Negotiating Salary Growth Without Leaving - Help, please!

9 Comments

1. AmyDecember 29,2022 at 6:21PM UTC

   Great question!

   I am interested in doing this too.

   At my former job, I mentioned my length of time there and accomplishments that had a direct positive effect on the company. I kept them current. Love that you are in a succession plan for a SVP. I would mention that . Also some say to mention the comparable salaries of others in your industry / city. I did not. I did succeed in getting a few thousand dollars over my yearly raise, and I got them to back date it for 6mths, meaning I had one paycheck that was very high. But I was like you, still several thousand dollars below the average salary.

   I would also google 'how to ask for more than a percentage raise' to get more advice.

   Good luck and let us know how it goes!

2. Joan Williams, Senior Talent Acquisition SpecialistDecember 30,2022 at 6:08AM UTC

   Let me preface this entire comment by saying that I would be remiss if I did not point out that salary negotiations always have the potential to backfire - especially for women.

   I am IN NO WAY trying to discourage you, I just want you to go into this with your eyes open. I would recommend you update your resume and potentially start exploring options asap.

   And these are my personal opinions and suggestions - you could ask 5 other people and get 5 different answers.

   So you've been talking about a new role - has compensation come up at all in any of the discussions? If not, why not?

   YOU WROTE:

   "The one sore spot is with compensation - salaries are low throughout the company. "

   Let's start with your current position. What is the salary band for that role and where are you within that salary band? You've been with the company for 20 years but you didn't say how long you've been in your current position.

   Based on your description of your performance - Employee of the Year, CONGRATULATIONS! - I should think you'd be close to or at the top of your salary band. If you're not, why aren't you? You didn't mention the potential timeline for this transition to a new role but if you find out you're not where you should be within the salary band for your current position, you might want to consider negotiating a raise now - it would narrow the gap when you get your promotion.

   YOU SAID:

   "In looking at similar roles on job sites, it seems that a position such as this commands a salary that is significantly - SIGNIFICANTLY - higher than what I earn. As in, $30k more than what I earn on the low end."

   So start gathering your data. When they come to you with this new role - if they have not brought up compensation (which they SHOULD), one of your first questions should be "what does the compensation package (base, yearly performance bonus, stock, etc.) for this role look like?" DO NOT be afraid of silence when you're talking about money. And most definitely don't apologize or say "I'm just wondering". And if they come back with some BS like "we haven't really thought about that yet" (that's BS, they have) - say "ok, well you work that up and we can continue this discussion when you know what the comp package looks like".

   And why are you only talking about the low end of the salary band? An Employee of the Year should not be looking at the bottom of the salary band.

   Because you will have done your research, you should have an idea if they're being fair when they lay out the compensation package. If they low ball you on the comp, be prepared, hit them with the facts - this is what comparable positions are paying on a base, this is the bonus structure, stock, etc.

   YOU WROTE:

   "I don’t feel I should have to leave to get paid a fair market value for the role"

   You SHOULDN'T have to leave to get fair market value but many times you do.

   YOU WROTE:

   "not that I expect a $30k/year raise, necessarily" Why not? If that's what the position would pay someone else, why shouldn't YOU be paid that? And again, don't just be looking at bottom of the salary band - don't sell yourself short.

   YOU WROTE:

   "How do I avoid getting stuck with a percentage based increase over my current salary instead of the salary that matches the role?"

   I suggest you think about how they would treat an external candidate they were interviewing for the new role - they wouldn't be offering them a percentage over what they are currently making. Mostly because it's illegal in many places to ask that, so they wouldn't know.

   I think letting them know as soon as possible in the process that compensation is important to you is the best way for you to start advocating for yourself. Many times if they realize they can't steamroll you on comp, they realize they better be fair - or maybe they'll try being generous!

   There also may be a company policy (be careful that it's not some BS made up policy just for you) about raises can only be so much percentage. If that's truly the case, you ask them what their plan is to get you to$XXXXXX compensation - can they give you the maximum percentage now and the maximum percentage again in 3 or 6 months and again in 3 or 6 months to get you to where you should be. What about a sign on or retention bonus? I've had candidates get raises AND a $50k retention bonus. The only issue with that is you want to get your base as high as possible as fast as possible because your future raises will be based on your base.

   If this is the kind of arrangement you wind up with, have every single detail laid out clearly IN WRITING.

   Compensation is not everything - money is never going to make a sh*t job into a better job but it is important. It's not ok to underpay someone just because you can. You have to decide how important being paid fairly is to you.

   This should not be about what you're currently making. It should be about the new position and what the compensation range looks like for that.

   I realize salary negotiations are walking a fine line - you don't want to low ball nor high ball yourself. But you deserve to be paid fairly. And some times walking away is the only way to make that happen. Once you open this can of worms, you have to be prepared for that possibility.

   Please let me know if you have any questions and keep us posted on what happens.

   GOOD LUCK!

3. AnonymousDecember 30,2022 at 1:39PM UTC

   You don’t feel you should have to leave to be paid more? Join the club. It may not be fair and might not even make sense to you but some companies just don’t care or don’t think they can pay more.

   i stayed worked for a company that skipped raises 2 years in a row and then made it up to everyone the 3rd year with fabulous raises. I now work for a company that hasn’t given raises in at least 10 years. I stay because of the health insurance (ill child) but my advice is not to stay where you aren’t being fairly compensated. If they haven’t done so in 20 years, don’t take it personally. Give them the chance to make things right and then look for a company with compensation more in line with your expectations.

4. Julie EDecember 30,2022 at 6:06PM UTC

   Tell them you're excited about the role and when they bring up compensation, tell them that you did some market research and similar companies with similar roles are paying this much and you would like to be paid accordingly. Ask for more than you would expect to get because you can always negotiate down but not up.

   My company reclassified jobs last year and I discovered I was being paid below the salary range I'm in a similar position. I mentioned it to my manager and was able to get a raise that put me at the bottom of the salary range but I still don't feel like that's enough. I do way more than an entry level employee in the role would do. I created a process for the company that saves them money. I've been told there's a promotion opportunity coming after the first of the year and I'm going to apply and ask for a $30,000 a year pay increase. The worst they can say is no and come back with a lower number. I think a lot of us women are afraid to ask and sometimes that's why men get paid more. They're more fearless when it comes to salary negotiations. I've learned to be that way. Give them the number and let them speak. Don't try to buffer it. Just go for it!

5. AnonymousDecember 31,2022 at 12:07AM UTC

   Unfortunately staying with the same company for 20 years will impact your earnings. This is just the reality. The best you can do is make the argument for high compensation by summarizing market comps and your stellar experience and success highlights. Tie your "wins" to the bottom line of the company and furthering its mission

   Other than that there is litter to do

   It's not horrible to trade uncertainty and risk building your career at a number of companies in favor of safety, predictability and a nice company. That's the tradeoff

6. Dena B.December 31,2022 at 3:57PM UTC

   Get documentation from salary.com and present that.

7. AnonymousJanuary 1,2023 at 12:59PM UTC

   You do you homework and drive the process. 20 years with the same company is a difficult situation. No one can justify bumping you up to market value since it's clear you're not going anywhere.

   When you hire someone with a varied background the perception is that are worth more because they are seasoned and have been exposed to a greater variety of experience and bring that added experience to the company. This is not to say your experience is not valuable but it's insulated and limited to a single company experience. Unfortunately that translates to less money.

   Stick with using the market comparables and titles and remind them of your commitment to the company.

8. AnonymousJanuary 12,2023 at 1:01AM UTC

   I understand. I am in the same boat as well. I work in the education industry; however, my role is not in education. Somewhere else, like a corporate environment, I could make at least $20K- 30K more a year. However, I love where I work. It can be a tough decision. I wrangle with it myself. You have to decide if you are willing to leave and if the money is worth it should things not go your way.

   I have one suggestion: Do you have a number that would get you to leave should someone else offer it, or if your company will not give you a raise to a certain amount? I have my leave number. It is on the high side of market rate, but I am in a role where I hear from recruiters at least once a month. I have yet to get my number matched with someone reaching out that meets all my criteria, but I have not searched for another job actively either. I would look at what number will get you to stay and be happy, and what numbers would make you leave.

9. AnonymousJanuary 13,2023 at 1:44AM UTC

   It may be hard to get the pay you need, especially if it is lower across the company. Some companies and industries pay lower. Start ups, education, and non profits all tend to pay lower. If you are in an industry like that it may be due to funding/ financial reasons. If they do not have the money, then their hands may be tied. Especially, if the pay is lower across the board at the company.

   One thing to look out for if you do decide to leave is the total rewards or benefits listed elsewhere. For example, in education you tend to get amazing medical and retirement benefits. A raise that is not significantly higher and does not have robust benefits may not end up being better off financially in the long run.

   To get them to move, I would show market rate reports for your position, education, and experience. Get them from multiple sources and use as many data points as to why you are not being paid fairly for what you do and the success you have had for the company.