Post # 1
Member
70 posts
Worker bee
Hi bees! I really need help determining if I should negotiate my salary and if so, how should i go about doing it. My annual review is coming up shortly so I think now is the best time to bring something like this up. I feel like I am kind of in a weird situation and the facts i am gathering from internet research might not apply to me.
I was hired by this company 3 years ago in an entry level position with no experience or degree in this field. I was obviously offered a very low wage, which I understood. After being there for 6 months, i wanted to relocate to a different state. They had another office where i was moving so they let me keep my job and work from the other office. After a year of being employed with this company, there were some staff changes and i was offered a higher position similar to a manager position. I did not get a salary increase which i was ok with because like i stated at the beginning, i had no experience or degree in this field to back me up.
At the beginning of this year, i decided to relocate to be closer to family. This company has no office in this state so they let me keep my job and i work remotely from home which i am very grateful for. I have now been in the new position for 2 years and i have worked really hard and learned a lot. I still feel like i have a long way to go in terms of knowledge but i feel like i have been very successful in this position and i have exceeded expectations.
I have been doing a lot of research and the internet is saying that the lower to mid salary for my position in my area is about $17,000 more than my current salary (which is still the same salary that i received for my entry level position when i was hired three years ago plus the annual 3% raises). The difference is even greater in the area that original office is located. The reasons why I dont feel confident in my research is because those numbers dont take no degree/working from home into account.
What do you bees think? I really want to start a family some day but i would like to be financially secure and pay down my debts/begin building up savings before that happens. that is very difficult as money is tight right now. All opinions welcome! Thanks!
Post # 2
Member
386 posts
Helper bee
bethrenae1 : Salary negotiation is always difficult, and it kind of depends. Do you get a yearly increase aka a “cost of living” increase? Have they been helping pay for moving costs? Have you done anything in your personal life to get closer to completing your degree?
In my experience, I have gotten a raise every 6 months to 1 year. Even if it wasn’t a high raise, it was about that often. If you’ve been there 2 years, they haven’t helped with any relocation costs, and you haven’t had a cost of living raise, I would ask for a small raise.
I would not think you’d get close to that $17,000 minimum. Unfortunately you live out of state. Those numbers are for local companies. Your company is being generous by letting you work from home, and I can tell you understand that. When you want a raise, you need to bring reasons why you’ve earned one. You should get a raise for your time in. However, if you’re not taking strides to get a degree then there is no way you’re going to get a major raise.
I would still ask for a small one, but I’d be ready for some push back and I wouldn’t expect to get a lot! Sorry bee.
Post # 3
Member
9230 posts
Buzzing Beekeeper
bethrenae1 : i was offered a higher position similar to a manager position. I did not get a salary increase.
I would use this in salary negotiations. You took on a promotion without any additional salary which was a mistake but now you would like it rectified. I was once offered a promotion and they said “we can revisit salary after 6 months” and I told them I wouldn’t accept it without an immediate increase. If they think you’re good enough to do the job then they should pay you. Period. I got a $5k increase to start. Remember working from home is a benefit for them as well – they don’t need to provide you with office space. Do they pay for your internet access? Standard office supplies?
Post # 4
Member
70 posts
Worker bee
futuremrsmcl : the company did not help me with moving costs but that should not be expected from them since i was the one that decided to move. I have not pursued the degree since my boss says it is not necessary. I know that they have paid for more education for a fellow employee in a higher status. I know that is irrelevent because even if they do not pay for education, i would pursue it if they wanted me to on my own dime.
Post # 5
Member
70 posts
Worker bee
LilliV : they do not pay for internet access. They have only provided my computer and desk telephone. I understand that working from home is a benefit to both parties but working from home should not cost me this much salary.
Post # 6
Member
9230 posts
Buzzing Beekeeper
bethrenae1 : that was exactly my point! You salary shouldn’t depend on where you are doing your job from – it should be based on your tasks and performance.
Post # 7
Member
7568 posts
Bumble Beekeeper
Working from home is a benefit, not an expense. You should not use it as part of your negotiations unless you want your supervisor to start accounting for the professional wardrobe and commuter expenses you are not having to pay.
You need to quantify what you have done for the company, not what other people are making at other companies. What are your accomplishments? Stick to things you can count or put a price on, such as “reduced workgroup paper waste by 25% by implementing paperless meetings rule” or “achieved 97% customer satisfaction rating.”
Post # 8
Member
691 posts
Busy bee
Negotiating is all about knowing your worth. In this situation, I would focus on the new position, acknowledging that you were willing to come into it at a below market rate given your then-lack of experience, but now…..given that you’ve done x, y and z since then, you feel you have earned the position as it typically pays. Be prepared to list many concrete, measurable examples of where you have provided value.
That said, a couple of things to consider:
– could they replace you with another entry level person and be just fine? If so, make your “ask” reasonable….don’t inflate your number too too much.
– If they said no, and you left, would your next position be a work-from-home position? If not, add up what you’re saving by being home (commuting costs, no lunches out, no makeup….whatever) and consider that when weighing the increase they do offer you. Also consider the non-monetary value — independence, hours, autonomy, not having to deal with office politics.
– I hate to say this one, but do try to understand that “out of sight, out of mind” sometimes comes into play when dealing with bosses or negotiating increases. Because you’re not there in person every day, you are not as “known” a commodity as someone who is and therefore may need to advocate for yourself even harder. They may also feel less guilt after saying “no” to someone they don’t have to look at every day. Just something to consider.
Good luck!!
Post # 9
Member
70 posts
Worker bee
futuremrsmcl : i reread your comment and i just wanted to say that, yes, the $17,000 difference is for local companies. I also researched my position’s salary in the area of the home office and my findings are that the salary is higher in that area, which makes the difference greater. I think that it would be fair to compare my salary to the average salary of my current location since the cost of living is different. It would also be better for the company since i would still be paid less than their area’s average.
Post # 10
Member
7 posts
Newbee
If you are set on asking for that number (just make sure the research is solid and fully applicable) one thing you may consider doing if they say no is to ask if that’s the number they can work towards getting you to over the course of a couple of years. Often that large of an adjustment can’t be done in one shot due to budgets.
Post # 11
Member
1638 posts
Bumble bee
I would ask for a pay increase based on time in the role and the increase in duties when they changed your role. Your lack of degree may keep you under market average, but it should be more than entry level.
That said… even though you see it as only 3% per year as a cost of living increase… the company still sees it as a discretionary salary increase. Over 3 years, that’d be 9%. If you were still doing the same role, then I’d say that’s fair to account for 3 year growth in experience unless the market inflated like crazy.
That said, change in duties and increase in responsibilities should result in a pay bump on its own. So use that.
Post # 12
Member
70 posts
Worker bee
Thank you for everyone taking the time to give me guidance. I talked to a close work colleague to get her opinion and she advised that i start actively looking for a new job so that i have options. Working from home is nice but i am ok with working in an office too. I just think i will run into the same issues that i have now where i will be underpaid or not even get any offers since i don’t have a degree in the field. I should add that i do have an associates degree in an unrelated field.
Post # 13
Member
386 posts
Helper bee
bethrenae1 : What field do you work in? It’s such an accomplishment that you got an associates degree, but depending on the field it may not matter! From what I’m reading it sounds like you should consider going back to school. Even if your degree is in an unrelated field, you can usually use those credits towards your BS/BA. I have a college degree and will be the first to admit that for some jobs it’s a total scam, but it’s the unfortunate reality that we live in. But I do agree just use what you’ve done for them and your increase in responsibility as your reason for wanting a raise!
Post # 14
Member
70 posts
Worker bee
futuremrsmcl : i work in the accounting field. Unfortunately my associates degree is along the lines of art and i believe it will not provide credits to help me obtain a bs/ba. I regret getting the degree that i got. It was definitely a scam that im still paying for and will not help me with any career.
Post # 15
Member
273 posts
Helper bee
hi bee! i was in a very similar situation just a few months ago. i too work from home and it is a great bonus and offers a lot of flexibility. however, it can make things difficult as i don’t see my manager, or any higher ups, or really any coworkers for that matter, very often. to most of the higher ups i am just another name, they don’t even work in the same state i do.
so, i ended up finding out that my starting salary was significantly less than what some coworkers in the same position was. like, 14,000 a year less. i was very upset about it and went back and forth about how to ask for a raise. i had been with the company for almost a year and half and did not get a raise at all.
i had done a lot for the company in my position, and felt i deserved a raise, so i made a list of things that i have accomplished and done for the position over the past year and a half and presented it to my manager. she agreed that i work hard and deserved a raise, and she said she would reach out to her mananger and advocate for me, and get back to me.
6 weeks went by and i heard nothing. i felt i had no other choice but to look for another job, so i did, actually interviewed and was offered the job. they offered me a starting salary that was 20,000 dollars more than i was making. i was really struggling though because i didn’t want to give up working from home. so, i mustered up the courage to call my manager again and tell her that i was offered another position, and if they wanted to counter offer, i would hear them out. they ended up offering 2,000 dollars more than the other job, so i ended up getting a 22,000 dollar raise 2 months ago. i was absolutely thrilled and realized that they valued me and knew i was do good work for them.
is this something you could consider doing?