June 17, 2010 at 7:49 am
I've had a very good year with my company. Over the last year I have implemented a number of processes that have saved countless man hours and allowed our company to do things it never could before. In at least two instances, my processes have saved employees 3-4 hours of work each day.
On top of (and because of) these tremendous cost savings to the company, I was voted MVP of the company last year.
Further, I spent a great deal of my personal time studying for my MCTS certification. This has had both hard and soft benefits to the company. Much of the knowledge I have gained has gone into practice immediately. Our database is much less vulnerable to disaster as a result of this knowledge. I've also made a big push towards best practices, and our database monitoring is top notch. In short, my position in the company is transitioning (quickly) from developer to full dba. I am the primary and only administrator for our SQL Server database, and my role in the company is pivotal.
I am also the strongest IT person in our company. This is evidenced by the fact that my boss micro-manages the other two employees (who make more than I do), while I am allowed to work independently. On several instances, my boss has praised me for this quality. Also, I am routinely tasked by other employees with things they don't entrust the other IT personnel with. I am dependable and have an attention to detail that my counterparts do not.
Our company is also doing well. There was a lull when the economy was faltering, but we have bounced back and are stronger than ever. Our numbers are looking good, and there is no sign they will change. My argument to my boss is that this is a good time to invest in your strong players.
Given all of this, I should have no trouble getting a raise, right? Wrong. My review date has come and past (a month and a half ago). I made sure my boss knew it was coming. I made sure he knew it was important to me. HR gave him a month to complete it. I made sure he knew when it was due. But still, I haven't heard anything...
At this point, I don't know what I should do. I feel like I'm bullying my boss, but I really don't think I should have to go through all this just to get a prompt raise. I'm trying not to get emotional about it, but it's getting very emotional for me. I have to work every day in this atmosphere where they're sending me the message that I am not a priority. My ambition is faltering. Why am I working so hard to excel if it's only going to be taken advantage of?
Much of the problem is the extremely lax policies HR has with regard to review. I've long felt that giving managers a month (after the review date, not before) to complete a review is ridiculous. Give them a month and they'll take a month. Worse, there's no real accountability, so when it's not done in a month, no one suffers but the employee. In fact, the company actually benefits because they don't offer retropay. In a very subtle way, they are stealing from me.
At this point, I'm sure you're wondering why I would even work for this place. In every other regard, this is a great company to work for. I actually really like my boss. I like the company, and I find my job challenging and (usually) rewarding. There's also a certain risk involved with moving jobs. That's not to say that I'm not willing; in fact I'm starting to look into opportunities. I really don't think it's personal; my boss is very front-loaded - but doing my review is his job. Also, being busy is all the more reason to make sure that the assets the assist you every day are taken properly care of.
At this point I think the best avenue is to schedule a brief 15 minute conversation with my boss (so he's not blind-sided), to discuss why I think I deserve a raise. Most importantly, however, I think I deserve a prompt response when I ask for a raise, but I'm not sure how to pose that to my boss. I don't want to be too aggressive, but at the same time I won't be respected if I'm not at least a little assertive.
What do you think I should do?
--J
June 17, 2010 at 7:53 am
jvanderberg (6/17/2010)
What do you think I should do?--J
Resign from BP and get a job with TexasOil.
For fast, accurate and documented assistance in answering your questions, please read this article.
Understanding and using APPLY, (I) and (II) Paul White
Hidden RBAR: Triangular Joins / The "Numbers" or "Tally" Table: What it is and how it replaces a loop Jeff Moden
June 17, 2010 at 7:56 am
Chris Morris-439714 (6/17/2010)
jvanderberg (6/17/2010)
What do you think I should do?--J
Resign from BP and get a job with TexasOil.
Please be constructive.
June 17, 2010 at 8:23 am
Unreserved apologies, jvanderberg, for appearing shallow - however the remark passes the logic test. It appears your employers have no intention of raising your salary at the current threat level: money is generally tight and programmers are plentiful and cheap.
If increasing the threat level fails to elicit the response you expect, then switch to another company.
All these great achievements benefit you more than the company - you're now a far more valuable commodity than when you started. However companies rarely match salary to employee value when there's a very significant change in that value. Look at junior accountants, HR practitioners etc passing their exams, they rarely hop from junior rate to qualified rate, more commonly they change company.
I'm guessing from your post - and your response - that this is causing you some anguish. Polish up your old cv, take some pride in the new entries, and take a butchers at the job websites to see for real how much you are now worth.
Best wishes
ChrisM
For fast, accurate and documented assistance in answering your questions, please read this article.
Understanding and using APPLY, (I) and (II) Paul White
Hidden RBAR: Triangular Joins / The "Numbers" or "Tally" Table: What it is and how it replaces a loop Jeff Moden
June 17, 2010 at 8:37 am
Regardless of all of that, shouldn't I still be able to get a review? Of course I want a raise, but I'd be reasonably satisfied if they'd just manage my expectations. Telling me a month and then making me wait for a month and a half in silence is not managing expectations...
Telling me they can't give me a raise and giving me a reason would actually be better than what they are doing now.
--J
June 17, 2010 at 8:45 am
Chris Morris-439714 (6/17/2010)Resign from BP and get a job with TexasOil.
That's funny :w00t:
Anyway...
I was in the same boat 2 companies back. I worked more than the 8 hours in a day to support everything that ran on the network. People knew I had the answer or I knew who did. I was not expecting to get a raise or promotion but the uppers knew I had put in for it. When it came about I got promoted but actually ended up leaving.
I did not hate working there, actually enjoyed the stuff I got to play with and support. I had a little bit of room when I needed to get off for family things, etc. The amount of time I was putting into that job out-wayed the amount of time I spent with family and such so I needed to get out of that environment. I mean some of the women there cried when they found out I put in my notice. I have spoken with people since I left and said that part of the IT "help" sucks now.
So, if you are not getting what you want out of the job (money or whatever) go look somewhere else. I guarentee you if you send your boss an *email* stating, "I have enjoyed working for the company but believe it is time for me to move on to the next stage in my career. I releaize there are a few things I do here (support/maintain) that has become vital to the company, if you can assign a particular individual that I need to pass my knowledge onto it will in my transition out of the company." (something to that nature), you will find out where you stand with him.
Now it will depend on your situation as to when you send that email, if you wait until you have a bite, or do it to inform them you are going to start looking. You are a better judge about that, but in some circumstances telling them up front you are looking can cause some contention with people.
Shawn Melton
Twitter: @wsmelton
Blog: wsmelton.github.com
Github: wsmelton
June 17, 2010 at 8:48 am
Dust off your cv and start looking for other opportunities. This should give you an idea of what the market thinks of your worth. You can then use this to your advantage if there are any negotiations as to a salary raise.
I have rarely recieved a significant pay rise without moving jobs. It was always the usual 1-3% per annum pay rise. Then I walked. Another company offered me an extra 40% to work for them. I didn't have to think too hard about their offer.
As for reviews, I have always found them to be a complete waste of time. Managers also believe they are a waste of time and see them as a box ticking exercise for HR purposes.
However, it is a tough economy out there. Don't walk unless you have a new role to go to.
HTH and good luck.
June 17, 2010 at 8:53 am
I guess the message I'm getting is clear. Thanks for the help.
--J
June 17, 2010 at 9:00 am
One thing to bear in mind if you are leaving a firm. Always do it on good terms and professionally. There is always the possibility of work with them in the future.
To add to my story above - my new role was awful. I hated it. The money was good but the job sucked. However, my old employer asked if I would consider going back. They were happy to match the money I was receiving from my new employer at the time. So we had a happy ending. Oh, and never threaten to walk unless you are able to follow it through.
June 17, 2010 at 9:09 am
My intention at this time is to continue to hammer my boss (I have little to lose), while exploring other opportunities. I won't be issuing any threats, or even let them know that I am looking into other opportunities. If an opportunity becomes available, I will explore it. Only at that time will I inform my boss.
The reality is that it would cost my company a small fortune to replace me. Moving even a well-qualified person into my position would take a long time, and would be a major headache for my boss. He already has his hands full managing the other two IT resources. I make his life easier and he knows it. With the time required to hire someone, the risks involved (even with proper vetting, you still get bad employees), and the time to train and for the new person to acclimated him/herself with my large code base, I highly doubt he's going to want to let me go. Unfortunately, however, I may very well need to have another opportunity on the line before he meets my demands. At that point, it may be too late.
--J
June 17, 2010 at 9:14 am
Is your goal a raise or a review from your boss's point of view? These are not the same thing, and I have to say, it's unclear from your posts which one is more motivational to you. Your posts seem more hung up on the business process of the review, and not so much on the raise other than as a milestone that the review is completed and positive.
Doing a review is tedious paperwork. If your goal is a raise, make it easy for the boss: send him an email that he can cut and paste with the pertinent bullet points (ie, labor saved by new process development, risk reduced by redesign, MVP, etc). Let him know you want one, and be ready that if he asks directly what you want, you are prepared to state a concrete number or range (justified of course by results and market conditions). If he knows what he needs to arm-wrestle from the CFO or whoever to keep his department running smoothly, then he can do that, instead of accepting a budget imposed from above. If cash is truly tight, I know I'd consider each additional week of time off as good as any 2% portion of a cash raise.
June 17, 2010 at 9:14 am
Out of interest, how large is the firm you work for?
June 17, 2010 at 9:22 am
keith.gerritsen (6/17/2010)
Is your goal a raise or a review from your boss's point of view? These are not the same thing, and I have to say, it's unclear from your posts which one is more motivational to you. Your posts seem more hung up on the business process of the review, and not so much on the raise other than as a milestone that the review is completed and positive.Doing a review is tedious paperwork. If your goal is a raise, make it easy for the boss: send him an email that he can cut and paste with the pertinent bullet points (ie, labor saved by new process development, risk reduced by redesign, MVP, etc). Let him know you want one, and be ready that if he asks directly what you want, you are prepared to state a concrete number or range (justified of course by results and market conditions). If he knows what he needs to arm-wrestle from the CFO or whoever to keep his department running smoothly, then he can do that, instead of accepting a budget imposed from above. If cash is truly tight, I know I'd consider each additional week of time off as good as any 2% portion of a cash raise.
I'm interested in a raise, but the review process is a required component of getting a raise. We actually haven't even gotten to the point in the discussion where I have the opportunity to bullet point my strengths, or even let him know how much I am asking for. I will say: the amount I will be asking for, he might be a little bit uncomfortable with. It is, however, still less than any other IT person is making. He might not have any problem with it though, I think it's very reasonable, and I can state a really good case for it. I also don't think his boss will have a problem with it at all. His boss is the CEO, who knows how valuable I am. From the CEO's perspective, I really think it's a no-brainer.
--J
June 17, 2010 at 9:26 am
rjohal-500813 (6/17/2010)
Out of interest, how large is the firm you work for?
About 200 employees at 2 locations. About 125 of those employees are production worker, the remaining 75 are office workers. We have an IT staff of 4, including my boss, the CIO.
It's also worth noting that I originally started out working underneath one of the other IT members. We have compartmentalized IT some, between hardware and software (I am the only software engineer), and I now report directly to the CIO.
--J
June 17, 2010 at 9:32 am
For the record, I do not directly know how much the other IT workers make, but I do know that it is significantly more than me. I have no plans on bringing this up directly, but I also have no intention of letting their wages be a ceiling for me.
--J
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