Raise question

waltdee

Hello all,

I have been a desktop support analyst for over a year now in my current company, 5 years total exp, and taking my security+ before my raise nxt month, how much should i ask for.

MeanDrunkR2D2

waltdee wrote: »

Hello all,

I have been a desktop support analyst for over a year now in my current company, 5 years total exp, and taking my security+ before my raise nxt month, how much should i ask for.

Personally, let them make the first offer for the raise and then counter with an amount that you would find fair. Of course, remind them that you are looking forward to discussing your progress and raise for the first year you have with them. If you don't ask about it they will likely put it off until you say something.

Many organizations have standard raise amounts that they give out year to year to most employees and cannot deviate from them, and if you are replaceable sometimes they'll use that as leverage to let you go and find someone willing to take less. Of course that is all up to how valuable you are viewed by your supervisors.

unsupported

I agree with MeanDrunkR2D2. You won't know unless you ask. To get a ballpark you may want to search jobs in your area.

Good luck with your Security+.

Nevins

This is why when you talk to your employer ask them ahead of time how much x certificate would be worth next to your name. I had an employer flat out tell me that there was no point going for any cert because my position had pretty much been pay capped. It's a little discouraging especially with the given economy but most major pay bumps come from landing a new job not sitting in the one your at.

I did the math at my last job which had a 2-5% annual raise which I started at $28,000 with the promise of renegotiating my salary at the end of 6 months which I found out later wasn't going to happen. Anyways one day I sat down and did the math and realized it would take me 10 years to get a subpar salary and it was also capped at $33k so even then I would never get there...

28000
29260 (4.5%)
30k
31k
33k
34k
36k
38k
39k
41k

It's hard for me to say this because I actually liked working where I was working but unless the company you work for has GREAT advancement planning then your best bet is to look for a new job every 4-5 years. If your not that motivated it's understandable but the real money isn't generally gained from staying in one job for to long.

Super99

Well how much do you make now so I can have a better idea.

waltdee

Super99 wrote: »

Well how much do you make now so I can have a better idea.

Thanks for all the info, i make about 50k/y

Super99

$50k/yr is actually pretty good with the amount of certs you have. Maybe get some more certs and some more time in before you ask for more money maybe????

waltdee wrote: »

Thanks for all the info, i make about 50k/y

msteinhilber

Nevins wrote: »

This is why when you talk to your employer ask them ahead of time how much x certificate would be worth next to your name. I had an employer flat out tell me that there was no point going for any cert because my position had pretty much been pay capped. It's a little discouraging especially with the given economy but most major pay bumps come from landing a new job not sitting in the one your at.

I wouldn't consider how much any particular certification will net me at my present job as big reason to factor in when determining if I desire to obtain a certification or not. I think it would be a bit odd to ask as well, a certification alone (if I were in a role to approve or otherwise influence a pay raise for an employee) would never solely justify a pay increase. In my opinion, pay raises are earned through hard work and standing out as a good worker - a certification can help show a desire to learn and expand your capabilities but as it stands on it's own shouldn't be counted on to bring additional income at a current role.

The point of obtaining certifications, in my opinion, for most of us is to help stand out for future employment possibilities. As you pointed out, the best pay raises typically come from moving to another employer in most cases.

By all means if you feel you have a valid case to justify a pay raise, go ahead and present it to the powers that be. I wouldn't bank it entirely on the fact that you earned certification X, Y, or Z though. You can include that in your reasoning, but you should also be prepared to back that request with the ways in which you have benefit the company above and beyond what would be considered a normal base of tasks and responsibilities within your position.


As far as the OP's question. Do some looking around to gauge how much positions with similar responsibilities that you have are bringing in presently. From that try to come up with what an ideal but achievable raise would be. Determine why you feel a raise is deserved and present your case to your manager. I would agree, do not ask for a particular figure - let them throw the first number out.

RobertKaucher

I agree with msteinhilber. The notion that a certification is worth a raise or that a person with X certification should be making $X per annum is, IMO, just buying into the idea behind salary surveys. If it were true I would be making $100K a year and I am pretty sure that I am not making that last I checked... Or even half that.

I think salary.com is a useful tool for finding "fair market value" in your area.

What I would suggest is caution on this topic right now. Asking for a raise is entering into a negotiation (one with polical undercurrents) and to be successful at any negotiation you need a certain amount of leverage. Consider the following:

1. What will happen if they say flat out "no." What would you do? What would this mean for your "whuffie" in the company? How might it change your relationship with your boss? If there is no ramification for the other side, why would they not just tell you no?

You should also be prepared to back that request with the ways in which you have benefit the company above and beyond what would be considered a normal base of tasks and responsibilities within your position.

2. What do you bring to the table that would make the company want to give you a raise? Hard to quantify/qualify but you should be able to talk about this easily before you bring the subject up.

Hyper-Me

At my last job I obtained 11 certifications while being employed there, including 3 MCITPs.

You know what I got? "We dont really put any value on those here"

BE glad you have a job.

dales

Well I dont know about anyone else here but because of financial situation at the moment all staff at our place are getting a pay cut and factor in that a pay rise per years is normally a blanket 1.x% per year. Not something I relish the idea of what with my budgets ever tightening. Wish I was in a postition to get paid for my awesomeness, but only jumping ship would bring any kind of real reward.

As other have said you must be careful when approaching the raise question if it backfires you could be looking for new opportunities and in this climate I would not want to do that when the notice period is already ticking.