did you get a pay raise when you got a degree?

Mike-Mike

a friend of mine, not in IT, finished his degree at Univ of Phoenix, and got a significant raise for doing so...


did that happen to anyone in IT on here?


if so, how did it happen? Did you ask for it? "Hey bossman, I be all educated and stuff, how bout some 'mo cash?"


or did they just say, "hey you got a degree, here's some dough?"


or was it already in place, as in, "if you finish your Bachelor's while working here, you're entitled to a bump in pay?"

LordQarlyn

LOL actually when I got my degree I got a pink slip.

But the company was bleeding customers and money, so in the long run it worked out for me, shook me out complacency.

Jpgonzal

This is a non-IT anecdote so it may not apply, but I think the procedure is practically universal.

Personally, after I graduated (Non-IT field, doh!), I took the approach of treating it like any other request for a raise. I would argue that a degree doesn't "entitle" you to money but it sure does add some firepower. Have a gameplan, and be prepared to "prove" why you should get a raise. Let me preface this by saying that an employee with experience and a recent graduate is a powerful thing. That is a very attractive commodity to employers, how could it not be?

I have a few friends in IT and it appears to me that it usually is best practice to get it in writing so that if you get Y certification, you'll be rewarded with X amount of money. Thought to be honest, it sure sounds nice to name your price, one of these days!

What are some other thoughts out there??

azjag

I was on the way out the door at one job so they wouldn't give me a raise or a bonus. I'm expecting to graduate with my Masters in December so we shall see. Heck I'd rather they pay for the classes than give me a raise. I've only gotten bonuses for certain certifications when they had a business requirement. Even that wasn't worth mentioning. Still your best bet is to get it in writing. A verbal contract isn't worth the paper it's written on.

Turgon

Mike-Mike wrote: »

a friend of mine, not in IT, finished his degree at Univ of Phoenix, and got a significant raise for doing so...


did that happen to anyone in IT on here?


if so, how did it happen? Did you ask for it? "Hey bossman, I be all educated and stuff, how bout some 'mo cash?"


or did they just say, "hey you got a degree, here's some dough?"


or was it already in place, as in, "if you finish your Bachelor's while working here, you're entitled to a bump in pay?"

It's usually no good wandering into your bosses office expecting a hike in pay when you have passed a certification or even a degree. A lot of companies these days see these things as being a personal investment you have made for your own future as opposed to something the company can really benefit from.

If you want to leverage your learning into more money at work then you need to sell the benefits to your employer from the get go. See what commitment there is to bump your salary based on completion of x or completion of y. Generally you will get more milage if you are working on the commercial side of things such as pre-sales where your qualifications can be hawked to impress clients and drag more business in. On the operations side of the house it can be much harder to translate qualifications into payrises. Many CCIE's kill themselves with long hours of study on their private time, sometimes at personal cost to family life only to come into work one day with a five digit Cisco number and no rise of any consequence from the company.

If you want significant money from your certification or educational accomplishments you should sell the dollar value of these things to your current employer before you embark upon them.

Turgon

Jpgonzal wrote: »

This is a non-IT anecdote so it may not apply, but I think the procedure is practically universal.

Personally, after I graduated (Non-IT field, doh!), I took the approach of treating it like any other request for a raise. I would argue that a degree doesn't "entitle" you to money but it sure does add some firepower. Have a gameplan, and be prepared to "prove" why you should get a raise. Let me preface this by saying that an employee with experience and a recent graduate is a powerful thing. That is a very attractive commodity to employers, how could it not be?

I have a few friends in IT and it appears to me that it usually is best practice to get it in writing so that if you get Y certification, you'll be rewarded with X amount of money. Thought to be honest, it sure sounds nice to name your price, one of these days!

What are some other thoughts out there??

If you are hawking for more money because you are more qualified then you should pitch it sensibly. Explaining how what you have learned will potentially benefit the company is a way of demonstrating that you will add more value to the company. On that basis it is fair to ensure that the company recognises these possibilities by way of an increase in your paypacket subject to you delivering something new in the future that backs up what you are saying. Self promotion is important. Better that approach than one where you try to pass yourself off as the experienced and now educated guy who is like gold to the marketplace and unless you get a payrise you will leave for a job that pays what you are now looking to earn. Your approach can come over this way even if it is not your intention. Then you learn that your portfolio is actually not that special (there are many experienced, qualified people out there) and you really need the job you have..

ziggi138

I didnt get a pay raise from the job i was working when i got my degree, but I did find another job that paid a bit more. The Data Center I am working for now does like employees to get certifications and whatnot. Maybe the certifications i am working on/have gotten will help me when it comes to raise time.

Everyone

I haven't gone back and finished my degree yet, but I did have this conversation with my boss.

I asked for a title change that matched my actual responsibilities, as I feel my current title and job description is well below what is actually expected of me. I printed off a document with 4 job descriptions that were a closer match to what I actually do, and went over them with my boss. He got really hung up on the fact that all of them said "Typically requires a bachelors degree". I wasn't told "no", but instead told he would need 4 to 6 weeks to talk with HR and figure some things out. He did make it pretty clear that finishing my degree would help my chances. 80% of my department does NOT have a degree, so I really don't get why he got so hung up on it.

Now I am bringing it up with companies that I'm interviewing with. I'm asking if there are any incentives for finishing a degree or more certifications. Most just say they will pay for them as long as they are related to your job. Only 1 company has told me they offer salary increases for finishing them.

MrRyte

Just like selling yourself at a job interview; you have to sell yourself to your employer as well. Make them see the potential ROI for giving you a little extra $$$$.

BTW/FWIW-it's best not to have the "give me a raise or I'm out the door" vibe during the discussion......

techtime

Yep I sure did. I got a new job with a new shiney pay raise!!

elphrank0

Boss took me to lunch. He lobbied to get me more money, but they just don't do that here apparently.

instant000

After clearing the bachelor's, I got another job, and my pay increased by about 15%. I didn't have to move, and I'm closer to my new job. Win-Win situation.

cyberguypr

I was employed by an "I don't care about your degree or certs" company. My boss could see my departure coming a mile as he knew people who want to learn and grow never last in the company. Every time I printed a certificate and put it on my cube wall he would ask if I was happy with the company. After I got my MCITP:EA I started looking and found an exceptional position with a company where where certs are appreciated, encouraged and properly compensated.

QHalo

I'll let you know in 3 weeks. But I doubt it. Degree != more pay all the time. Gotta play it up like Turgon said or if someone in HR gave you crap about not having one, discuss what if anything would happen if you finished.

Devilsbane

Some companies pay you based on degree and time there. The education system is very fond of this approach.

Businesses on the other hand tend to pay based on the what do you do for me. That is where Turgon's approach comes in. The company likely won't pay you more just for your fancy piece of paper. They might if they are afraid to lose you, but if they are paying you so low that they are afraid of that then you might be better off leaving.

One thing I want to add to this discussion that has been brought up but not clearly pointed out. Your biggest raises will usually come from job moves rather than raises. It isn't unreasonable to move from Job A to Job B and make an extra $5,000 - $10,000 for doing so. How often do you get a 10% or more raise?

Bl8ckr0uter

Turgon wrote: »

It's usually no good wandering into your bosses office expecting a hike in pay when you have passed a certification or even a degree. A lot of companies these days see these things as being a personal investment you have made for your own future as opposed to something the company can really benefit from.

If you want to leverage your learning into more money at work then you need to sell the benefits to your employer from the get go. See what commitment there is to bump your salary based on completion of x or completion of y. Generally you will get more milage if you are working on the commercial side of things such as pre-sales where your qualifications can be hawked to impress clients and drag more business in. On the operations side of the house it can be much harder to translate qualifications into payrises. Many CCIE's kill themselves with long hours of study on their private time, sometimes at personal cost to family life only to come into work one day with a five digit Cisco number and no rise of any consequence from the company.

If you want significant money from your certification or educational accomplishments you should sell the dollar value of these things to your current employer before you embark upon them.

This guy knows what he is talking about. I have only had one situation where a cert has given me a raise and that was with A+/N+. I honestly wonder how much employers really care certs. I mean seriously. I think certs are more for requirements than they are for advancement.

ehnde

I can't say completing a degree got me a raise (I was an unemployed college student), but I can say that it helped me get the highest paying job I've ever had.

blargoe

My degree resulted in the end of my internship and the beginning of a full time position with the same company, so yeah, I got a raise.

Mike-Mike

Bl8ckr0uter wrote: »

This guy knows what he is talking about. I have only had one situation where a cert has given me a raise and that was with A+/N+. I honestly wonder how much employers really care certs. I mean seriously. I think certs are more for requirements than they are for advancement.

at my current job, I interviewed for a system admin job, and they distinctly told me if I got a MCSA or MCSE I would be much more desireable in their eyes..