Blessed are those that have great bosses. You know, the ones who are true leaders and will advocate for you and be your biggest fan…this includes when it comes to increasing compensation. It’s the most wonderful feeling to be recognized for all of your hard work and loyalty, right? It also feels good when such behavior is rewarded with more than a trip to lunch or flowers (which are certainly nice gestures); I’m talking about seeing an increase in your income. True, income is not tied to everyone’s definition of success, but I have yet to meet someone that doesn’t like a little extra scratch in their bank account.
It’s super easy for me to look around and recognize those that work really hard. I easily recognize when people have stepped up to the plate and proven themselves – usually because they make my life so much easier. For those people, I will zealously advocate for them, including when I think they deserve a raise.
But what if you don’t have that kind of a boss? What if your boss is so busy trying to keep things afloat that things like handing out a raise, to even their top contributors to the company, doesn’t even cross their mind? In those instances, I will tell you, if you don’t advocate for yourself than no one will. There have been times in my life where I was in just that kind of a position…always advocating for someone else but with no one advocating for me. I started feeling a little bitter and resentful. I’m over here busting my chops, getting everyone else raises…and me, my pay was stagnent…even over prolonged periods of time. I started wondering…maybe I’m not worthy? But then, I had to put aside those negative feelings. I knew that I was doing great things…and that I WAS worth it.
My momma used to say “the squeaky wheel gets the grease” and that is so true. So if no one is advocating for you…well, start squeaking! Obviously, go into it with legitimate reasons, and do some research before you just walk in and ask for a raise. You should be able to discuss your accomplishments, places where you have helped maybe save the company money, and have a solid understanding of what the salary range is for your position in the market. Be realistic too. If your company is in a slump, it might not be the best time to ask…but then again you just might be surprised what happens if you just muster up the courage to ask. The worst they can say is “No.” Go for it!
Until next time friends…
~ Memoirs of a Strong Woman ~ 