Ready for a raise? The answer is probably, duh who doesn’t want a raise? Here’s ways to get a raise, by doing the same tasks or keeping the same job.
Know Your Value
Look, if you don’t know your value, you don’t know if you can get a raise. However, chances are, if you’re willing to make small changes you can get a raise. This first starts with knowing your value. See what others are paying for similar work in your area, talk with people in your line of work. Websites like Glassdoor or LinkedIn are great places for professionals or anyone growing a career. Talk to other hiring managers at other locations to see what they’re offering new applicants. Knowing your value is half the battle, otherwise you have no idea what to ask for or how to prove what your prospective value is.
Be Ready to Make Small Changes
Being agile is probably one of the top factors for success. Do not be afraid of change, it will always hold you back, however please be reasonable and don’t risk everything on something dicey. If you work in a restaurant, look to move to an upscale brand or a more upscale restaurant, look to see what the most successful locations are, find ways to grow your skills on the job by being proactive to increase your value. Rarely will an employer choose to pay you more for skills you gain, but they will allow you to be agile and ready move to the next level later.
Be Ready to Make Leaps When Reasonable After Small Changes
Remember where I said be agile and ready to move to the next level later? Let’s say you trained in a management role for 6-12 months, you are confident, capable and happy. If they’re not moving you, move yourself to someone willing to pay you for your value. Do not be afraid to make changes to do the best in your own interest. I hate to say it but if you work for a major company, you likely represent a number, a number which once assigned a value, doesn’t change. A new company hasn’t yet assigned you a value which means the door is open to interpretation, your value is what you assign yourself based on the market rate. This goes back to number one know your value and be ready to have multiple offers to make employers compete for you. Ensure they feel you are a lynchpin that you will change their business and be a multiplier.
If you work for a small business, talk with them first it’s very likely they’re more willing to work with you and you’re probably not just a number. Do not be afraid to talk and reassess your value over time as your skills grow. If they’re still unwilling to invest in you or they do not agree on the increase in value, find someone who does and will pay you for it.
If You Work For A Corporation, Forget Loyalty
It’s sad, but corporations do not care for large numbers of employees these days, your colleagues, bosses or managers might, but rarely do they have much power to change the number already set. Forget being loyal to those not loyal to you, this includes the closest in your inner circle, companies you work for and family. If the relationship is not returning loyalty to you, you owe nothing, companies are paying you for value. If you have non-business relationships without loyalty, find new friends your current ones suck! Don’t be afraid to re-evaluate your situation as your skills grow and chase what you deserve. Good things happen to those who take action, not those who wait for it to come to them (even if you ask).
Be Adaptable
This one is common in careers, especially technology, be adaptable, find what the latest and greatest long-term trends are. Capitalize on opportunities where others have been reluctant to enter (niche can be very profitable!) or is that an emerging major trend. Be very careful in your evaluation and do not look for short term trends or niches, it’s important to find something that has grown in very large adoption, but early in the curve. The world is always changing, if you’re not changing, you’ll be left behind.
Communicate
Above all, ensure you’re doing a great job, your employer is happy with the value you bring and that you are meeting your objectives. If you are never be afraid to communicate, be careful with messaging, thoroughly think through what you want to say before any meeting, but never be afraid to discuss with your manager if your value has grown. Ensure you can explain why, demonstrate where you’ve driven this value for them, show them through action you’ve applied this already. In almost any environment, this is a surefire way to get a raise if you ask for one, it may take a few months but usually requires a little bit of patience and a heavy dose of persistence.
