raise Asking for a raise - too soon?

[Hardcore Til I Die]

Hiya

I've been with my current employer for about four years. I started in March 2009. It's a very small company with about 25 staff in two offices.

Since I started I have had two promotions (which included raises) and four raises not linked with promotions.

I did not ask for my last two raises, I was just given them. This means I did not get the opportunity to ask for an amount.

Whilst I'm very grateful to my boss for continually reviewing my progress and wage, I still feel that I'm worth more. The salary I'm paid is below the average in my area for my previous main job role (Legal Secretary), let alone my current main role (Senior Legal Secretary/Supervisor). In addition, I also act as the IT Support for the office. I save the company money as previously all of the IT Support came from an external company which charges a callout fee every time they come out. All new hardware installations are still primarily done by the external company, but I can do most of the troubleshooting.

I can pretty much work entirely on my own initiative. I take dictation from solicitors, but they can rely on me to do many things myself without them having to dictate things to me.

I regularly do things that aren't in my job description and I never complain.

My latest accomplishment is that I have been pushing for the company to move towards using digital case files and using e-mail as the primary form of communication with other companies. This will effectively cut a massive amount off of our photocopying and stationery bill.

My last raise was in July 2012. I would like to ask my employer for a 14% raise but I don't know if it's too soon since my last one. I get to see how much the company is making and figures are higher than I've ever seen them, so I'm sure there would be no question as to whether my boss can afford it.

I feel a degree of loyalty to this company, but I can't help feeling that if I worked for somebody else (somebody bigger perhaps) I would be paid better for half the workload.

I know I'm lucky to have a job in this day and age and I wouldn't dream of quitting or kicking up a fuss if I didn't get the raise I want, but I still want to be paid what I think I'm worth.

Would appreciate everyone's opinions!

Thanks :)

PS. I've been a Legal Secretary for three years. I don't know if that qualifies as 'experienced' or not, but I'm definitely experienced in my current role!

[Brian Miller]

If you don't get at least a 4% raise automatically each year, you are effectively earning less that what you did last year in terms of inflation.

[Hardcore Til I Die]

If you don't get at least a 4% raise automatically each year, you are effectively earning less that what you did last year in terms of inflation.

I've had two raises in the last year, but my last raise was about 6%.

There's no guaranteed raise scheme but my boss has indicated he would usually consider them on a yearly basis unless there are very good reasons for asking sooner.

[BGM]

i've never asked for a raise, fortunately they have always been given to me annually either the once, or sometimes twice!!

i think you stand a good chance of getting one, just present your findings i guess and clearly explain why you think you deserve it and what you think you deserve.

expect to negotiate, they might give you other stuff instead of cash (medical cover, company car? etc.)

[neufuse Veteran]

Inflation is really at 4% in England? sheesh, I think in the USA this year it was a whole 1.6%

[Hardcore Til I Die]

i've never asked for a raise, fortunately they have always been given to me annually either the once, or sometimes twice!!

i think you stand a good chance of getting one, just present your findings i guess and clearly explain why you think you deserve it and what you think you deserve.

expect to negotiate, they might give you other stuff instead of cash (medical cover, company car? etc.)

I've asked twice, once when I was an apprentice and four months into the job. The apprentice wage was ?80 per week back then and everyone was REALLY pleased with me, so I just asked for an extra ?15 per week to make life a little more manageable :p He looked relieved when that was all I asked for!

Then the last time I asked was about two years ago.. since then I haven't had to ask.

No chance of a company car and I already get free car parking, but he might offer me extra paid leave or something. My boss has a habit of saying 'let me think about it' before I get to say very much at all, so I might try and be more assertive and ask him to let me explain what I want and why I think I deserve it.

[Japlabot]

Sounds like you are losing them money because most legal firms charge to the client per sheet of paper that they have to mail and you saved a boatload by using email ;)

[Hardcore Til I Die]

Sounds like you are losing them money because most legal firms charge to the client per sheet of paper that they have to mail and you saved a boatload by using email ;)

The vast majority of our clients are legal aid clients rather than private, and the Legal Services Commission pays standard fees these days, so you get the same fee whether you send one letter or twenty. They also categorise e-mails as letters. :)

You get a higher standard fee if the amount of preparation involved takes it above a certain threshold, but the vast majority of our cases don't fall into this category.

Edit:

Also, we can charge clients the same for a letter that is e-mailed to them as we can for a letter that is posted.

[pes2013]

Im thinking of the same thing. I think in a little over one year, Ive been giving one raise.

Things in my favor: I do a lot of extra stuff IT related that is not in my job description. I do 90km (56 miles) daily to go to/from work.

Things against me: Most of the time even if it is not my fault I am stuck doing nothing. This can go on from 1-2 weeks straight.

[Shiranui]

Sounds like you have the same job I have, except I don't do that much legal-related work here anymore, save for helping out on the odd international case and translating letters and contracts, and instead fiddle with computers for much of the day. It's a dead-end job, but I don't work overtime, so I have time to do other stuff from home, on a good month, earning more than my salary.

If you want more money, become a paralegal, or go the whole hog and become a lawyer.

[dogma72]

If you don't get at least a 4% raise automatically each year, you are effectively earning less that what you did last year in terms of inflation.

You know.I never thought of it that way. Great point. LoL. I am a commission worker so doesn't effect me but still great point. :)

[Kami-]

Inflation is really at 4% in England? sheesh, I think in the USA this year it was a whole 1.6%

Nope, methinks someone pulled that figure out of their err "hat"...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-21425939

[Growled Member]

It never hurts to ask for a raise. All they can say is no.

[dixonrl]

Hello guys,

 

I apologize because the question im asking here could be considered thread hi jacking.... but here goes.

 

I have a situation at work that I feel like I need to address but would like to hear the opinion of others. So I will give a little background of my employment at this company.

 

I started almost 4 years ago working under a man with 40+ years experience he held the position for the 5 years before I arrived. After the first year he retired and I obtained the Service Manager title. This is an Electrical Contracting co. with 25 -35 total employees with a new construction and service dept. In the almost 3 years I have been running this department we have gone from 1 tech to 7 techs as of Jan. 2013. I am constantly thanked by the owners for what the department has become. I know that the previous manager was paid 20.60/hr, had 2 wk off paid per year and drove a company truck. I have all the same but Im paid 21/hr. the new construction side has been in a slow state for about a year now and slowing building back up.... the service dept has been carrying the company... so Im told by the owners.  I have been handing out raises to techs in the service dept but I have not asked for a raise myself....

 

A compeditor is paying his service/project managers between 30 and 35 per hour..... Am I wrong to ask for 28?

 

thank you so much