Pay Reviews - Get What You Can
I did a blog entry recently about average Java wages and thought I would do a blog about pay/yearly reviews. I can only talk about my experiences of reviews and they probably aren’t the same as other peoples but perhaps it’s similar to other people out there.
I feel people seem to get a bit too excited about pay reviews and suddenly start to believe they are going to get a massive pay rise from the company. Usually the same company who haven’t sent you on any training for the rest of the year and won’t pay your expenses because you lost the receipt, suddenly people think they are suddenly going to give you a wheelbarrow of cash and a hearty pat on the back (it only happens if you work in sales)
People imagine they are going to get a big pay rise but are much more realistic when it comes to calculating the pay rises that are going to be given to everyone else. I think that in reality everyone is going to get the same percentage wage increase, this is the safest thing to do because it doesn’t single anyone out and its hard to moan to your fellow worker that you think you should get a bigger increase than them.
One of the worse scenarios to be in when working at a company is when you join the company on higher wages than the people who have been working their for ages. They feel it’s unfair they are getting paid less for doing the same job. Well in a word it is but it’s never going to change, so if you don’t like it move jobs. The reason people moving job get paid more is because the company is paying for their experience.
The reason why people who stay at a company get paid less (for the same job sometimes) is because companies give them lower wage increases. Companies in reality will give you a lowest wage increase they think they can get away with. Why do they do this because they can. I actually think this can be a bit of false economy sometimes because if that person leaves to get a better paid job then they are probably going to have to pay someone else an increased wage to replace them (unless they get a young pup and train him up). It also doesn’t take into account the knowledge the person has on the industry and working practises of the company but overall I’m guessing it saves the company a few quid.
It is hope I think that makes us think we might get a massive pay increase, just dreaming of all the things you could buy with the extra money. We expect to much but I think you can still influence the review so that you can get more.
There are things you can improve, things to help you have a better life but I think you have to try and use the system and not be too radical in your training demands.
Training is usually in small companies non-existent or worse. Firstly I would ask for some training and explain the benefits and why you think it would be beneficial to the company (and your CV of course). This is an area I think people can try a bit harder, firstly look for free training courses or conference that you can go on. Secondly try and choose something like an Exam, this may mean doing some work outside of working hours or you could get them to give you an hour or two a week, just remember in the end you will benefit and the company might pay for the exam and a book (because it looks good for them to firstly train people to trick new recruits and they can boast about having qualified programmers). The downside is that you will have to do a bit of work in your time but the benefit is you will be certified and that will always be on your CV.
Ask if the company will buy you a book and maybe give you some time to read it. I know it’s not much but in the end it’s better than nothing. If they are really tight ask if you can have a couple of hours to research technologies that might be useful to the company, you will benefit by learning and keeping up to date with the new technology. I know the last few things don’t seem like much but they are better nothing and the company would like to give you something which isn’t going to cost them much, be proactive and offer them some solutions.
Wages
The real bottom line of any pay review/yearly review. Firstly if you haven’t got the pay rise you think you deserve put your self in your employees shows, what would you do if you were in their shoes and what do you think you were realistically going to get. I am of the opinion really that they have decided your pay rise (or no pay rise) before you have the review and nothing you say is going to change their mind but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try.
I saw someone recently who told his boss that he wasn’t happy with his pay rise and then the next day they offered some more. I suppose what I am trying to say is, if you don’t tell them you are unhappy with the pay review how are they going to know. Don’t be rude and start sulking/shouting but just state you are unhappy, say why you are unhappy and the reasons for that. I think it would probably help your cause to maybe get some industry averages to back up your case, perhaps ask if you could have your wage validated (unless you think you are being over paid of course).
If all else fails ask if you can earn a pay rise by reaching a target of some kind or becoming qualified/certified.
Responsability
This is a good way of becoming more important, gaining more skills, showing you want to progress (you’re a company man). If your job is going now where try and get more responsibility by suggesting to your boss a new project and some time to do it. This suggestion is something to do if you are eager to move your career on and not if you want an easy life because it will be a case of giving yourself more work and responsibility.
Summary
In the end if you aren’t happy with your pay review then start looking for another job, vote with your feet. Quite a few people who have been in a job a long time seem to develop the fear over moving jobs but I would say that if you work hard and are good at your job, what have you got to fear. You will probably get more money if you move (but money isn’t everything of course) and changing jobs can be positive in many ways, a new challenge. There is also the possibility that if you are as good as you think you are they could always match the wages of your new role.
This blog has been a bit of brain dump today but what I think I am trying to say (using lots of words) is that don’t get your hopes up, pay reviews/yearly reviews are often a bit of an anti climax but if you want to get the most out of them you have to be pro active and put some effort in to try and get the results from it you want. Don’t sit there and let your boss do all the talking, get in there and get what you can, the worse than can do is say no and at least you know you tried.
I feel people seem to get a bit too excited about pay reviews and suddenly start to believe they are going to get a massive pay rise from the company. Usually the same company who haven’t sent you on any training for the rest of the year and won’t pay your expenses because you lost the receipt, suddenly people think they are suddenly going to give you a wheelbarrow of cash and a hearty pat on the back (it only happens if you work in sales)
People imagine they are going to get a big pay rise but are much more realistic when it comes to calculating the pay rises that are going to be given to everyone else. I think that in reality everyone is going to get the same percentage wage increase, this is the safest thing to do because it doesn’t single anyone out and its hard to moan to your fellow worker that you think you should get a bigger increase than them.
One of the worse scenarios to be in when working at a company is when you join the company on higher wages than the people who have been working their for ages. They feel it’s unfair they are getting paid less for doing the same job. Well in a word it is but it’s never going to change, so if you don’t like it move jobs. The reason people moving job get paid more is because the company is paying for their experience.
The reason why people who stay at a company get paid less (for the same job sometimes) is because companies give them lower wage increases. Companies in reality will give you a lowest wage increase they think they can get away with. Why do they do this because they can. I actually think this can be a bit of false economy sometimes because if that person leaves to get a better paid job then they are probably going to have to pay someone else an increased wage to replace them (unless they get a young pup and train him up). It also doesn’t take into account the knowledge the person has on the industry and working practises of the company but overall I’m guessing it saves the company a few quid.
It is hope I think that makes us think we might get a massive pay increase, just dreaming of all the things you could buy with the extra money. We expect to much but I think you can still influence the review so that you can get more.
There are things you can improve, things to help you have a better life but I think you have to try and use the system and not be too radical in your training demands.
Training is usually in small companies non-existent or worse. Firstly I would ask for some training and explain the benefits and why you think it would be beneficial to the company (and your CV of course). This is an area I think people can try a bit harder, firstly look for free training courses or conference that you can go on. Secondly try and choose something like an Exam, this may mean doing some work outside of working hours or you could get them to give you an hour or two a week, just remember in the end you will benefit and the company might pay for the exam and a book (because it looks good for them to firstly train people to trick new recruits and they can boast about having qualified programmers). The downside is that you will have to do a bit of work in your time but the benefit is you will be certified and that will always be on your CV.
Ask if the company will buy you a book and maybe give you some time to read it. I know it’s not much but in the end it’s better than nothing. If they are really tight ask if you can have a couple of hours to research technologies that might be useful to the company, you will benefit by learning and keeping up to date with the new technology. I know the last few things don’t seem like much but they are better nothing and the company would like to give you something which isn’t going to cost them much, be proactive and offer them some solutions.
Wages
The real bottom line of any pay review/yearly review. Firstly if you haven’t got the pay rise you think you deserve put your self in your employees shows, what would you do if you were in their shoes and what do you think you were realistically going to get. I am of the opinion really that they have decided your pay rise (or no pay rise) before you have the review and nothing you say is going to change their mind but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try.
I saw someone recently who told his boss that he wasn’t happy with his pay rise and then the next day they offered some more. I suppose what I am trying to say is, if you don’t tell them you are unhappy with the pay review how are they going to know. Don’t be rude and start sulking/shouting but just state you are unhappy, say why you are unhappy and the reasons for that. I think it would probably help your cause to maybe get some industry averages to back up your case, perhaps ask if you could have your wage validated (unless you think you are being over paid of course).
If all else fails ask if you can earn a pay rise by reaching a target of some kind or becoming qualified/certified.
Responsability
This is a good way of becoming more important, gaining more skills, showing you want to progress (you’re a company man). If your job is going now where try and get more responsibility by suggesting to your boss a new project and some time to do it. This suggestion is something to do if you are eager to move your career on and not if you want an easy life because it will be a case of giving yourself more work and responsibility.
Summary
In the end if you aren’t happy with your pay review then start looking for another job, vote with your feet. Quite a few people who have been in a job a long time seem to develop the fear over moving jobs but I would say that if you work hard and are good at your job, what have you got to fear. You will probably get more money if you move (but money isn’t everything of course) and changing jobs can be positive in many ways, a new challenge. There is also the possibility that if you are as good as you think you are they could always match the wages of your new role.
This blog has been a bit of brain dump today but what I think I am trying to say (using lots of words) is that don’t get your hopes up, pay reviews/yearly reviews are often a bit of an anti climax but if you want to get the most out of them you have to be pro active and put some effort in to try and get the results from it you want. Don’t sit there and let your boss do all the talking, get in there and get what you can, the worse than can do is say no and at least you know you tried.
posted by The Hosk at
7:57 pm
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