Do You Want More Salary?
When I was working in the UK as a project executive, I found out that one of my colleagues whose tasks were not as extreme as mine was earning more. This made me sit up and do some more investigation.
Do you know what I found out?
Most times, those who earn more than you, doing the same job or even less of the same job, negotiated their way to that salary. Can you believe it? They simply sold themselves in a way where they convinced the hiring manager that their time is very very valuable.
What do I mean?
Some of us have been looking for a job for so long, that if any comes, we take it while considering a salary as unimportant. At that moment when the offer is being presented, we are not aware that we have an opportunity to negotiate our rules of engagement in our new job. Why? We see the employer as doing us a favor as opposed to us doing them a favor.
So, if you are in this scenario and you feel you have been short changing yourself and you believe that you deserve more salary; follow these steps:
-Get conscious of the work you do: Because we are so great at what we do, we carry out more than what is in our job description. Get conscious of the extracurricular activities you are involved with/in the organization; even if it is as mundane as going to get the refreshment for the board meeting when clearly you are not the secretary! One person might see this as being picked on and another might see it as being able to hold conversations with the person selling the refreshment and the executive board in the meeting.
-Write it out in comparison style: On a table format, write out your job description and then write out every other activities/tasks, you carry out that are not part of the job description BUT you have been told to carry out by your manager or colleagues. Also, write out other activities or events you are involved in and connect them to effects such as boosting either sales, increasing knowledge, morale or the soft skills of your peers. In other words, think deeply and intently about the things you do that have impacted the organization.
- Start working on your pitch: Why? Remember that those doing less tasks than you probably got more salary because of their negotiation skills. You are about to negotiate for a higher salary; a pitch is needed. You are about to convince your managers why at the middle line, you deserve more than what was offered; it is about to get serious. If you get your pitch right, you are halfway there.
-Build your confidence: This is so important because this would be the hook into opening the conversation about more salary. It would be unfair to your value, if you walk into the meeting to discuss your effort and salary and you do not bring your best self. How would you work on your confidence? Look at all the things you have done! Yes- you did them! You bring value on a daily basis to the organization! Your colleagues respect you and always come to you for help! Your superiors value your work and always seek you out. That is the confidence you need; that you are extremely value adding. That they brought you on to do a certain job and because of how fast you are and open to growth, you have exceeded this.
-Now, book that meeting: No matter how many times you postpone the inevitable, it has to happen. Inform your manager casually that you would like to speak regarding your performance; as soon as he agree, set the meeting. On the day of the meeting, go with copies of your job tasks (as stated in No 2 above); and speak through your pitch; let him know why you deserve more and you would be surpised how all you needed to do all alonf was to ask!