How to Ask Your Boss for a Raise

How to Ask Your Boss for a RaiseYoure sitting at your desk, working hard as always, when your boss walks up, smiling. Congratulations, she beams. Ive decided to give you a 25 percent raise Wow, you think, as you mentally run through the list of people you want to thank your agent, your deity, your long-suffering spouse. Suddenly you snap back to reality, and realize it didnt actually happen. No one walked up and handed you one of those oversized prop checks, just for being you. (Darn it) But part of your fantasy could come truewith a bit of research, a little work, and a lot of confidence. googletag.cmd.push(function() googletag.display(div-gpt-ad-1467144145037-0) ) Asking for a raise is something you shouldnt take lightly. In this economic climate and the chronic outbreak of corporate belt-tightening, its easier than ever for bosses and executives to shrug their shoulders and say I would if I could, but. That means its on you to show how youve gone above and beyond, or how your pro ductivity has been an astischset to the company in your time there. According to PayScale.com, 75% of people who ask for a raise get one. Be one of the 75%Before you start the process, ask yourself a few questions about where things stand at work right now. Have your responsibilities changed recently? Are you taking mora initiative than ever? via PayScaleIf you dont feel like youre quite at that point yet, that doesnt mean you wont be soon. Be more proactive at work, taking the lead on projects that involve other people, and start reaching beyond the limits of your job description. If you are ready to start advocating for that raise, then here are some steps you can follow.Step 1Do Your HomeworkStep 2Settle on a Goal AmountStep 3plek Your TimingStep 4Ask for a Meeting With Your Boss.Step 5Gather All of Your InformationStep 6 AskStep 7 Have a Plan BStep 1 Do Your HomeworkThe best tool at your disposal here is informationinformation about you, information about your industry, informat ion about what other people make doing the same things you do. The great thing about this is that we have so much of this info right at our fingertips these days. There are entire websites out there devoted to how much people make in different industries, and what they can expect to make over the course of a career. It would be nice to think that were all priceless professionals, who dont have a dollar figure. Yet in this cynical world, we all have a (professional) worthand its absolutely essential to know yours. Lets look at a few of the sites that can help you find out.The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics Sure, it looks like dry government dataand, well, it is. But its also a wealth of information about your industry median salaries, career outlooks over the next ten years, and basic career requirements.PayScale.com On the front page, it says in big letters, What am I worth? Thats a sign that youre on the right track in your research. You can search by industry or job titl e, and download free reports that give you salary data about your field.Glassdoor.com This site has industry and salary data too, but it also has company dataincluding anonymous reviews from people whove worked there. So you get hard data about what people similar to you are making, but it can also give you insight into how your own company works behind the scenes. And if the raise request process doesnt work out, it has some great resources for a job hunt.Step 2 Settle on a Goal AmountOnce you have a ballpark figure in mind thanks to your extensive research online, its time to start refining that a bit. You should have a specific goal in mind for your salary negotiations. You may or may bedrngnis reach that in the end, but you need a figure for your manager to work with. If you let the other person set the number, you risk low-balling yourself. And you really dont want to find out later that your boss actually would have gone higher, but didnt because you seemed satisfied with the lower amount. Moral of the story you set the narrative here.Here are 3 tips to keep in mind as you figure out your amount.1. Be realistic.Remember your research, and stay within shouting distance of what people in your role make at other companies, or what people have historically made in your role at your own company. Unless youre about to sign a major professional baseball contract, asking for crazy amounts of cash (and a shiny new BMW convertible) will get you laughed out of your negotiation meeting.2. Be specific.Remember, youre setting the conversation here. If you throw out a specific number or percentage of the raise, you open up a dialogue with your manager.3. Be firm.Once youve settled on an amount (or at least a narrow range), commit to it. The last thing you want is to be winging it once you have your bosss attention.Okay, so youve figured out what youre asking for. Lets move on to step 3.Step 3 Pick Your TimingIf your company just released a disastrous earnings report, t hen now might not be the best time to ask for a raise. If you or your boss is overwhelmed in the middle of a giant project, now might not be the best time to ask for a raise. You want to pick a time when the powers that be might be more receptive to giving you more cash. This is not to say that you cant ask for a raise if things are shaky with the company. As with everything else, there may not be a perfect time where all the planets align for your request, and you shouldnt put it off indefinitely. But if youre conscious about whats going on in general, you can find a time when people arent just going to dismiss your request right off because things are terrible. Its a matter of shifting your opportunity window. Also, knowing whats going on can help you frame your request I know things are a little rough right now with our industry, but Id like to talk about a merit-based raise.With many companies, raises and bonuses are tied pretty closely to the annual review process. Again, there s nothing stopping you from taking this outside of the regular channels, but if you align your ask with a time of year where your company might be more amenable to adjusting your pay, it could increase your chances.Step 4 Ask for a Meeting With Your BossNo carrier pigeon necessary just an invite that blocks out time for you and your boss to talk about this without distractions. Theres no need for cloak-and-dagger secrecy. A simple meeting to discuss salary subject works fine.Step 5 Gather All of Your InformationRemember when you did all that research on salaries? Time to bring that back, and keep it in mind for the discussion with your boss. You should alsoUpdate your resume. Its probably changed since you started, and the manager in charge of your raise may not have ever read your resume in the first place. So its time to rebuild or refine your resume, tailored to the points you want to emphasize in your raise request (skills youve picked up, tasks youve taken on, accomplishments y ouve accumulated). Bring a copy to the meeting with your boss.Make a list of all of the talking points you want to hit in your discussion.Practice what you want to say. It can feel silly to talk to yourself in the bathroom mirror, but asking for a raise can be a stressful situation. And in stressful situations, we dont always remember to say what we needed or wanted to say. So if you practice ahead of time, itll be easier to stick to your points when youre asking your boss.Step 6 AskArmed with your accomplishments and your raise-worthy activities on the job, gather up your confidence and walk into the meeting with your manager. There are some dos and donts as you take this stepDont be aggressive or defensive. Keep the tone civil and professional at all times.Dont make it about you as a personmake it about you as an employee.Dont try to make it about what you want/need. If you are having personal financial issues, or want to finance Mr. Fluffingtons cat botox regimen, none of that ma tters. Focus on your worthiness as a professional.Do take it seriously. Even if youre buddies with your boss, you want to treat this with the utmost seriousness. This is your salary were talking about You want your boss to take this request seriously, so you need to set that tone.Dont be afraid to talk yourself up. Its not bragging to list your accomplishments and explain why you deserve a raise. You should be a confident advocate for yourself.Step 7 Have a Plan BSometimes the answer will be no, or the amount will come in way under that you were hoping to get. If thats the case, you have some follow-up decisions to make. If you feel like your company doesnt value you, and now you have a dollar figure against that, its time to ask yourself if youd like to stay, or try your luck elsewhere.If the answer is no and you have no interest in jumping ship, dont take it personally. This is a business discussion with business reasons behind it. Its not a rejection of you (even thought it can c ertainly feel that way). Before you even walk into the meeting with your boss, know what your plan is for each potential outcome. Dont lose heartyou can try this again in the future. Ideally, your boss explained why the answer was a no. And keep this open as a dialogue you can ask whether theres anything you can do to set yourself up for a better raise on the next go-round.The most important thing with asking for a raise is that you go into it with every possible reason and justification at your disposal. The raise request is a not-so-distant cousin to the new job salary negotiation, in that you dont get what you dont ask for and you dont want to have any regrets later on. Good luck seizing your opportunity

IT Resume Objective Examples

IT Resume Objective Examples IT resume objective examplesLooking to apply to the top IT jobs? Creating anIT resume objective gives you a way to show a hiring manager what you want to do and how you will benefit the company.Although a resume objective is less common than acareer summary nowadays, this simple yet pointed stellungnahme can show employers exactly what you bring to the table. ansicht statements need to be short and sweet, and should include the company name and/or position youre applying for, as well as your skills or experience.Why use an objective?There are pros and cons to using an objective statement. Although many hiring managers and professionals find objectives outdated, when its done properly, this section of your resume helps you stand out from the crowd by showing your skills and goals in a succinct manner. If you target your objective properly, youll stay in the mind of every hiring manager who sees it.What are good IT resume objectives?Its important to create a different resume objective for each job youre applying to. It should speak to the specifics of the companyhiring managers know how to sniff out generic objectives. These are some examples of strong IT resume objectivesTo fulfill the system administrator role at CyberSolutions using my 12 years ofexperience and extensive knowledge of Server 2008, SharePoint, and Active Directory, as well as my time management and problem solving skills.While this objective statement is a little on the long side, it is well executed because it shows your experience on specific programs that the company uses and targets the company directly. It also shows the skills that are required for the position.To leverage my knowledge of IT systems to create and maintain the networks for Global Run, utilizing my MCSE, LPIC, and RHCE certifications.This objective statement focuses on the certifications used by IT professionals. When creating your IT objective statement, including these certs can help show that you not only know the industry, but have extensive understanding of how specific systems work.As youre creating your resume, its important to pay special attention to your objective. The more information you can include in this statement while keeping it short, the better your resume looks to hiring managers. Having a great IT resume objective will get your resume to the top of the stack.

The Battle Over Writing a Resume for a Job with Animals and How to Win It

The Battle Over Writing a Resume for a Job with Animals and How to Win It But What About Writing a Resume for a Job with Animals? Getting it right isnt that difficult. Individuals are always searching for jobs. Begin a Blog Make of what you need to do, writing a blog is a very simple means to show off school abilities. The Chronicles of Writing a Resume for a Job with Animals You are able to also research different sample resumes, in addition to revamp and revise resumes of family and friends members. Additionally, there are many books about resumes and cover letters that youre able to take a look at at the neighborhood library. A lot of people change jobs regularly and if they do they have plenty of applications, interviews, and red tape to experience. Writing a Resume for a Job with Animals Fundamentals Explained Let the brde jobs follow in a reverse-chronological purchase. Even in the event that you decide against taking the job it is going to be great experience. You will probably discover that you cant tell whether you will take pleasure in the job till you have been to the workplace and met some of the people involved. Aside from the advantage of knowledge and money, a job will increase your resume. Writing a Resume for a Job with Animals the Ultimate Convenience Locate The Best Job Now that you have chosen to be a truck driver, you have anotlageher puzzle to fix. Writing a resume can be a struggle for plenty of people, but one must remember to concentrate just on the relevant points that will cause a thriving job application. As soon as its only a page or two in length, a resume is among the most important components of a work application. Conversely the ideal job in the paper might not be so perfect once you have been to go to the workplace. Facts, Fiction and Writing a Resume for a Job with Animals Resume writing is more engaging and client-facing since you should work one-on-one with the customer. Besides traditional writing ski lls, you also had better understand how to optimize copy for the internet. It is possible to also turn to websites including GetTutor. Writing resumes for individuals supplies you with the chance to help them land work, besides earning money from your writing skills. Writing a Resume for a Job with Animals Help To aid you in getting started, have a look at the sample job descriptions below. A resume is quite vital for practically any form of job. The ideal thing you can do is locate an example CV from the net and utilize it like a template. Although your search for a new job can open up a completely new scope of possibilities it may also be slightly daunting as finding a job which suits you perfectly can be like finding a needle in a haystack and as a result if you do come across something which looks like it is going to be ideal for you there is a specific amount of anxiety as you try and make sure you get it. What is Really Happening with Writing a Resume for a Job with A nimals Time availability shouldnt be included on a resume. A resume is needed each time you apply to get a job. Furthermore, you can register for job alerts to be emailed to your inbox so you may be among the very first to apply. Individuals often downplay themselves, its your job for a writer to obtain the nitty-gritty information and make your client a star. Characteristics of Writing a Resume for a Job with Animals Your resume summary is an excellent place to indicate that youre a flexible kollektiv player whos ready to do whatever has to be accomplished. To put it differently Show youll receive the work done better than anybody else. Everybody goes through the procedure of locating a job sooner or later in a career. For the point of this exercise, instead only concentrate on the work description and its requirements.