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  3. Getting a pay-raise

Getting a pay-raise

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  • M MatthysDT

    How does one approach your boss for a pay-raise? I'm asking for a friend, he's a programmer and feels he's underpaid.

    "you can't forget something you never knew..." M. Du Toit
    "Watching Migthy Joe Young made me hate my life..................................I want a gorilla!" A. Havemann

    V Offline
    V Offline
    V 0
    wrote on last edited by
    #12

    Go to your boss, sit down with him and tell him you'ld like to have more. Make sure you know why you want it and why you deserve it. Good luck (to your friend ;))

    V. I found a living worth working for, but haven't found work worth living for.

    1 Reply Last reply
    0
    • V Vasudevan Deepak Kumar

      When there is a good performance of the employee, I think, any employer is obliged to reward him. Isn't it?

      Vasudevan Deepak Kumar Personal Homepage Tech Gossips

      V Offline
      V Offline
      V 0
      wrote on last edited by
      #13

      an employer will always try to have a minimum cost for maximum labour...

      V. I found a living worth working for, but haven't found work worth living for.

      D 1 Reply Last reply
      0
      • V V 0

        an employer will always try to have a minimum cost for maximum labour...

        V. I found a living worth working for, but haven't found work worth living for.

        D Offline
        D Offline
        Daniel Turini
        wrote on last edited by
        #14

        V. wrote:

        an employer will always try to have a minimum cost for maximum labour...

        You're partially right. Maybe you should rephrase that as "an employer will often try to have a total minimum cost for total maximum labour". Sometimes, this means a lot of stupid people working with the lowest salaries possible. Sometimes, this means a small group of highly qualified people working with the biggest salaries possible, so I don't lose them. On a lot of companies, even on the service industry, the payroll is not the biggest expense, so often it makes sense to pay a lot to make sure you can create morale, experience, and reduce turn-over.

        V 1 Reply Last reply
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        • C Christian Graus

          Daniel Turini wrote:

          "Boss, I need more money because I now have to spend money on (X)." approach.

          Yeah, that's just stupid.  I need a Lear Jet.  That is NOT my bosses problem.

          Christian Graus - C++ MVP 'Why don't we jump on a fad that hasn't already been widely discredited ?' - Dilbert

          M Offline
          M Offline
          Mike Dimmick
          wrote on last edited by
          #15

          Well, "I need a raise because otherwise I can't pay the rent and my landlord will kick me out, then I can't actually come to work for you" might work. Having said that, I doubt that many programmers are on subsistence income and marginal enough that a small increase in rent will push them over the edge. The housing market in this country is currently awash with idiots trying to become private landlords, which is pushing property prices up if you're trying to buy, but a glut of property available to rent, so rental prices are barely moving. I've just renewed my contract for another six months, and the price I'm paying hasn't changed since I moved in two years ago. A friend's rent has increased I think about 3% in five years, and I think that's because the agent increased their fee.

          Stability. What an interesting concept. -- Chris Maunder

          M 1 Reply Last reply
          0
          • V Vasudevan Deepak Kumar

            When there is a good performance of the employee, I think, any employer is obliged to reward him. Isn't it?

            Vasudevan Deepak Kumar Personal Homepage Tech Gossips

            J Offline
            J Offline
            James R Twine
            wrote on last edited by
            #16

            Vasudevan Deepak Kumar wrote:

            When there is a good performance of the employee, I think, any employer is obliged to reward him. Isn't it?

            Hell No!  The job of a (for-profit) business is to make money.  If they can pay a developer that is worth $120K only $75K, then they most likely will!    The employ_ee_ has the responsibility to make sure they are getting paid what they are worth.  If you are worth it, the company already knows this and you will likely get the raise.  If not, you will not get the raise.  It is usually just that simple.    A common BS response to be prepared for:      Nobody else here [at that level] gets paid that much.      Not your problem - you are not the same as everyone else there    Should it come down to it, you would be surprised how much incentive another offer of employment can have on your current compensation...  It really helps to put things in perspective to realize how much you are really worth, especially when your current employer matches or even beats the offer.    Remember: a software company generally **IS** its developers.  All of a software company's business starts and ends with its development staff.  Without them, there is nothing for Marketing to sell, nothing for QA to test, nothing for PMs to manage... no company for the Executive Staff to run.    Peace!

            -=- James
            Please rate this message - let me know if I helped or not! * * * If you think it costs a lot to do it right, just wait until you find out how much it costs to do it wrong!
            Avoid driving a vehicle taller than you and remember that Professional Driver on Closed Course does not mean your Dumb Ass on a Public Road!
            See DeleteFXPFiles

            L J 2 Replies Last reply
            0
            • J James R Twine

              Vasudevan Deepak Kumar wrote:

              When there is a good performance of the employee, I think, any employer is obliged to reward him. Isn't it?

              Hell No!  The job of a (for-profit) business is to make money.  If they can pay a developer that is worth $120K only $75K, then they most likely will!    The employ_ee_ has the responsibility to make sure they are getting paid what they are worth.  If you are worth it, the company already knows this and you will likely get the raise.  If not, you will not get the raise.  It is usually just that simple.    A common BS response to be prepared for:      Nobody else here [at that level] gets paid that much.      Not your problem - you are not the same as everyone else there    Should it come down to it, you would be surprised how much incentive another offer of employment can have on your current compensation...  It really helps to put things in perspective to realize how much you are really worth, especially when your current employer matches or even beats the offer.    Remember: a software company generally **IS** its developers.  All of a software company's business starts and ends with its development staff.  Without them, there is nothing for Marketing to sell, nothing for QA to test, nothing for PMs to manage... no company for the Executive Staff to run.    Peace!

              -=- James
              Please rate this message - let me know if I helped or not! * * * If you think it costs a lot to do it right, just wait until you find out how much it costs to do it wrong!
              Avoid driving a vehicle taller than you and remember that Professional Driver on Closed Course does not mean your Dumb Ass on a Public Road!
              See DeleteFXPFiles

              L Offline
              L Offline
              Lost User
              wrote on last edited by
              #17

              James R. Twine wrote:

              Nobody else here [at that level] gets paid that much.

              True

              James R. Twine wrote:

              Remember: a software company generally IS its developers. All of a software company's business starts and ends with its development staff. Without them, there is nothing for Marketing to sell, nothing for QA to test, nothing for PMs to manage... no company for the Executive Staff to run.

              I will

              S o h a i l K a d i w a l a
              To Err Is Human; to Debug, Divine

              1 Reply Last reply
              0
              • M MatthysDT

                How does one approach your boss for a pay-raise? I'm asking for a friend, he's a programmer and feels he's underpaid.

                "you can't forget something you never knew..." M. Du Toit
                "Watching Migthy Joe Young made me hate my life..................................I want a gorilla!" A. Havemann

                H Offline
                H Offline
                hairy_hats
                wrote on last edited by
                #18

                evilnoodle wrote:

                How does one approach your boss for a pay-raise?

                :confused: What is this "pay raise" of which you speak?

                C 1 Reply Last reply
                0
                • H hairy_hats

                  evilnoodle wrote:

                  How does one approach your boss for a pay-raise?

                  :confused: What is this "pay raise" of which you speak?

                  C Offline
                  C Offline
                  Colin Angus Mackay
                  wrote on last edited by
                  #19

                  It's in the same category of things as early-60s sitcoms with mice running around and women standing on chairs.


                  Upcoming events: * Glasgow Geek Dinner (5th March) * Glasgow: Tell us what you want to see in 2007 My: Website | Blog | Photos

                  1 Reply Last reply
                  0
                  • D DRAquilA

                    Hehe! "A Friend of a friend of a friend..." Goto lovit!

                    M Offline
                    M Offline
                    MatthysDT
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #20

                    Traitor!:mad:

                    "you can't forget something you never knew..." M. Du Toit
                    "Watching Migthy Joe Young made me hate my life..................................I want a gorilla!" A. Havemann

                    1 Reply Last reply
                    0
                    • D Daniel Turini

                      V. wrote:

                      an employer will always try to have a minimum cost for maximum labour...

                      You're partially right. Maybe you should rephrase that as "an employer will often try to have a total minimum cost for total maximum labour". Sometimes, this means a lot of stupid people working with the lowest salaries possible. Sometimes, this means a small group of highly qualified people working with the biggest salaries possible, so I don't lose them. On a lot of companies, even on the service industry, the payroll is not the biggest expense, so often it makes sense to pay a lot to make sure you can create morale, experience, and reduce turn-over.

                      V Offline
                      V Offline
                      V 0
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #21

                      Daniel Turini wrote:

                      the payroll is not the biggest expense

                      It is in Belgium.

                      V.
                      Stop smoking so you can: Enjoy longer the money you save. Moviereview Archive

                      1 Reply Last reply
                      0
                      • M Mike Dimmick

                        Well, "I need a raise because otherwise I can't pay the rent and my landlord will kick me out, then I can't actually come to work for you" might work. Having said that, I doubt that many programmers are on subsistence income and marginal enough that a small increase in rent will push them over the edge. The housing market in this country is currently awash with idiots trying to become private landlords, which is pushing property prices up if you're trying to buy, but a glut of property available to rent, so rental prices are barely moving. I've just renewed my contract for another six months, and the price I'm paying hasn't changed since I moved in two years ago. A friend's rent has increased I think about 3% in five years, and I think that's because the agent increased their fee.

                        Stability. What an interesting concept. -- Chris Maunder

                        M Offline
                        M Offline
                        MatthysDT
                        wrote on last edited by
                        #22

                        Lucky you, try THIS country! My rent increases 6.6% a year! And that's because the owner is a greedy old lady! :mad:

                        "you can't forget something you never knew..." M. Du Toit
                        "Watching Migthy Joe Young made me hate my life..................................I want a gorilla!" A. Havemann

                        C 1 Reply Last reply
                        0
                        • M MatthysDT

                          Lucky you, try THIS country! My rent increases 6.6% a year! And that's because the owner is a greedy old lady! :mad:

                          "you can't forget something you never knew..." M. Du Toit
                          "Watching Migthy Joe Young made me hate my life..................................I want a gorilla!" A. Havemann

                          C Offline
                          C Offline
                          Colin Angus Mackay
                          wrote on last edited by
                          #23

                          Obviously the market can accept that kind of an increase.


                          Upcoming events: * Glasgow Geek Dinner (5th March) * Glasgow: Tell us what you want to see in 2007 My: Website | Blog | Photos

                          1 Reply Last reply
                          0
                          • J James R Twine

                            Vasudevan Deepak Kumar wrote:

                            When there is a good performance of the employee, I think, any employer is obliged to reward him. Isn't it?

                            Hell No!  The job of a (for-profit) business is to make money.  If they can pay a developer that is worth $120K only $75K, then they most likely will!    The employ_ee_ has the responsibility to make sure they are getting paid what they are worth.  If you are worth it, the company already knows this and you will likely get the raise.  If not, you will not get the raise.  It is usually just that simple.    A common BS response to be prepared for:      Nobody else here [at that level] gets paid that much.      Not your problem - you are not the same as everyone else there    Should it come down to it, you would be surprised how much incentive another offer of employment can have on your current compensation...  It really helps to put things in perspective to realize how much you are really worth, especially when your current employer matches or even beats the offer.    Remember: a software company generally **IS** its developers.  All of a software company's business starts and ends with its development staff.  Without them, there is nothing for Marketing to sell, nothing for QA to test, nothing for PMs to manage... no company for the Executive Staff to run.    Peace!

                            -=- James
                            Please rate this message - let me know if I helped or not! * * * If you think it costs a lot to do it right, just wait until you find out how much it costs to do it wrong!
                            Avoid driving a vehicle taller than you and remember that Professional Driver on Closed Course does not mean your Dumb Ass on a Public Road!
                            See DeleteFXPFiles

                            J Offline
                            J Offline
                            JimmyRopes
                            wrote on last edited by
                            #24

                            James R. Twine wrote:

                            Without them [developers], there is nothing for Marketing to sell

                            When has that ever stopped a marketing person before. :confused:

                            Simply Elegant Designs JimmyRopes Designs
                            Think inside the box! ProActive Secure Systems
                            I'm on-line therefore I am. JimmyRopes

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                            0
                            • V Vasudevan Deepak Kumar

                              When there is a good performance of the employee, I think, any employer is obliged to reward him. Isn't it?

                              Vasudevan Deepak Kumar Personal Homepage Tech Gossips

                              R Offline
                              R Offline
                              Rocky Moore
                              wrote on last edited by
                              #25

                              They should but in reality, it is ofen not the case. Outsourcing to the lowest bid is an obvious clue they are not interested in the employee, just the lowest cost they can muster. Often is cited as lowering cost to be competive, but usually the never lower the price of their services or products, just increase their profits out of greed.

                              Rocky <>< Latest Code Blog Post: SQL Server Express Warnings & Tips Latest Tech Blog Post: Scratch: fun for all ages for free!

                              D 1 Reply Last reply
                              0
                              • R Rocky Moore

                                They should but in reality, it is ofen not the case. Outsourcing to the lowest bid is an obvious clue they are not interested in the employee, just the lowest cost they can muster. Often is cited as lowering cost to be competive, but usually the never lower the price of their services or products, just increase their profits out of greed.

                                Rocky <>< Latest Code Blog Post: SQL Server Express Warnings & Tips Latest Tech Blog Post: Scratch: fun for all ages for free!

                                D Offline
                                D Offline
                                Dan Neely
                                wrote on last edited by
                                #26

                                Did you ever consider that the way health care costs are soaring all the money saved by outsourcing development is likely to be consumed by increases in the cost of insurance for the remaining employees, leaving nothing left to drop the price?

                                -- Rules of thumb should not be taken for the whole hand.

                                R 1 Reply Last reply
                                0
                                • D Dan Neely

                                  Did you ever consider that the way health care costs are soaring all the money saved by outsourcing development is likely to be consumed by increases in the cost of insurance for the remaining employees, leaving nothing left to drop the price?

                                  -- Rules of thumb should not be taken for the whole hand.

                                  R Offline
                                  R Offline
                                  Rocky Moore
                                  wrote on last edited by
                                  #27

                                  When you go from a single developer wage of $80K down to one of $15K, there would be no comparison on healthcare costs. Although, I think health care costs are a joke and the USA needs a national healthcare system to drive down the huge costs insurance companies and medical providers for upon everyone. I do not suggest the goverment should use our current medical centers.. Anyone that is interested can see more of my ramblings on health care in my blog: http://www.rockymoore.com/RandomThoughts/[^].

                                  Rocky <>< Latest Code Blog Post: SQL Server Express Warnings & Tips Latest Tech Blog Post: Scratch: fun for all ages for free!

                                  D 1 Reply Last reply
                                  0
                                  • R Rocky Moore

                                    When you go from a single developer wage of $80K down to one of $15K, there would be no comparison on healthcare costs. Although, I think health care costs are a joke and the USA needs a national healthcare system to drive down the huge costs insurance companies and medical providers for upon everyone. I do not suggest the goverment should use our current medical centers.. Anyone that is interested can see more of my ramblings on health care in my blog: http://www.rockymoore.com/RandomThoughts/[^].

                                    Rocky <>< Latest Code Blog Post: SQL Server Express Warnings & Tips Latest Tech Blog Post: Scratch: fun for all ages for free!

                                    D Offline
                                    D Offline
                                    Dan Neely
                                    wrote on last edited by
                                    #28

                                    Rocky Moore wrote:

                                    When you go from a single developer wage of $80K down to one of $15K, there would be no comparison on healthcare costs.

                                    Reboot your sarcasm detector. The remainder's a soapbox topic I've no desire to touch at present.

                                    -- Rules of thumb should not be taken for the whole hand.

                                    R 1 Reply Last reply
                                    0
                                    • D Dan Neely

                                      Rocky Moore wrote:

                                      When you go from a single developer wage of $80K down to one of $15K, there would be no comparison on healthcare costs.

                                      Reboot your sarcasm detector. The remainder's a soapbox topic I've no desire to touch at present.

                                      -- Rules of thumb should not be taken for the whole hand.

                                      R Offline
                                      R Offline
                                      Rocky Moore
                                      wrote on last edited by
                                      #29

                                      Loading... 2K ram verified HD failure System Ok! Ready Thanks, should have noticed that :-O :-O :-O

                                      Rocky <>< Latest Code Blog Post: SQL Server Express Warnings & Tips Latest Tech Blog Post: Scratch: fun for all ages for free!

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