idea. Write up a list of bullet points that you can use to show you are worthy of a pay rise and how the reason given to you during the review are not valid or what you can do or are doing to counter them points. By giving you a list of reasons why they won’t give you a pay rise is giving you a list of things you need to improve on, or show by past examples why the items on their list isn’t true.
Sometimes we do need to accept that a pay rise isn’t possible. You need to then decide do you want to move on or do you want to stick it out where you are and negotiate a pay rise at your next review.
It’s a very personal choice to make and heavily depends on how much you like your current job. If you are on a good wage already, and are happy where you are then getting a pay rise can be only a small inconvenience. However, if you are not on good money and the company is doing well and can afford to pay more, then it might be time to move on if you are not being recognised.
Good luck in your negotiations and remember to stand your ground and know your worth.