How to ask for a pay rise...advice please!!

[Teocali]

After 18 months in my current company I have just been offered another simlilar role for a 20% salary increase, however I dont really want to leave...

My Sales Director is pretty well known for hating to have to deal with employees salary and so I expect the conversation to be awkward, but I'm keen to steer a 10/15% rise and to stay put.

Does anyone have any advice or experience of this?

If you were the Director how would you want to be approached?

I'm in a fairly strong position as they are aware I work well, and one of team of four has just left and the other is totally new and stunningly idle.

All comments welcomed,

Thanks,

Teocali.

[Funk]

"I've been offered 20% more to go to another company. I'd rather stay here - would you be prepared to match their offer?"

Be prepared to leave though if they won't play ball. Would help to have something in writing to prove it too.

Edited by Funk on Tuesday 4th August 23:17

[maser_spyder]

Didn't know you used this forum too?

My office, first thing tomorrow.

You're fired.

[CarZee]

I'd welcome your offer and play you at chess for a 15% increase (win) or a 15% decrease (lose).

ETA: If I thought you had a heads up and learned chess, I'd fall back to Ludo.

Edited by CarZee on Tuesday 4th August 22:59

[Puggit]

Funk said:

"I've been offered 20% more to go to another company. I'd rather stay here - would be prepared to match their offer?"

Be prepared to leave though if they won't play ball. Would help to have something in writing to prove it too.

Did this in December - worked a treat. Except my HR cocked up and added an extra extra 10%...

[catso]

Funk said:

"I've been offered 20% more to go to another company. I'd rather stay here - would be prepared to match their offer?"

Be prepared to leave though if they won't play ball. Would help to have something in writing to prove it too.

'tis the only way, if they won't match (or better) then they don't value you enough and you'd be better off at the new place.

[Teocali]

maser_spyder said:

Didn't know you used this forum too?

My office, first thing tomorrow.

You're fired.

The above is actually a fair idea of what I'm expecting!

Would you take in the written offer, or is this too much of a slap in the face??

[catso]

Teocali said:

Would you take in the written offer

Certainly would, just to offer 'proof' if queried, let them know that someone values you more then they do. What have you got to lose?

[Teocali]

CarZee said:

I'd welcome your offer and play you at chess for a 15% increase (win) or a 15% decrease (lose).

ETA: If I thought you had a heads up and learned chess, I'd fall back to Ludo.

Edited by CarZee on Tuesday 4th August 22:59

How about snap??

[dickymint]

[CarZee]

Teocali said:

How about snap??

I'd settle on Top Trumps.

My deck or a loss by default.

You can choose which: Wildfowl, Nuclear Warheads or Survivalist Calorie Counters.

[kazste]

catso said:

Funk said:

"I've been offered 20% more to go to another company. I'd rather stay here - would be prepared to match their offer?"

Be prepared to leave though if they won't play ball. Would help to have something in writing to prove it too.

'tis the only way, if they won't match (or better) then they don't value you enough and you'd be better off at the new place.

If you did this with me you would be offered good luck in your new job! nothing wrong with pointing out that others want you but to get a payrise from me, I would expect you to show me why you deserve it with a fair amount of evidence and also that you have a good sense of loyalty to me and my company.

[WestYorkie]

CarZee said:

Teocali said:

How about snap??

I'd settle on Top Trumps.

My deck or a loss by default.

You can choose which: Wildfowl, Nuclear Warheads or Survivalist Calorie Counters.

Wildfowl! I choose my Trumpeter Swan with a wingspan of 6'. You loose give the man a payrise

[Funk]

kazste said:

catso said:

Funk said:

"I've been offered 20% more to go to another company. I'd rather stay here - would you be prepared to match their offer?"

Be prepared to leave though if they won't play ball. Would help to have something in writing to prove it too.

'tis the only way, if they won't match (or better) then they don't value you enough and you'd be better off at the new place.

If you did this with me you would be offered good luck in your new job! nothing wrong with pointing out that others want you but to get a payrise from me, I would expect you to show me why you deserve it with a fair amount of evidence and also that you have a good sense of loyalty to me and my company.

If another company thinks they're worth 20% more, then perhaps it suggests that you under-value that employee. It's not meant in a nasty way, just that someone else thinks you're worth more than your current employer does. Giving the current employer a chance to match (or better) that offer is the polite thing to do.

As I noted at the bottom of my post, one must be prepared to leave if the employer gets the hump about it. I would imagine it's a case of weighing up the cost of finding/employing/training someone new to the same level as the current person vs. amount required to retain the employee (if they are of value to you). If 'a' > 'b' it makes sense to increase what you're paying.

I also find it interesting that 'company loyalty' seems to be more and more of a one-way street these days. Employees are expected to be loyal to a company, but how loyal is the company to the employee? I work for a large, faceless organisation which would show me zero loyalty to forgive my cynicism here.

Edited by Funk on Wednesday 5th August 06:25

[davidjpowell]

Funk said:

kazste said:

catso said:

Funk said:

"I've been offered 20% more to go to another company. I'd rather stay here - would you be prepared to match their offer?"

Be prepared to leave though if they won't play ball. Would help to have something in writing to prove it too.

'tis the only way, if they won't match (or better) then they don't value you enough and you'd be better off at the new place.

If you did this with me you would be offered good luck in your new job! nothing wrong with pointing out that others want you but to get a payrise from me, I would expect you to show me why you deserve it with a fair amount of evidence and also that you have a good sense of loyalty to me and my company.

If another company thinks they're worth 20% more, then perhaps it suggests that you under-value that employee. It's not meant in a nasty way, just that someone else thinks you're worth more than your current employer does. Giving the current employer a chance to match (or better) that offer is the polite thing to do.

As I noted at the bottom of my post, one must be prepared to leave if the employer gets the hump about it. I would imagine it's a case of weighing up the cost of finding/employing/training someone new to the same level as the current person vs. amount required to retain the employee (if they are of value to you). If 'a' > 'b' it makes sense to increase what you're paying.

I also find it interesting that 'company loyalty' seems to be more and more of a one-way street these days. Employees are expected to be loyal to a company, but how loyal is the company to the employee? I work for a large, faceless organisation which would show me zero loyalty to forgive my cynicism here.

Edited by Funk on Wednesday 5th August 06:25

This is very true. In my time working for large organisations they will always pay the least possible, and then look unhappy when staff invite approach from other firms.

OP No one here can really help you as it depends so much on the individual that you are dealing with. I have generally approached my boss in the past for a pay rise before going to the market. He would speak to a recruitment agent (who I knew) who would in turn tell him that he is paying bottom money. He would then tell me that I was very good, but he was already paying me top whack, lying bd!

When I came to hand in my notice the negotiations/blackmail really started.

A couple more things - you have to be prepared to leave if this does not go to plan, and you need to be sufficiently good at your job to have them persuade you to stay.

[P924]

Go to your boss. Explain you have a problem, you have received an unsolicited offer of 20% more from someone else.

Then continue to explain that you would rather stay here (insert reasons), and know it would not be a good time for you to leave (new guy, etc). However 20% more money would make a noticable difference to your standard of living, etc, etc.

[ascayman]

depends on how good you are. if you are good you'll get the full 20% if not you'll be out the door.

the director will want to know and will appreciate you speaking to him prior to making any decision.

[Lefty Guns]

Honesty is the best way in my 'umble.

Tell him you're keen to stay but can't turn down that kind of offer. Tell him you wanted to speak to him before accepting it. Be nice.

But, you really have to be prepared to leave if he's not playing ball. If they won't give you a raise then it's their loss as far as you're concerned.

Don't get y with him, never worth burning bridges...

[bennno]

ascayman said:

depends on how good you are. if you are good you'll get the full 20% if not you'll be out the door.

the director will want to know and will appreciate you speaking to him prior to making any decision.

Largely true subject to the size of business you work for (some larger companies have hands tied)

If however you communicate to any staff that you have another offer and have asked the company to match then you increase the risk of being shown the door.

[bigdods]

Dont just go in and plonk that offer on the table and ask for a payrise. Start by demonstrating the value you bring to the organisation. Do you go the extra mile, how much revenue have you gained for the company this year, whats YOUR value add that means they wont want to lose you. Once you have positioned yourself point out that similar roles to yours are attracting a premium of 20% and bearing in mind your value to the company it would be a shame to have to move elsewhere to gain that premium, and what a loss this would be to the company etc etc.