Time for a Raise?
It was time. I have been on my job for a year. My boss told me when I started that we would talk about a raise after 90 days. This never happened. I didn’t mind because a few months after I started the job I received a large profit-sharing check. With my salary and profit-sharing I was making a good salary for my first professional position. But that was then…this is now. I want and need a raise.
I decided I would approach my boss (since he hasn’t ever uttered a word about a raise to me.) I spent two weeks doing research (thankfully there’s the internet) about the average pay for a position such as mine. I talked to friends “in the know” and I checked want ads. Once I determined the amount of raise that I wanted and a salary that was “fair” according to industry standards, I began making a list of all my accomplishments during the past year (there were many).
I had my achievement list and I had my salary requirement based on research and factual data. I was ready. I set an appointment with my boss. It was cancelled when he had an emergency meeting. I set another appointment the following week. It was cancelled when he had to leave town for business. I made another appointment. That, too, was cancelled.
My courage was beginning to weaken. Although I know I deserve a raise, it was hard for me to even make an appointment to ask for it. I was so nervous on the day before and the day of each appointment. I was so disappointed when our meetings were cancelled. (I knew that my boss wasn’t avoiding me on purpose. He is the president of our company and a very busy man, but…)
Finally, I caught him alone in his office. “I want to talk to you about a raise,” I said timidly. (Timidly!!! I wasn’t going to act that way!) He said that he had been thinking about a raise for me. He told me that I was doing an excellent job. Then he asked me to come back to him at the end of the year to discuss a raise. Wait! What happened? Was this good? Was this bad? I hadn’t expected this.
I had expected that with all my research, my achievement list and with a firm attitude the raise would be mine. I learned the hard way, however, that we can’t always control the situation, especially when it comes to timing. I’m fine and I know I am going to get a great raise. I deserve it and I know my boss thinks that I have earned it. I just have to wait a couple of months!