Today's The Day I Reckon!

Kintarō Hattori

Well I changed position in work yet again. I'm not Assistant Manager in the store anymore, I've moved over to our offices where I'm concentrating on purchasing and our website.

It's up to me to buy about 70% of the stock for the computer department. I decide what we're going to sell, who we buy it from and how much we charge for it. Since coming to the office that role has increased as I'm after taking on other companies who another chap used to look after and I know in the new year I'll end up taking all his companies off of him too, that's where my role here is going.
When I was in the store I used to look after 50% of the website, it was up to me to update, since coming to the office I'm now responsible for 100% and we have a completely new website which is much more labour intensive than before.

When I arrived over I asked the MD (who's also the accountant about an increase in wages), that was nearly two months ago and nothing has happened. I've always reckoned I was pretty severly underpaid so now as I'm considering saving and trying to buy somewhere with my missus I think I need to step up a gear and stop this crap.
I take home just over €400 a week which I think is pretty shít for my role. I have a friend who works for the council who comes home with over €500 a week, another friend who is essentially a night watchman for The Simon Community who takes home €600 a week and his girlfriend who works in an office (she walked into this job after being unemployed for ages) who also takes home over €600 a week.

So I was thinking I'm going to ask for a meeting with him, take no crap and ask for an increase of €150 a week. I'm underpaid, I'd like to be properly paid, don't always feel motivated etc. I know my chances are probably pretty slim, but better to aim higher than too low,what do you folk think?

homeOwner

eo980 wrote:

So I was thinking I'm going to ask for a meeting with him, take no crap and ask for an increase of €150 a week. I'm underpaid, I'd like to be properly paid, don't always feel motivated etc. I know my chances are probably pretty slim, but better to aim higher than too low,what do you folk think?

Honestly I wouldnt do this unless you have a job offer from another company and are prepared to leave. Because if he says No to your request for more money what are you going to do - quit? I'm guessing you will back down and stay where you are. You need to be able to make them see that this is what someone else is willing to pay you, if they arent willing to match it then you are going to walk. Otherwise you are just bluffing.

Kinetic^

Yeah man, do a few interviews and see what comes of it. If you get a job offer then say to your current place that you're gonna split. They might offer you more, they might not but at least you'll be getting more money.

Kintarō Hattori

Fair enough, but (not wanting to sound up my own arse), I know they need me more than I need them. I'd imagine this makes a difference?

seamus

eo980 wrote:

Fair enough, but (not wanting to sound up my own arse), I know they need me more than I need them. I'd imagine this makes a difference?

Absolutely it does. I think you need to press the issue. Threats of leaving rarely do a lot for you. It may get you more money, but it may also get you a reputation as a bit of a prick, and they may train other people to "back you up", so that the next time you threaten to leave, they will wave you goodbye.

You and they would probably be shocked at the amount of work that you do. An interesting exercise is to write out what kind of ad the company would need if they were to hire for your position (i.e. required skills, useful skills, etc). Then approach the person in charge of giving you increases with this list. It's good if you can outline a need for this - "I'm looking to buy a house/car", "I'm looking to move closer to work, into a bigger apartment", etc - so that they feel like they're investing in you as a long-term employee instead of just bumping up your bank balance.

If you're in a senior role - i.e. having sole authority in certain areas, or managing people, then you should be earning, at a minimum close to or in the 41% tax bracket.

Also, don't underestimate the worth of less tangible benefits. When I left my last job, they offered me an extra €10k above what the new employer was offering, to stay. I still moved however, because the new employer was giving me at least €20k's worth of training and certification within my first year. Obviously, it doesn't cost them the full €20k to give me that training (due to agreements with the companies), but to go off and do it on my own would have cost me that amount.

Looking at what other people get can be useful to determine if you're getting shafter, but looking too far outside of your industry isn't useful. For example, I have a friend who's just finished college this year. This gives me a whole three years more work experience than her (on top of my degree). But when she gets a job, she'll instantly be earning nearly €10k more than me, off the bat. From the outset, this looks like ****. But that's the most she'll ever earn. She'll get inflationary increases, but in her industry she won't get performance-related bonuses, and can only get promoted by going off and paying for more qualifications for herself. In my industry though, I can get promoted purely through working hard and gaining experience, and can easily top her salary in a couple of years.

Gurgle

eo980 wrote:

I take home just over €400 a week which I think is pretty shít for my role.

What hours do you work?
What qualifications do you have?
What experience do you have?

What your friends earn has nothing to do with it.

Its all very well and good to go in demanding more money, but you should be sure of the facts first.

See if you can get a job offer at the money you believe you're worth and if so talk to your boss, explain that you'd rather stay where you are if he matches the money.

In a nutshell, don't go to your boss with an ultimatum like 'more money or I quit' until you're damn sure of your position.