Ask HN: How to properly ask for a raise during my upcoming review?

[archivethis]

I have a review coming up. Been working for this current company for about a year, been making 70K for about 2 years (lack of healthy negotiation on my part).

They hired me as a junior and very much act in a senior role. Leading development effort on multiple projects, unofficial manager roles, etc.

Data Engineer by trade, average salary with my experience in my current area is between 90K - 100K.

Couple questions:

Should I try and justify that salary amount even though the raise would be significant? Either way I plan to bring supporting documentation for salary average and past/present contributions.

I have to fill out a self review form, does it make sense to put something about proposing a raise in that document, or just wait until the actual review?

Anything else I should do that might not be obvious?

Thanks!

[x0ry]

There was a great read on HN from yesterday actually covering just this: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=9807877

I'm in a very similar situation at my job and attempted to negotiate from 80 to 100 but was unsuccessful. (This was about 4 weeks ago.) Despite bringing data to support my claims, some companies won't give in until you turn in your two weeks notice. My recommendation, read this article and then amp up your BATNA by interviewing with other companies first. You have nothing to lose, so why not shoot for 120? They may counter with 80/90 but regardless if you decide to take the job, this makes for great leverage if you ultimately decide to stay with your current employer.

[skylark]

If you work at a large corporation, your manager might not be able to swing a large raise for you, even if it's totally justified.

At my current place, our manager gets a pool of roughly 2% per developer to allocate for raises. An 80k to 100k raise would be literally impossible because even if you ate up the entire pot by yourself, it still wouldn't be enough.

On top of this, the more senior developers are probably consistently given slightly larger raises than the previous year - giving you more would require them to get less, which poses a large risk for your manager. It's a tough situation to be in.

By giving your two week notice, managers are immediately given room to negotiate with HR to produce a counter offer. This does not count towards the yearly raise-pool and can sometimes be the only way to actually get a sizable raise.

My suggestion to the parent poster is to dust off the resume and start looking for another job if you feel unappreciated.

[zhte415]

This is a tangent, and not a slight on your or the OPs manager, but important and advice to other: The more important /senior /influential person you report to, the more room you have (for interesting work - better stuff gets delegated, growth, someone to learn from, salary, promotion, other stuff). And often, because of a larger and larger gap, they'd often be more appreciative of the freshness and perspective you could bring.

"Your grade is less important than the person you report to" I've heard said, and I've seen it work out in every aspect of the above (even in larger, 200000+ people organisations).

My advice, for getting a job in large corps: Report to someone at least 3 levels above you, preferably 5. The gap is hugely fulfilling, and at that level, they can carry you where they go / provide awesome recommendations to their also senior network if your direction is different.

[archivethis]

In a fairly OK position then. Contract for another agency, but mostly just work with the agency and see company manager rarely. I report directly to the team supervisor, other sub teams have separate leads but developers report direct to the supervisor with no lead

[archivethis]

Thanks for the reply. I did actually see that post from yesterday (probably should have mentioned that, it was really well written. Was curious if not negotiating starting this job would negatively impact the proposed raise, which seems like I should just go for it anyway and see what happens.

Do you know if I should just wait until my face to face meeting and not mention asking for a raise in my self review form?

[x0ry]

Choose your strengths. If you've got a nice presentation of market salary data, do it in writing / if you are great with face to face interaction, bring it to your next 1x1.

[JSeymourATL]

If you have time, suggest reading Stuart Diamond's book Getting More.

Make the conversation about them, be sure to understand the 'pictures-in-their-heads', help lead them to making a decision.

Compensation is best discussed during an face-to-face meeting with the boss. No need to mention it on your self-evaluation form.

Here's a short article with some of his recommendations on negotiating a raise> http://fortune.com/2013/04/25/time-to-negotiate-for-a-raise-...

[alain94040]

Here's how you want to do it: "I love my job here, but I keep getting calls from people offering me 90-100K. I don't want to leave, can you help?"

The important points:

- make sure the amounts you quote are realistic.

- do not hint that you are thinking of leaving. You are not.

This is the clearest way I know to point out what your market value is, without burning any bridges.

Ideally, you'd want this to be a true story: have anyone hinted to you that they'd like to hire you for more?

[archivethis]

That is an interesting tactic I would not have thought about, and not necessarily untrue. I love my co-workers and the work, so hoping the raise thing works out. Thank you!

[codeonfire]

You're in a better position if you resign first, although you'll probably just lose your job. Obviously it's time to change companies.