As we commence 2020, people are still working on their new year’s resolutions. And often one of them is a promotion or a raise. Ram Kezel from Hostinger offers six tips on how to negotiate for a raise as a web developer.
Progress is an essential part of the work. You are working hard to be better at what you do. But you are not the only one who should be progressing. Your position and wage should advance accordingly to your personal progress. If you reached the place when you think you do more than you get, here are tips for you on how to negotiate a raise.
Check The Market
Before the negotiation, do the homework and check the current market situation. Various platforms offer information about what similar employers are paying for specific skills and experience levels. You can check Glassdoor, Salary.com, PayScale, or other similar pages.
Check The Reality
Once you checked the market, do a reality check as well. Some averages might be misrepresented because of unreasonable start up’s wages or other inadequacies. Keep in mind that there are a lot of variables in the calculation of salary. Your skills and experience are an important part of the calculation. But don’t forget that the type of employer or its’ geographical location also affects the numbers.
Threatening Is Not The Way To Go
Sometimes people go to job interviews even though they don’t plan on leaving their current workplace. If you feel like it, it can be a good thing to check your worth in a job interview, especially if you’ve been in the same company for quite some time. But to use a competitor’s proposal as a threat when asking for a raise is a horrible idea.
Arnas Stuopelis, Chairman of web hosting provider Hostinger, explains: “Nowadays companies don’t look at employees as laborers, they see them as team players. If someone uses threats when trying to get a raise, there is no team spirit left. Such people can appear uncommitted and disloyal. And it’s a red flag.” A. Stuopelis suggests highlighting your ideas for a current company, instead of demonstrating the option to leave for competitors.
Prove Your Worth
Even though you shouldn’t be threatening, you still need arguments on why your suggestion for a raise is valid. Before the negotiation, review your accomplishments. Mark not only the achievements itself but your personal growth as well. You should indicate that you have been consistently progressing and that you grew into higher qualifications.
Know Your Timing
It’s not enough to know your personal worth. You should also lookout for the right timing. People tend to talk about a raise in their annual reviews. It can be a tricky time because managers often have already made their decisions on how much money is available for raises and who should get them.
Aubrey Bach, Content Strategy Manager at Facebook, suggests that “the best time to ask for a raise is right after a big project that ended well,” says A. Bach, “such as one that was finished on time or under budget.” So, track your progress, and pick a good time for the talk. This way, you will have a solid ground to start the negotiations.
Stay Cool
It can be intimidating to start the negotiation about the raise. To calm yourself down, don’t look at this as a “do or die” scenario. It doesn’t mean that you lose if you don’t get the raise immediately. You start a conversation, and your manager will keep it in mind. Look at it as a discussion, not as a request. This way, both you and your manager can ease up when looking for common ground, instead of dealing with it as a fight.
If you feel like 2020 should start with a raise, go for it. But be smart about it. First of all, check the market to understand what is going on in similar companies. But don’t forget to do a reality check as well. Don’t take average wages as the one and only truth. Remember that many variables affect the numbers. Don’t use competitors’ proposals as a threat. It can make you look uncommitted and disloyal. Recognize and present your growth as an argument for a raise. But pick a smart timing to start a conversation. And look at this as a discussion rather than as a request. This way, it’s easier to reach a compromise.
By Ram Kezel