$10k raise--just by asking!

forkvoidforkvoid Member Posts: 317
I've held my new job for four months now, and felt that I was being underpaid for what I was doing... so today, I walked into my boss's office, gave some statistics from salary.com and recruiters in the area for my job(or as close to it as I could get) and asked for a $10k raise. Five minutes later, it was done.

All by asking!

Today is a good day. I shall celebrate with a beer...or five.icon_cool.gif
The beginning of knowledge is understanding how little you actually know.

Comments

  • chrisonechrisone Member Posts: 2,278 ■■■■■■■■■□
    hahaha thats awesome! congrats! whats your job responsibilities ? if you dont mind me asking...icon_thumright.gif
    Certs: CISSP, EnCE, OSCP, CRTP, eCTHPv2, eCPPT, eCIR, LFCS, CEH, SPLK-1002, SC-200, SC-300, AZ-900, AZ-500, VHL:Advanced+
    2023 Cert Goals: SC-100, eCPTX
  • forkvoidforkvoid Member Posts: 317
    chrisone wrote: »
    hahaha thats awesome! congrats! whats your job responsibilities ? if you dont mind me asking...icon_thumright.gif

    I work for a VAR.

    Client comes in, I design everything about their technology setup from policies and procedures down to what hardware and software they're using... I then do the project management for the whole thing, which may span a weekend with two people involved or may span six months with ten people involved. I work with a lot of contractors, since I obviously can't all of the implementation myself.

    Breakdown by major job functions:

    IT architecture design
    Network administration
    Windows systems administration
    Desktop support
    Project management
    Technical writing
    Sales

    Environment is also extremely high pressure. Most tasks have priority of "needed done yesterday". I'm on call pretty much 100% of the time. I'm often on the computer at 6am, still in my boxers, having been woken up to a down issue by a client.
    The beginning of knowledge is understanding how little you actually know.
  • Michael.J.PalmerMichael.J.Palmer Member Posts: 407 ■■■□□□□□□□
    Congrats! See, you never know if you don't ask, icon_razz.gif.
    -Michael Palmer
    WGU Networks BS in IT - Design & Managment (2nd Term)
    Transfer: BAC1,BBC1,CLC1,LAE1,INC1,LAT1,AXV1,TTV1,LUT1,INT1,SSC1,SST1,TNV1,QLT1,ABV1,AHV1,AIV1,BHV1,BIV1
    Required Courses: EWB2, WFV1, BOV1, ORC1, LET1, GAC1, HHT1, TSV1, IWC1, IWT1, MGC1, TPV1, TWA1, CPW3.
    Key: Completed, WIP, Still to come
  • ipconfig.allipconfig.all Banned Posts: 428
  • RouteThisWayRouteThisWay Member Posts: 514
    Congrats man :)
    "Vision is not enough; it must be combined with venture." ~ Vaclav Havel
  • rogue2shadowrogue2shadow Member Posts: 1,501 ■■■■■■■■□□
    Congrats!!! Nice move icon_thumright.gif
  • tpatt100tpatt100 Member Posts: 2,991 ■■■■■■■■■□
  • PsoasmanPsoasman Member Posts: 2,687 ■■■■■■■■■□
    Good for you, I am adding to your rep! Never hurts to ask, especially when you go in prepared.
  • gatewaygateway Member Posts: 232
    With market conditions as they are that's some accomplishment. Well done! icon_cool.gif[walks into boss's office]
    Blogging my AWS studies here! http://www.itstudynotes.uk/aws-csa
  • N2ITN2IT Inactive Imported Users Posts: 7,483 ■■■■■■■■■■
    Well done!

    With all that stress and hard work you deserve it.
  • NetAdmin2436NetAdmin2436 Member Posts: 1,076
    Well played! icon_thumright.gif

    That's awesome and something every underpaid employee should do. If your salary is well below the salary surveys in your area, it's time to ask. Some of us don't realize just how important we are to our company. I did something similar a few years ago. It's amazing what you get when you simply ask. Don't demand or threaten, but bring in some statistics (as mentioned), reasons why, accomplishments, and ask in a professional manner.
    WIP: CCENT/CCNA (.....probably)
  • DevilsbaneDevilsbane Member Posts: 4,214 ■■■■■■■■□□
    You are going to share some of that with us... right?


    Congratulations!
    Decide what to be and go be it.
  • forkvoidforkvoid Member Posts: 317
    Thanks guys.

    The real trick, now that I'm getting pay comparable for my skillset/location, is getting the next raise that bumps me beyond the average. I've been told by my boss that certs and a degree will work favorably for me. So, MCITP:EA, it seems, is my next step.
    The beginning of knowledge is understanding how little you actually know.
  • Hyper-MeHyper-Me Banned Posts: 2,059
    forkvoid wrote: »
    The real trick, now that I'm getting pay comparable for my skillset/location, is getting the next raise that bumps me beyond the average. I've been told by my boss that certs and a degree will work favorably for me. So, MCITP:EA, it seems, is my next step.

    Yeah, its finicky in this area. You do high level work and make good money (sometimes more than the HR person you're talking to about a new job) and they try to tell you that you arent worth half what you are making now. icon_rolleyes.gif

    I've gotten into it with several recruiters/HR people because they've told me im only worth 25k a year and then they get insulted when i pass on their "opportunity"
  • forkvoidforkvoid Member Posts: 317
    Hyper-Me wrote: »
    Yeah, its finicky in this area. You do high level work and make good money (sometimes more than the HR person you're talking to about a new job) and they try to tell you that you arent worth half what you are making now. icon_rolleyes.gif

    I've gotten into it with several recruiters/HR people because they've told me im only worth 25k a year and then they get insulted when i pass on their "opportunity"

    I actually called up Premier and TekSystems as part of my investigation into salaries... told them my work details and they priced me out as a range.

    Of course, I seriously doubt they would ever get me a job in that range($55k to $65k).
    The beginning of knowledge is understanding how little you actually know.
  • Hyper-MeHyper-Me Banned Posts: 2,059
    forkvoid wrote: »
    I actually called up Premier and TekSystems as part of my investigation into salaries... told them my work details and they priced me out as a range.

    Of course, I seriously doubt they would ever get me a job in that range($55k to $65k).


    Oh i can guarantee they won't. Not "you" individually but if you dont have 10 years hardcore experience they don't want to touch you with a 10 foot pole.

    Premier always acts like im a waste of their time.

    Tek called not long ago with a job for a sys admin that wanted 5 years exp on windows and linux (each) and paid barely over half what im making now. icon_rolleyes.gif
  • forkvoidforkvoid Member Posts: 317
    Hyper-Me wrote: »
    Oh i can guarantee they won't. Not "you" individually but if you dont have 10 years hardcore experience they don't want to touch you with a 10 foot pole.

    Premier always acts like im a waste of their time.

    Tek called not long ago with a job for a sys admin that wanted 5 years exp on windows and linux (each) and paid barely over half what im making now. icon_rolleyes.gif

    I've had better luck with Craigslist than both of them combined.
    The beginning of knowledge is understanding how little you actually know.
  • DevilsbaneDevilsbane Member Posts: 4,214 ■■■■■■■■□□
    forkvoid wrote: »
    I've had better luck with Craigslist than both of them combined.

    Thats a great idea. I never thought of making an ad on there.
    Decide what to be and go be it.
  • forkvoidforkvoid Member Posts: 317
    Devilsbane wrote: »
    Thats a great idea. I never thought of making an add on there.

    Actually, putting up an ad doesn't work unless you're in a larger city. What worked for me was responding to postings other companies put up. It's how I got my current job and a couple small ones in the past.
    The beginning of knowledge is understanding how little you actually know.
  • DevilsbaneDevilsbane Member Posts: 4,214 ■■■■■■■■□□
    I did make an ad once looking for computer repair. All of the replies were either spam or scams. Someone overnighted me a $4,000 check where I was supposed to cash it and wire $3500 to someone else.
    Decide what to be and go be it.
  • forkvoidforkvoid Member Posts: 317
    Devilsbane wrote: »
    I did make an ad once looking for computer repair. All of the replies were either spam or scams. Someone overnighted me a $4,000 check where I was supposed to cash it and wire $3500 to someone else.

    I've always wanted to cash it and let it sit, just to see what happens, especially when the bank says "Oh, this is legit" and then two weeks later "We were wrong".

    Nothing, though, I suppose.
    The beginning of knowledge is understanding how little you actually know.
  • DevilsbaneDevilsbane Member Posts: 4,214 ■■■■■■■■□□
    I still have the check (somewhere....), as I am looking to get into security later I think it is best to make every attempt to not tarnish my name.
    Decide what to be and go be it.
  • dynamikdynamik Banned Posts: 12,312 ■■■■■■■■■□
    It'll probably bounce and you'll get stuck with the charge. Some banks may make the funds available to you immediately while the check may not actually clear for another few days. You wire the money off that's now available in your account, but then those funds disappear a few days later when the check doesn't clear.
  • forkvoidforkvoid Member Posts: 317
    dynamik wrote: »
    It'll probably bounce and you'll get stuck with the charge. Some banks may make the funds available to you immediately while the check may not actually clear for another few days. You wire the money off that's now available in your account, but then those funds disappear a few days later when the check doesn't clear.

    Aye, but get irks me is the stories of people specifically asking their bank about it clearing. They even wait long enough that their bank says it's cleared... then suddenly, the bank was wrong. I would think it would be easier to figure out it's a forgery.
    The beginning of knowledge is understanding how little you actually know.
  • dynamikdynamik Banned Posts: 12,312 ■■■■■■■■■□
    forkvoid wrote: »
    Aye, but get irks me is the stories of people specifically asking their bank about it clearing. They even wait long enough that their bank says it's cleared... then suddenly, the bank was wrong. I would think it would be easier to figure out it's a forgery.

    Yep. I've had people approach me after some of my security awareness and admit to that happening to them. The moral of the story is to simply not get involved with offers that are too good to be true.
  • Hyper-MeHyper-Me Banned Posts: 2,059
    Or you could take it to their bank and cash it ;)

    But its probably like Bank of Zimbabwe or something.
  • poriggityporiggity Member Posts: 87 ■■□□□□□□□□
    Congrats! You never know unless you ask, but in certain instances, if you can't live with them saying no, you need to be prepared to walk out... That being said.. I am just dying to get into IT.. Hell, Im even tossing around the idea of starting a computer repair/networking business in the small town I live in, servicing this community.. Might work....
    Congrats bro!
    Scott
    A+, 70-270, and working on 70-290 now. Certs are good.
    claymoore wrote:
    If you're unzipping your fly to show off your A+, N+ and Sec+, I'm going to ask if it's cold in here.
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