Things to Never Say: What to Never Ask When You Want a Raise (Part 1)

Asking for a raise is one of the most daunting, stressful things to do. You’re in a job position for quite some time now and you feel like you deserve a higher pay grade. Maybe you’re in a tough financial situation and you feel you’ve done pretty well to deserve an increase. Maybe it’s an entirely different reason. Whatever it is, there are many pitfalls you can avoid – be careful of your words and remember to never utter the following statements (or variations of them).

When you are trying to convince your boss or anyone to invest in you (even more than they have already done so), try not to start negatively. In general, avoid complaining right off the bat!

Yes, your firm understands that you have not gotten an increase in the past five years despite your above-average performance and you are upset about it – it’s understandable. You also however have to understand that unless you are lucky enough to be in a recession-proof company, times have been tough for nearly everyone and a lot of companies are still trying to either recover from it or are still starting from scratch due to it. Prove that you are valuable and try not to come off as such a negative Nancy who is self-absorbed and lazy.

There is a cliché that states that timing is everything. When your company is at a high point, enjoying record-breaking sales and experiencing fat profit margins, going through expansions, and other similar positive events, then yes, by all means! Strike while the iron is proverbially hot.

However, if there have been tens, maybe even hundreds of people are being let go left and right, and if every employee has been receiving e-mail reminders and surveys about cutting costs, maybe asking for that raise isn’t such a good idea.

Once again, stating the obvious isn’t helping you or your employer. No, we’re not necessarily saying that your thought is wrong, as doing more than your “fair share” really isn’t such a great thing to experience. The thing is, you’re probably not the only one. There is a high chance a lot of you are doing the work of more than one person since the economy tanked a few years back.

Remember you’re probably not the only one impacted by this, and only recently has the economy started to pick itself back up again. Try to highlight your accomplishments instead, rather than coming off across as whiny – believe us, you’ll have better luck getting a few extra bucks in your pay check.

We are 100% sure your company’s HR department has complete records of your hire date. Chances are, your boss knows your work anniversary or that the HR would inform him or her at least a few weeks prior. So unless you have done something spectacular, or if you negotiated some sort of performance review or raise after such a time period, you being at that company for a year or two means zilch.

Remember, just because you have occupied a position for a certain amount of time doesn’t automatically mean you deserve a raise. For most companies, it’s quality and not quantity. It’s not always about seniority based on time spent – it’s seniority based on time well spent. If you say something along the lines of “Well, I have been here for a year now boss so I want a raise,” you’re probably not going to be awarded it.

There are a few more things you should never utter when asking for a raise, which will be discussed in the next part of this two-part series. For more hire-ability tips and questions about staffing, contact us here or via social media. We’d be happy to help!

At Hire Up Staffing we offer a wide variety of positions in various industries with very competitive pay and benefits! To become a part of our extended team, call us today at (559)579-1331 or apply now by CLICKING HERE

In the future you may even use our very own advice when asking for a raise!