Get A Raise: 11 Do's And Don'ts For IT Pros
Want to beef up your paycheck? There's more to it than asking for the money.
![](https://eu-images.contentstack.com/v3/assets/blt69509c9116440be8/blt669e9abb20f18163/64cb54c03f08c213ecc283b9/Intro.jpg?width=700&auto=webp&quality=80&disable=upscale)
What Are You Worth?
Even when you love your job, there's a bottom-line truth about work: Most of us are in it for the money.
Sure, if we're lucky we work in roles that offer more than the almighty paycheck: opportunities for personal growth, continued learning, helping other people, solving real-world problems, and the other big-picture things that can make jobs worth doing beyond financial reasons.
But, yeah, still: Most for-profit work comes down to money. Money might not be everything, but it's handy when you want to eat or pay rent, not to mention indulge your hobbies, side projects, and personal luxuries. Which is why "I got a raise!" -- after "I got the job!" -- might be the most the joyous phrase salaried and hourly workers can utter.
Getting a raise is easier said than done. Perhaps more than ever, convincing your employer that you're worth more tomorrow than you are today requires strategy, data, and good timing. Hoping, much less expecting, that your employer will magically decide to tack 20% onto your salary is a bit too optimistic for most business climates these days, especially in an IT environment where "do more with less" has become standard operating procedure.
"Don't just ask for a raise," said Hallie Yarger, recruiting director for tech recruiting firm Mondo. "Know that you deserve what you're asking for, show your boss why, and get them to agree that you deserve it."
There are smart ways and, um, not-so-smart ways to go about pursuing a salary increase in IT. To Yarger's point, there are plenty of things you can do to improve your odds. There are just as many "don'ts" that will sink them. That's what we're here for: With input from Yarger and from Kate Fairchild, recruiting manager in the IT practice at Addison Group, we've identified 10 dos and don'ts when it comes to getting a raise in IT.
The focus here is on earning a pay bump without leaving your current employer. You may have heard the career adage that the best way to increase your pay is to change companies. There's at least some anecdotal truth in that, but it's far from a guarantee. It can also steer you wrong if you play the counter-offer game and lose, just as ultimatums can backfire when asking for more money. Regardless, the intent here is to ensure you're properly rewarded by your current organization, rather than merely going for top dollar on the open market -- even if some of the guiding principles here will overlap those two scenarios.
Even when your skills and experience align well with the current "hot" fields in IT, a raise isn't a given. It's also relative: Maybe your background includes skills or experience so hard for hiring managers to find that you can walk into your boss' office and demand a raise right now. Good for you -- but how do you know you're asking for the right amount? Even elite talent can wear out its welcome with too many demands, too much re-negotiation, and too many headaches for the bosses. Again, strategy, data, and timing play a crucial role, even for the most sought-after skill sets.
Data, in particular, is worth spending an extra moment on: You that you're going to need information -- and the ability to use it wisely -- in order to command the right salary. "I'm a hard worker" is a nice sentiment that doesn't convey anything of value. Being able to explain, quantitatively and qualitatively, the business results of your hard work is crucial.
"Come to the table with your quantified contributions at the company," Fairchild said. "Demonstrate your value by detailing how your accomplishments ladder back to your manager’s goals or the company’s bottom line."
There are plenty of factors in whether you will or won't get a raise, including some beyond your control. Make sure you're minding the variables you can influence and giving yourself the best shot. Timing, for example, is a big deal. We'll kick off with a data-driven "do": Quantify your worth.
Read on for more about that, and 10 other dos and don'ts for earning a raise in IT.
As Yarger said, you can't barge in, ask for more money, and expect your boss to flash a thumbs-up and say: "Sure thing!" (Well, you can … and be sure to let us know how it works out.) Even if your phone rings off the hook with calls from recruiters and hiring managers, getting the right salary increase requires thought.
"Set a plan in place," said Yarger. "If now is not the right time for a raise, set a meeting with your boss where you can both agree on objectives you need to hit over the next six months. Be very clear about your expectations: 'We both agree that if I accomplish A, B, and C, [then] a fair salary would be X.' Schedule a follow-up meeting after that time-frame and ask for the sum you agreed upon if you've achieved those objectives."
Getting a raise, especially if you've been with the same company or in the same role for a long time, shouldn't look like a game of blindfolded darts. Find out what other people with comparable jobs, experience, and locations are earning. "Check your salary to see if you are underpaid for your market," Yarger said.
We humbly suggest InformationWeek's IT Salary Survey as a good place to start for benchmark data. Yarger also suggested Payscale.com, Indeed.com's salary search, and CareerBuilder's salary calculator as resources.
Location is an important part of putting your salary in context -- compensation, like many things, differs from place to place. Don't get too local in your comparisons: Sizing up your pay with current coworkers is a recipe for ill will. Worse, management probably won't take too kindly to it as supporting evidence in your own salary demands.
"Don't bring up your team members' salaries" when asking for a raise, Fairchild advised. "Salary should never be discussed between employees, and your manager may be offended that you discussed the matter with your peers."
Here's a visible intersection of strategy, data, and timing when it comes to getting a raise: You need to understand the request's place in the grand scheme of the business. Take the wide angle: What's going on in the world? Is the company posting record earnings? Or did it just announce a major workforce reduction? Is the job market booming? Or is the economy tanking?
"Know where your company stands financially -- Are they doing well? Are there signs showing they are not doing well? -- and bring up [the raise] conversation during an 'up' time," Yarger recommended. Be aware of what's going on with your management team and your direct team. If they've recently lost a power player, don't ask for a raise unless you have been asked to pick up the slack. You don't want to come across as taking advantage of your employer when they're vulnerable."
At the outset, Yarger advised setting up goals and a plan for achieving them. On the flipside, you'll probably not get the response you want with a surprise attack. "Don't throw a calendar invite on their calendar for the [same] week and then blindside them," Yarger said. "The best method is to put a meeting on their calendar for six to eight weeks out clearly outlining that it's [about] your goals and compensation. Then come armed with the data to make your case strong."
There's a reason why many raises are tied to promotions. So if you're looking for a bump without a corresponding promotion, you need to be extra aware of timing.
"If your role or responsibilities haven't changed during the year, ask for a raise during your annual performance review, but make sure it's going to be a positive review first. Be self-aware and come armed with reasons why you're worth a bigger investment from your company," Yarger advised. "If your review is negative, it's not the right time to bring a raise up. Take note of what you need to improve upon, and throughout the coming year record examples of your improvement."
Top-notch IT talent can command top-notch salaries -- so understand where you rate and how much power you have at the negotiation table. "IT professionals are in high demand -- it's a candidate's market out there," Fairchild said. "You should know that it's much easier for employers to retain a current employee rather than hire and train a new one."
Don't be a jerk about it, but do know what else is out there. Again, have a current view of salary data in your job role, industry, and location. And if your current employer won't listen to well-timed data, that may be a sign it's time to look elsewhere.
We'll close with a bonus -- pun alert! -- "don't" from Yarger: If you deserve a salary increase and the stars of strategy, data, and timing are aligned, don't accept substitutes for an actual raise.
"Don't settle for bonuses or equity in lieu of a raise," Yarger said. "Those are nice perks, but they ultimately can't put food on your table like a salary raise can."
We'll close with a bonus -- pun alert! -- "don't" from Yarger: If you deserve a salary increase and the stars of strategy, data, and timing are aligned, don't accept substitutes for an actual raise.
"Don't settle for bonuses or equity in lieu of a raise," Yarger said. "Those are nice perks, but they ultimately can't put food on your table like a salary raise can."
-
About the Author(s)
You May Also Like