The old model for getting a salary increase was to show up everyday ready to work and do a full day of work for your employer. Unless you work in a position that determines your pay by your level of production, this just a way to a life of frustration and dead ends.
Those who are self-employed will eventually reach an earnings peak if this how they expect to increase their income, too. Today's employers tend to let an employee work as much as they can. As long as the employee does not complain or stomp off of the job, the boss will let the train keep rolling and give back to the employee as little as possible.
Some ways do exist to increase salary, but hard work is just a minor piece of the puzzle. You have to be willing to take risks, be innovative, and show that you have a backbone. It probably does not hurt if you get a chance to marry the favorite child of the boss, but going to that extreme is not really necessary.
Begin your salary increase efforts by deciding what you would consider a salary increase. If all that you are looking to receive is a couple of percent more than you now earn, do not waste your time. Any company that is floating above water financially will do this once a year anyway. Try to find out what others at your company in positions similar to yours are earning. If they are making what you make, you will have to move up to get that increase.
If you are lagging far behind the others, try to see yourself as your boss sees you. Be honest with this. For a similar type and quality of work, you should be receiving comparable pay. Present your case to your boss and ask that this discrepancy be justified to you. If it cannot be explained adequately, request a raise. Be prepared to move on to a new job anytime you ask for a raise if it is denied. Should your boss suggest more pay if you do more work, make sure that the pay increase puts you significantly above those who will now be doing less work than you.
If your salary does not vary from those doing the same work, you have to begin to find ways to move up. Most of the time if you are not the new kid on the block, you will find this to be the case. It is time to implement a plan to bring you income up to drive a better lifestyle. To do this, you will need at least 20 percent more money. At lower salary levels, this could require doubling or more of your current wage. Here are some steps to get you going.
1. Make sure that your education and experience level are sufficient to attract more money to your paycheck. If not, find a way to get it to that point. This may require taking courses or finding a place to develop other skills. Sometimes, you may have to volunteer some place where skills can be learned. This is especially true of computer skills today. Learn the requirements for the job above yours and prepare yourself to get it.
2. Learn to get along with coworkers and your boss. You can complain, but avoid fights whether they are verbal or otherwise.
3. Look for ways to improve production, customer service, or work flow. Companies need and like to re ward people who can make the company more profitable, raise its corporate image, or better able to please customers. People like this tend to rise up in the ranks and in salary.
4. In office settings, you may need to teach someone else to do your job before you can move up. Companies tend to not promote someone when they are the only one who can do their job. It can be a risk because your trainee could leapfrog over you. If you are a high quality employee, it is not likely to happen because companies also like lower and newer employees to be able to see a career path with the company. Promoting you encourages those below to work harder to reach the next level.
5. Be prepared to make a job change. Often, employees do not get their big raise until they make a big move to another company. It helps if you can move to a competitor who will believe they are hurting the competition while gaining a quality member for their own staff. They see this as a double win for them. Most of the time, they will pay big money for that chance.
6. If you really liked your former company, a boomerang may be necessary. After you are gone several months or maybe a year, you may want to check with your former employer. If you were the employee that you believed you were, they will be sorely missing you. Toss them a bone and see if they are interested. Attach another decent raise to your new salary there. If they bite, you have probably far more than doubled your salary in less than a year to do about the same job.
7. Toot your own horn. Always let those above you know when you have done a good or great job. Make them believe that the company will sink without you. It will not always translate into money, but many times it does.
8. Negotiate at raise time. Your next raise is tied to the amount of salary that you currently earn. Ten percent of $100 dollars is $10. If you can make that $150, your next ten percent will be $15. Any additional money you can get tacked on now will increase every raise you receive from now on with this employer.
In any raise situation, try to be realistic. Encourage your boss to be realistic, also. You have to eat, buy a house, and raise a family just like the boss does. If the company is profitable, you deserve a fair and livable wage
