Requesting advice… I got promoted in September (after waiting over a year to get the promotion) and when I saw the salary increase I didn’t know what to think.

21 Comments

1. AnonymousApril 11,2023 at 7:28PM UTC

   I would suggest discussing a salary increase with your employer. You can state what you have done at work should yield a higher salary. Make sure you show facts, not just a discussion. Also, bring in actual salaries from similar employment (Some areas like Colorado force employers to post salaries for jobs)

2. Victoria ConlyApril 11,2023 at 8:38PM UTC

   You can use tools like pay scale.com to research salaries for your job title in your region. Always a good starting point.

3. AnonymousApril 12,2023 at 6:42PM UTC

   Thanks for the tool!

4. Maegan, Nike Sales Rep & Career CoachApril 12,2023 at 1:33AM UTC

   You can definitely go back and ask for more. The worst that can happen is that they say no or have you wait till your annual review. The key thing is to not compare yourself to what the group is making, but speak to your unique skillsets you bring to the role and market value for the position. I can help you create a conversation plan for your ask so you are comfortable and feel good talking about money & your salary. Here's my link if you want to set up a time - I'll share more of how I can help you! https://maeganmillercoaching.as.me/

5. AnonymousApril 12,2023 at 6:42PM UTC

   Thank you for the response. I may be reaching out for your help!

6. Ankit KumarApril 13,2023 at 12:39PM UTC

   Congratulations on your promotion! It is always a great feeling to receive recognition for your hard work and dedication. When it comes to your salary increase, it is important to remember that money isn't everything. Consider what else the promotion can bring you: more responsibility and opportunities to learn, grow, and advance. With that said, make sure you take the time to negotiate your salary if you feel it is not commensurate with your new position.

7. Caroline DuffyApril 13,2023 at 1:36PM UTC

   More responsibility without more pay isn’t an opportunity, it’s exploitation.

8. AnonymousApril 13,2023 at 1:01PM UTC

   I'd go back and renegotiate, especially if you're confident in your skills. I'd also be looking at other positions. Sometimes You can bring an offer you've received to them as a negotiation tool, but if you believe you are a strong asset to the company, you shouldn't have to do that. You should be paid what you're worth. You might be learning more in the new role, but you will still be doing the work of the new role. If you were good enough to be promoted it means your company knows that. Be fully aware of what everyone is making and the work they are doing. You don't have to bring that up in meetings but should have the info so people can't tell you anything that isn't true in order to get you to accept less, if in fact, that's what they are trying to do.

9. AnonymousApril 13,2023 at 2:30PM UTC

   The promotion- does this have a job description and pay "range" on file with HR? If so, you need to see this. Also, with the promotion--what additional responsibilities are required? more hours, more training, more stress? Also, Look at inflation too (8-9% currently)--inflation needs to be "part" of this raise but not it entirely. Look at all of these things. After trying to get objective data/info from your manager and HR...then sit back and evaluate all of this. If you cannot have a clearly articulated discussion with your manager (and /or HR)--if you feel they are being shady, then it's on you to decide how much you "like" working for this employer. would love to hear an update from you. Talking to your engineer peers won't help- work with what you know and have right now.

10. AnonymousApril 13,2023 at 2:33PM UTC

    Also..I'm not sure of your age/experience...but i see alot of younger employees thinking that they should be making bank (unrealistic expectations, sometimes) just because they've got an engineering (or other) degree. Our economy is in a huge slump right now; have you see the massive layoffs across all industries on LinkedIn? If your employer is struggling (they are all struggling and rearranging margins), then the 40K pay increase you thought you would get is now 12K--just consider this. I would prefer to be happily employed making "less" than my friends, then not...or downsized.

11. AnonymousApril 13,2023 at 4:27PM UTC

    I agree with some of the other comments, especially when it comes to doing the research for your industry, the market rate for your region, and the requirements for the position. What I didn't see much of is the question about the value you bring, knowledge and experience, and why your raise should have been higher. It doesn't matter what your peers are making, if you can't convey your value in a way that warrants a higher cut then you are left to their impression of your worth.

    Remember no one is a bigger advocate for you than you!

    Best of luck!

12. AnonymousApril 13,2023 at 4:28PM UTC

    It depends. Comparing yourself to others in the team is hard because the weighting of compensation in a bigger company is a formula of many things- education, tenure, location, years of experience in the field, technical expertise, etc. Start- if you have not already, tracking your work and do it against others in the team if the work is the same. Then you have some intel to ask for more. Generally most companies do focal or annual or quarterly reviews and stack rank you amidst others and level you into the range that you fit into based upon their compensation bands and structure. If it's a smaller company it may be more random and not as organized. Not knowing which one you are in I would suggest you look across the board in the team and see how you fit into the equation. It's not only that you do more. If you are comparing yourself to others outside of your company perhaps it is time to sniff the market and see what your value is outside of the company if you think you can make more elsewhere though you may trade cash for a culture fit. Never be afraid to ask for what you are worth, if you are truly valued by your employer and you let them know that you are in it for the long term it is a valid conversation. Generally I recommend people research this before they to to work at a company so you are not blindsided by this type of thing at the first review.

13. Clydene HorriganApril 13,2023 at 4:48PM UTC

    One thing to remember is that sometimes pay bands overlap. If you were in the high end of your previous band that may already put you in the low or medium-low band of your current band. Also, when you get promoted, there should be plenty of room to grow professionally as you learn new skills, especially if you now have responsibilities that include management and did not have those previously. These factors mean your proficiency level could be lower in your new role, so if you were regularly rated as a 4 or 5, your next rating could be a 3 or 4. I say this to prepare you for if that should occur at your next review as it is not uncommon for this to happen and is not a bad thing.

14. Kathy LeskiApril 13,2023 at 5:53PM UTC

    Was the promotion a surprise? or did your manager have a discussion with you prior. Were you previously asking for more $$ prior to the promotion.

    One thing I've learned in many years of hiring & my own career path. Asking others what they make has no value unless you are trying to gain data for a lawsuit. Checking industry level pay for your role in your city is a far better way of knowing where you sit. I would always use that as a discussion point vs "I asked, and XX makes YY more."

    You don't even know whether what someone said is accurate. Would you share your actual salary to someone who you believe is not at good as his job as you are- or would you bump it up? Or if you're highly compensated, share that with a new employee or recently promoted employee? That's one reason not to ask. The other, it will NEVER have a win, win outcome. You feel bad, the employee you ask may feel uncomfortable. Your manager will likely not like that you were asking others... Then you find yourself asking what to do now on a community board.

    My advice is if you're happy in your role, and after a good 90 days, gather the info for your role in your city and have a conversation with your manager on getting closer to the mid level the role is compensated in the industry. Ask what her expectations are to improve your compensation. I will warn, some companies are not compensating employees for the role, and provide very little in "raise" $$s to split across all employees in their department. Sometimes, promotions are the only way to get a raise. However, even for a raise, there's usually a limit set.

    Even if you don't get another bump, your manager will now have what comp looks like for that role and will question HR on their current band range.

15. Susan MyersApril 14,2023 at 1:27AM UTC

    Please don't ever share what you make with anyone from the current company and don't ask what others make. Many, many companies have policies in place that restrict the water cooler money talk. As money is a touchy subject and can open up all kinds of problems and upset with management and HR. The best is to do research for local area, state and even country on wages for similar positions. Doing this has more value and real data. Good luck!!

16. AnonymousApril 14,2023 at 1:27PM UTC

    This is a common misconception. Talking about money at work is protected by the National Labor Relations Board so unless the company is not covered by the NLRA, they are in violation by having policies that restrict these conversations.

    https://www.nlrb.gov/about-nlrb/rights-we-protect/your-rights/your-rights-to-discuss-wages#:~:text=Under%20the%20National%20Labor%20Relations,their%20workplace%20about%20their%20wages.

17. 60isthenew40April 13,2023 at 8:42PM UTC

    One thing I've learned in my long career - you will NEVER stay at parity with the market if you stay at one company too long. The best offer you're going to get is the one when you start. After that, raises and promotions are usually only incremental.

    If you want more money and think the job you do warrants it, then look elsewhere. If you really love your company, it's a 50/50 shot that they'll match another company's offer. Most don't because they don't want to start a precedent.

    But a job is more than a paycheck. Consider everything before you make the move. The grass is always greener on the other side.

18. AnonymousApril 17,2023 at 10:50PM UTC

    Except in healthcare.. If you work in health care you're going to be chopped chopped shopped no matter how many years experience..

19. Ankit KumarApril 14,2023 at 5:50AM UTC

    Your are saying right.

20. AnonymousApril 14,2023 at 1:23PM UTC

    See if your state has pay transparency laws:

    https://www.americanprogress.org/article/quick-facts-about-state-salary-range-transparency-laws/#:~:text=Some%20localities%20have%20enacted%20salary,Island%2C%20Washington%2C%20and%20California.

21. Caroline DuffyApril 14,2023 at 4:38PM UTC

    Just because it’s a platitude doesn’t mean it’s inaccurate (and I’m also bummed that it’s something that still needs to be said over and over and over until women start believing it). I’m responding to Ankit, not the OP. Specifically, the remarks: “When it comes to your salary increase, it is important to remember that money isn't everything. Consider what else the promotion can bring you: more responsibility and opportunities to learn, grow, and advance.”

    This is a common but insidious way of thinking that has trapped women for decades into accepting less pay for more work under the guise of gaining experience or improving your resume or “being a team player”. This can be helpful advice for someone in the first few years of their career or someone switching industries, but for a female engineer with years of experience, this is actually a dangerous, costly and dated platitude that benefits the employer, not the employee.

    Our words matter; we have to stop normalizing experience and increased responsibility as it’s own form of payment in professional settings. Making women feel comfortable talking about comp and competitive pay openly and without fear amongst our peers and professional networks needs to become the norm if we’re ever going to achieve salary parity with our male counterparts.