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Subject:Re: Ask for a raise? Or pack my bags? From:Kate Schneider <kateschneider42 -at- gmail -dot- com> To:"Robart, Kay" <Kay -dot- Robart -at- tea -dot- texas -dot- gov> Date:Tue, 23 Jun 2015 12:55:12 -0700
You may also be able to find salary data for your city. When I worked in
Iowa, I was able to get quite good salary data from Iowa Workforce
Development's website. It had several years of pay data (both hourly and
salary) for hundreds of jobs in different cities and metro areas around the
state. It was amazing to see the difference in pay between different areas
of the state. But, I found this to be invaluable information when looking
for contracts and negotiating pay. I know other states offer similar pay
surveys, as well.
On Tue, Jun 23, 2015 at 12:50 PM, Robart, Kay <Kay -dot- Robart -at- tea -dot- texas -dot- gov>
wrote:
> I'm really surprised at the number of people who seem to feel it's a job
> risk to ask for a raise. In my experience, if you don't ask for one, you
> won't get one unless your company has a regular program for merit and
> cost-of-living raises. Sometimes you don't get what you ask for, but I've
> never had anyone lay me off just because I asked for a raise. If you back
> up your request with enough data, present your request in a professional
> manner, and don't ask for a raise you know your company can't afford, your
> boss should not see it as a cue to replace you. If the company does, then
> you don't want to be working for them anyway.
>
> But the respondents are right that you are unlikely to get a raise from
> $36K to $50K or $60K. Do your local research and see what it tells you, but
> I wouldn't expect that you could get much more than 10% from an existing
> company. I had one boss who took over a department and found out all the
> writers were underpaid, and she forced management to upgrade all of our
> pay. In some cases, people got raises of more than $20K a year, and some of
> them had to be raised up over time. I personally got raised a job grade and
> about $5K at that time. But that's one boss in 30+ years of working.
>
> Kay
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: techwr-l-bounces+kay -dot- robart=tea -dot- texas -dot- gov -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
> [mailto:techwr-l-bounces+kay -dot- robart=tea -dot- texas -dot- gov -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com] On
> Behalf Of RaphaelWorkman -at- comcast -dot- net
> Sent: Monday, June 22, 2015 6:32 PM
> To: TECHWR-L Writing
> Subject: Ask for a raise? Or pack my bags?
>
> Hello tech writers:
>
> I don't know where else to turn for advice.
>
> Is it a risk to my job security to ask my supervisor or an HR employee for
> a raise or work from home privileges? I earn an anonymous amount of money
> between $36K and $38K annually. I was hired 3.5 years ago at $32K. I just
> found out the national average is around $60K. I'm feeling undervalued with
> long hours long commute and low-ish pay for my field. I used to be allowed
> 2 days/wk work from home and just to come in on those days for occasional
> meetings. I was told our new building is new and nice and I am now expected
> to be in the office every day. I've been with this company for 8 years
> total and 3 years as an above-average tech writer, content developer (Adobe
> Captivate and Articulate Storyline), and instructional designer. I
> write/develop for a department of 1,000 people in 2 states in call centers
> that support all of the security system installers for US and Puerto Rico.
> The subject matter is highly technical including hardware, software, and
> troubleshooting. I came up th
> rough the ranks 4 years troubleshooting and programming, one year
> leading and training, and 3 years as a tech writer with many "other duties
> as assigned." I imagine my job/work is worth at least $50K. Am I
> delusional? Should I just be happy to even have a job at all? FYI I'm too
> nervous to strike out on my own as a free-lance contractor type but I'm
> looking around at places like Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, and Jeppesen. I'm
> in my mid 30's and I'm old enough to wish for a company from which I could
> retire, but I think I may be deluding myself to think this could happen
> where I am. There are no similar jobs in my company that are just a step up
> from where I am, and none of my peers makes very much money. With my annual
> "merit increases" being anywhere from 0% to 3.1% I don't see myself making
> very much money in the future. I can't really bring this up to my boss or
> HR without a strategy because I fear once they know I want a lot more money
> they may begin quietly looking to re
> pl ace me.
>
> Advice?
>
> Thanks,
> Raphael
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--
Kate Schneider
Cell: 619-218-6243
Email: kateschneider42 -at- gmail -dot- com
www.linkedin.com/in/kateschneider/
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