This is me, not smiling.

So I went into my performance review today at work, with a foot-long list of awesome accomplishments I've done over the past year. I get a glowing review. I'm happy until my supervisor tells me my pay raise amount. It is abysmally low for my field. I'm already making the lowest freaking possible wage for this particular job.

I took the job initially because I needed a job and was told there was room for substantial pay scale range growth as time went on.

I've been with the company for over a year. The company saw a 19.7% increase in sales from my contributions to the company, and 2011 was the highest profit margin ever for my particular area of sales - in the 40+ year history of the company.

Now, don't get me wrong, I love my job and I love the company and it's a nice place to work.

I really enjoy the job and am very glad to have found it.

But, I would like to be paid a fair wage.

I've already got the deck stacked against me (statistically) for pay, fitting into pretty much every single "workplace discrimination" group at once. God help me if I ever become wheelchair bound.

I'm a realist, I know I'll never make as much as other people in my field.

I'm not asking for a ridiculous pay increase. I just want to be paid enough money so that I have at least a few bucks left over at the end of the month.

I'm driving a 14 year old car in serious need of a few repairs, wearing effing maternity clothes that are too big for me (even though I had my baby 8 months ago, can't afford to buy clothes that fit properly), cut my own hair, grow as much of my own food as possible, and save as much money as I can.

I can take not being rich, that isn't the issue.

I'd just like to be paid fairly for my experience, service, and as an asset and valued member of the company.

Suffice it to say, I've put in a request to negotiate my own pay raise based on national/regional averages and statistics. If they refuse, I will file a formal complaint and proceed to look for another job.

My supervisor's chief compliment: "She has a positive attitude and does everything with a smile."

This is me, not smiling.

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reply to post by saroncan


My supervisor is male. The HR person is female, at least.

The fact of the matter is, I will never make good money. But, I would like to be paid at least the lowest end of the average for my field. I'm nowhere near that right now.

That just sucks. I wish I could give you a pay raise...a star and flag will have to do.

And a hug too...

Des

Originally posted by saroncan
Your lucky to have a female stupidvisor.

"She" is the OP, not the supervisor.

reply to post by Destinyone


Haha, thank you! Much appreciated.

reply to post by ottobot


If you like your job and the people you work for...stay with it.

Typically it takes six years, not one, to see a significant wage increase.

Continue to network within the Company, make allies (some say that's brown-nosing but I believe otherwise) and continue to contribute to the Company's success.

Take it from me, this old high school drop out eventually became the HR guy for my company. People recognized my work ethic and no nonsense approach. I retired at 48 years of age.

Yep, I did make enemies, but I made a lot more friends in the long run.

Don't take it personnal. Just keep on, keeping on.

reply to post by ottobot


oh,well i'll move in then...sounds like you have a minimal pay..ask your boss if you are easily replaced.Say I deserve a lil more quid for making you a bumbling idiot.

reply to post by ottobot


TDawg is right I'm afraid. You may have to give it more time to see the kinds of raises you want. I'm sure you deserve the best pay that your industry standard dictates, and you seem like a nice person, but you have to take it with time.

In the meantime just be sure to live within your means.

Good luck

I understand your frustration. It is very hard to make ends meet these days and trying to raise a family. Barely making it paycheck to paycheck is stressful. It sounds like you are a good employee and I agree with some of the other posters, it might take a bit longer than a year. Hang in there kiddo!

Thanks for the replies.

As to whether or not I can easily be replaced: No. I am the Web Developer at an international company whose profits are will into 8 digits every year. I manage all of their websites, control all of the database and e-commerce functions for the online portion of their business. I am the only one who can do my job at the company. I have spent considerable hours learning the systems and know exactly how everything works together. I have been able to make many "impossible" things happen because I know what I need to and I figure out things I don't know.

As to "giving them more time": When I initially applied for the job, I was told that the company was willing to pay "the right person" (i.e. every single one of their preferred skills + >10yrs experience) $100k/yr. I had all but one of their preferences but only three years professional experience (12 years unprofessional experience) in the field.

They asked for my "necessary salary", so I wrote in slightly over the base salary in the range because I knew I would not be hired otherwise - this is the way the world works when you are a relatively young, unpainted, unsexualized, "non-white" female with children, unrelated to anybody who works at the company, and an AS degree instead of a BS degree in IT, working in a male-dominated profession. I accept that. There's nothing I can do about it other than put forth my best work and prove that I am an asset to the company.

They called be back 45mins after I left the office to hire me, stating they would offer me the job @ my proposed salary. I took the job with the attitude that I would use the first year as my "trial" and request a more reasonable salary after my first year.

I am now "the right person" in all respects, with a mastery of the company's highly-customized systems.

I am barely making enough to be considered middle class, before taxes.

I do not live outside of my means, in any way/shape/form.

The company saved more money from hiring me over a $100k person than they paid me in 2011.

The 19.7% increase in profit margin I brought in is, in monetary terms, well into 7 digits.

By all reports, I am an outstanding employee.

I get along well with everyone in the company. It's a fairly small company, employee-wise, but their profit margin is quite large.

It's bull.

The old me would leave well enough alone and just meekly go on for another year until they shaft me again with an embarrassingly insulting raise.

But, this year, I've decided to be fearless.

I refuse to sit idly by on this one.

What is the possibility of you having a serious talk with them.. Be prepared with hard data in hand, of the increase in profits to the company, since turning a huge division of their company over to you. Put it exactly in those terms.

Propose to them, that instead of a set pay raise, you would like to opt out for a miniscule percentage of the profits over a baseline established by you. The baseline would be what their profit margins were at the time you came on board.

This is a good way to maximize any extra income you can make out of them. It also shows them that not only are you willing to work for your percentage, you have faith in yourself, and them to accomplish your goal. So your goal will be. Your base salary that can't be touched, plus the percentage of profits over an established baseline.

I did this with one corporation I worked for 20 years ago. I highly recommend you at least try it. It doesn't hurt to present a new idea to them. The worst that can happen is they say no.

Good Luck Hun....you can do this, I know you can.

Des

There is an old saying. If you don't toot your own horn, nobody else will.
Good luck and with your skills, you don't need to take "no" for an answer.
I will pray for you to have the best outcome possible.

reply to post by Destinyone


Thanks for the idea, I've already got stack of hard data to throw out on the table if/when they agree to let me make my case. I hadn't thought of proposing a percentage cut based on the overall profit increase, interesting and uncommon solution.

I appreciate the positive comments, I am definitely feeling better about it today. They have ten days to respond to my request and I am going to make a point to find a new bit of information to support my data each day until they hear my terms.

Sorry about you not getting a good raise. My friend has a 21 year old car and never has enough money til the end of the month. I'm one of the long-term unemployed, and when I was let go hadn't beenthere long enough to collect unemployment. So you could always be worse off.

Originally posted by sad_eyed_lady
There is an old saying. If you don't toot your own horn, nobody else will.
Good luck and with your skills, you don't need to take "no" for an answer.
I will pray for you to have the best outcome possible.

It's funny, I just read a similar quote to that today and was thinking about how easy it is for me to come up with examples of excellent things I have accomplished for the company. I can't see them denying a simple request like this, why would they want to chance losing me? Only time will tell.

Thank you for your good thoughts and kind wishes.

Originally posted by 1loserel2
Sorry about you not getting a good raise. My friend has a 21 year old car and never has enough money til the end of the month. I'm one of the long-term unemployed, and when I was let go hadn't beenthere long enough to collect unemployment. So you could always be worse off.

edit on 23-2-2012 by 1loserel2 because: add a few words

Indeed, I have been much worse off. I am grateful for everything that I do have.

It still doesn't change the fact that I prefer to be treated fairly.

Like I said, it's not about the money - it is the principle of the matter that is bothering me more than anything.

Thanks for the input!

I hope you are able to find a good position soon.