I ran across this Yahoo piece on how to get a higher salary from your workplace and thought that point #4 was worth repeating. It lists three tips to help you get a raise as follows:
Have a plan. Position yourself as an irreplaceable employee. Plan to take on additional work, volunteer for special projects with higher-ups, and master other tasks that make you stand out from the crowd.
Keep track of your progress. Don't spend six months trying to stand out only to forget all you've done when you're in front of your boss. Instead, Lieberman advises, "Keep an informal journal that lists what you've accomplished. Show how you've saved money and time, increased income, or created a new methodology. If you want a 10 or 15 percent increase, you have to show that you've contributed in a major way."
Don't beg -- request a raise! People falter when they're in the hot seat if they're not prepared, believes Lieberman. Instead of thinking of a raise as a gift or begging, he states, "You're reminding your employer of your value." If you've laid the proper groundwork and can speak confidently and specifically about your accomplishments, Lieberman says, "It will be really tough for a boss to turn a blind eye to that."
Yep. That's pretty much what I said in How to Ask for a Raise, but it's worth repeating. So many people simply take whatever raise their employer gives them and leaves it at that. For many people, that's simply leaving a lot of money on the table.
If you're either 1) paid well below the market rate for someone with your experience/position or 2) a star performer that delivers stellar results, then you're a great candidate for a raise. (BTW, if you're both, you're in line for a BIG raise. For an example, see how one FMF reader got a big bump in pay.)
For more on getting a raise, check out these posts:
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