How to negotiate
I was hired last September by one of the largest, busiest firms in the region. In our field (Architecture) we are the only firm in the area hiring people because of how crazy busy we are while other firms in the area are letting people go. When I was hired, I got the low end of the spectrum and much less than I was getting elsewhere. I was basically getting paid what someone directly out of college normally gets paid, while I already have 18 months of applicable experience. I was told that after 3 months, I had potential for a initial review which could result in a pay raise. That initial review never happened because it came in the middle of moving from one building to another and things were to crazy to try and set it up. Well in June of every year, they do reviews for everyone in the office. I am trying to prepare my case for when I go in there. On two projects I have worked on since I was hired, I saved the company nearly $30,000 by finishing my work faster than I was scheduled for. I am also one of the leaders in my office as we switch to a new computer system, constantly having my peers ask me questins. I have also been taking on project leadership positions on a few projects because we are so busy that the normal project managers can't afford to work on them. What is the proper way to state my case during my review? Should I bring in print outs showing the $$ savings and things like that? Should I just say these things orally and call it good? This would be my first time in any type of job review, so I'm not really sure what to expect. I think you need to prepare a list of your accomplishments since you've been there. List anything that will clearly show that you're not only doing a good job, but more than the job requires. Be sure to list the money saved and how it was saved. List any other achievements - goals met, objectives achieved, extra duties assumed, expertise shared - anything that will clearly show what you've accomplished. Make two copies, one for you and one for the person doing the review - so you'll both be looking at the same information. If you're offered anything more than a 3% increase, take it and say, "Thank you very much." If the proposed increase is around 3% you can politely ask if the proposed increase is negotiable and see what happens. If you're asked what sort of increase you have in mind, I'd propose a range by saying something like, "I was anticipating an increase in the 5% to 10% range," and see what sort of response you receive. With regard to your starting salary, I'd say that with only 18 months of actual experience you were still an an entry-level classification. Three to five years of relevant experience are ordinarily required to move out of that entry-level category. Sounds like you've done a good job thus far, so prepare your list of accomplishments and look forward to your review with optimism and confidence. Finally, it's not a matter of "stating your case" but politely offering information to the person doing the review so that an appropriate increase in compensation can be made. Paul W. Barada The Negotiation Expert | |
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Career Tips
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