Is there a "right" time to ask for promotion?

TheFORCE

Is there a "right" time to ask for a promotion? I've been with the current company for 1 year and 4 months. I did receive a small 2.2% increase on my base and a partial bonus for last year 2 months ago. I'm responsible for many projects and as soon as i complete one, i take over another project, sometimes managing multiple projects at the same time. Should I wait a bit longer or should i inquire about a promotion? How do you guys approach promotions, do you ask or do you wait for them to come to you?

TomkoTech

Is there a position open you are wanting? Or are saying promotion when you mean raise? If there is a position you qualify open then you ask for the position as soon as it's available. If you are meaning a raise then as soon as you feel you have the ammo to have that conversation. Ask your boss to lunch and have a candid conversation about it and lay out why you feel you deserve the raise.

TheFORCE

No I'm talking about a promotion on my current position to a new title like senior or something like that.

tedjames

It took me getting a job offer from another agency to even get my boss at my last agency to take notice. Our state publishes government employee salary info, so I pointed out to him what I was making in relation to my peers at my agency and around the state, and then I reminded him of everything that I did in my current position. So he went to bat for me. I still ended up taking another job a few months later.

You should track all of your accomplishments so you'll have evidence to back you up when you ask for a promotion.

DatabaseHead

@ TheFORCE I read a book about 2 years ago that said within in 6 months you should let your direct manager know that you have no intentions staying in this role more than 2 years. He was under the impression that after 2 years in the SAME role your chance of moving up in the near future wasn't that good. This of course is for someone who wants to be a careerist.

So I put this strategy in motion. On my outlook calendar I put a reminder to talk to boss on exactly the 6 month mark. We chatted back and forth for a bit and then I broke out the statement just like the book said. I don't plan on being in this position for more than 2 years. Almost exactly a year after that conversation I was moved up to a senior role and a +20% increase and 5% increase on my bonus.

It could of been dumb luck but I know this much. Without a strategy you won't go far. Managers have to be managed.

NetworkNewb

DatabaseHead wrote: »

@ TheFORCE I read a book about 2 years ago that said within in 6 months you should let your direct manager know that you have no intentions staying in this role more than 2 years. He was under the impression that after 2 years in the SAME role your chance of moving up in the near future wasn't that good. This of course is for someone who wants to be a careerist.

So I put this strategy in motion. On my outlook calendar I put a reminder to talk to boss on exactly the 6 month mark. We chatted back and forth for a bit and then I broke out the statement just like the book said. I don't plan on being in this position for more than 2 years. Almost exactly a year after that conversation I was moved up to a senior role and a +20% increase and 5% increase on my bonus.

I would be little nervous about telling a manager after 6 months that I don't plan on being that position too long. It obviously worked out very well your situation so I can't say it isn't a good idea. But I would just be a little nervous... I've been at my current position for 5 months... Interesting idea



wanted +rep your post but apparently "You have given out too much Reputation in the last 24 hours, try again later."

DatabaseHead

Hey man I thought the same thing believe me, but I am getting a bit older and see a lot of younger folks passing me by financially. Had to try something, it worked. I agree it's risky, I think the theory behind it is if they aren't receptive then you'll most likely be moving along anyway. Again this isn't from me just a tactic I tried and it seem to work. I will use it again come August.

I guess it goes back to the idiom the greasy wheel gets the oil.

ITSpectre

TheFORCE wrote: »

No I'm talking about a promotion on my current position to a new title like senior or something like that.

I promote you to Senior Tech Lead of the battle star galactica.

But on a serious note.

In order to get a title change that usually comes with a different job. For example if you work on the help desk as a jr specialist... then you ask for a different title and lets say they give it to you so they bump your title to MID IT Specialist. Same job, just a different title. To me thats not worth it. Having the same job and a different title is like having a car but painting it a different color. It is the same car, nothing has changed but the color.
When people want different titles and such that comes with a different job, pay, responsibilities etc... So if you want a different title you got to work for that title. You have to work hard, get certs, and learn everything you can learn at the level you are at now... THEN you move up and get the title...

In the IT world you have to earn your stripes they don't just hand out titles because you ask for them.

TechGromit

TheFORCE wrote: »

No I'm talking about a promotion on my current position to a new title like senior or something like that.

So you just want a new title? Ok your now the "Director of PC development", sorry no increase in compensation with that, happy?

TheFORCE wrote: »

I've been with the current company for 1 year and 4 months.

That's really not long enough to be bucking for a promotion, especially if there are no openings to move up to. I would wait three years before I would start asking for a promotion.

NavyIT

I'm not sure the benefit of a title change if you're still doing the same work. At least in my world, government contracting, titles don't really mean anything as they are set by the government based on the number of years of experience you have.

I recently went through this. Our most senior HBSS engineer left and I took over most of his responsibilities. I gave it about 3 months of doing his job well and then I went out and got an offer from another company. I took that offer to my boss and laid out all of the additional responsibilities I had taken over along with some other minor concerns. They beat the offer from the other company by 5k and I stayed. No hard feelings, we are both personable people who understand things like this are just part of the business, and everyone wants what is best for them.

I didn't get a title change, but I did end up with a 14k raise.

sschwieterman

TechGromit wrote: »

So you just want a new title? Ok your now the "Director of PC development", sorry no increase in compensation with that, happy?

I don't see any problem with getting a better job title without a raise. Of course you would hope for a raise but if you want to make more money and the company you work for isn't willing to hand out the raise, then take the better job title. It will look better on a resume and there will be another company willing to pay you those increased wages you're looking for.

ITSpectre

sschwieterman wrote: »

I don't see any problem with getting a better job title without a raise. Of course you would hope for a raise but if you want to make more money and the company you work for isn't willing to hand out the raise, then take the better job title. It will look better on a resume and there will be another company willing to pay you those increased wages you're looking for.

But the issue you run into is... With a new title and the same responsibilities that kind of defeats the purpose. A Help Desk Technician and a Network administrator have different titles and do different things. Usually when you get a title change its because you move up or to a different dept or section of the job you are at. You will get a raise, but it sucks having a different job title and do the exact same thing you are doing now (been there done that)

powerfool

NavyIT wrote: »

I'm not sure the benefit of a title change if you're still doing the same work. At least in my world, government contracting, titles don't really mean anything as they are set by the government based on the number of years of experience you have.

I recently went through this. Our most senior HBSS engineer left and I took over most of his responsibilities. I gave it about 3 months of doing his job well and then I went out and got an offer from another company. I took that offer to my boss and laid out all of the additional responsibilities I had taken over along with some other minor concerns. They beat the offer from the other company by 5k and I stayed. No hard feelings, we are both personable people who understand things like this are just part of the business, and everyone wants what is best for them.

I didn't get a title change, but I did end up with a 14k raise.

Your experience with contracting/consulting with the three letter agencies isn't indicative of the norm, though. I did my share of that type of work and they always have tons of cash laying around to make things like that happen. Also, if they have a vacant seat on a contract, it typically [almost always] costs them revenue. It is just the way that those contracts are written (but that is another issue). Finding someone to fill a position can take a long time depending on where the position is because needing a clearance and all of the right certifications/degrees... it could take months to fill the position.

Priston

The right time to ask for a promotion is

- When someone with a skill set higher then yours leaves.
- When your boss starts expecting more then what you were originally hired for from you.

NavyIT

powerfool wrote: »

Your experience with contracting/consulting with the three letter agencies isn't indicative of the norm, though. I did my share of that type of work and they always have tons of cash laying around to make things like that happen. Also, if they have a vacant seat on a contract, it typically [almost always] costs them revenue. It is just the way that those contracts are written (but that is another issue). Finding someone to fill a position can take a long time depending on where the position is because needing a clearance and all of the right certifications/degrees... it could take months to fill the position.

Very true. This happens all of the time in government contracting. I keep pushing and they keep giving, though. I'm am worried about hitting a ceiling too early in my career.

Robertf969

This is an interesting question. I was having a conversation with one of my managers and asked him what warranted the "Senior" title at my company as I felt I did everything the Seniors did if not more. I more or less just wanted to know if I was on track. Two weeks later the partner called me to congratulate me on my promotion.

TheFORCE

Priston wrote: »

The right time to ask for a promotion is

- When someone with a skill set higher then yours leaves.
- When your boss starts expecting more then what you were originally hired for from you.

-For my current position, there is no one with a higher skill set, I am a 1 man team managing 4-5 different solution, supporting 2k users.
- This is the tricky part because they can always say we hired you to manage these 4-5 different solutions. When i was hired, none of that existed so i was an integral part in development, testing, and deployment in production. And they will only get bigger, their functions are very very critical.
The other thing is, that i dont believe they will hire anyone higher than me because well, the team/group i am in, did not exist prior to my arrival so again i am the most senior in this group and i've build to group to what it is now. So if they hire someone later on, i want there to be clear distinction on who is the senior, instead of having another person with the same title. Besides, having the title, even though there might not be a big salary increase, looks good on a resume that you managed to get promoted.

davidboy

I was in a very similar situation a few months ago. I got a 3% raise but was planning to ask for more since I performed my job well and ended up taking on many new responsibilities of roles that get paid more than I do. I felt that justified my request. My plans changed though after being notified of a huge layoff. I worked there for a little under 2 years.

Now that I am looking for a new job, I am asking for an extra 22% and it worked (equivalent analyst role). I'm sure it would be very difficult to ask for a 22% raise at my last company without applying for a higher-level position.