7 Keys

To Getting a Pay Raise

January 10, 2005, the Orange County Register printed Norm’s article on how to increase your compensation. In this piece, he stressed seven key points:

1.  Keep a private list of your accomplishments.

2.  Ask how else you can be of assistance to your boss.

3.  Help others in the office.

4.  Never share your intentions with others in the office.

5.  Do not threaten to leave.

6.  Have a firm grasp of your worth.

7.  Develop performance objectives with your boss.

“Thank you Norman for helping and advising me in getting a great compensation package, including outstanding benefits. . . .” Helena Hagen, B.A., Program Director

Renowned Pay Raise Expert Shares the Top 5 Ways to Get a Pay Raise

The Pay Raise Coach recommends marketing your accomplishments to maximize your value.

January 21, 2005 (Online Press Release) According to Norman Lieberman, executive recruiter and owner of The Pay Raise Coach, “What have you done for me lately?” is the operative question to ask before seeking a pay raise.

Everyone wants more money, but seeking a raise doesn’t assure getting one. At pay raise time, it is paramount to bring all accomplishments to the boss’s attention.

Mr. Lieberman explains, “Bosses have short memories. Have you added value to the job since your last raise? Cost-of-living raises of around 2% don’t count as a raise. That merely keeps you close to even with inflation. You want at least 5%, and preferably closer to 10% or more.”

The following five tips will dramatically increase the chances of winning a satisfactory and successful raise:

  1. Maintain a list of accomplishments since your last pay increase. Neatly type the list in a bullet format, and use metrics to demonstrate the degree of your success. Example: Instead of saying, “I learned how to run the high-speed press,” say, “I have increased output of widgets by 108%, while reducing production time by 16%.”
  2. Well in advance of asking for a raise, assist co-workers and your boss by helping with their excess projects. Learning various roles increases your value to the company, as well as your value directly to the boss. He certainly won’t want the work you’re now doing given back to him.
  3. Never, ever tell anyone connected with your firm–even your closest work friends–that you intend to seek a raise. People talk, and that talk can hurt your pay raise chances.
  4. Never give personal excuses for securing a raise. Excuses like, “Everyone else is paid more,” or “My car is old and in need of repairs,” are not legitimate corporate reasons to give you a raise. Negotiate based on contributions to the job and you’ll get respect and more money.
  5. Typically, the best way to get the largest jump in salary is by going elsewhere, where accomplishments and achievements are still of utmost importance. These qualities may secure as much as a 30% increase at a new firm, where new employees’ skills may be more appreciated than at previous jobs. The new firm sees strong accomplishments and presence in an interview in stark comparison to what they don’t have.

“One example, out of hundreds,” explains Mr. Lieberman, “is an Environmental Planner that I recently helped twice to get a total of 49.5% in pay increases. Many employees leave thousands of dollars on the table for the employer to pocket instead of themselves.

Remember that just $1 per hour raise equals $2,080 per year in your bank account.”

In spite of many layoffs in the past few years, employers always need outstanding employees who add value, and paying them several dollars more per hour is still less expensive than to invest in an unknown from the outside.

 

How could a pay raise of just a few dollars an hour affect the lives of you and your family?