Need some help asking for a pay raise.

[telephus44]

Now, I’ve been around long enough to know the traditional advise – ask for a meeting with your boss, make a list of all the wonderful things you’ve done for the company, then ask. What I’m looking for specifically is help with brainstorming all those wonderful things that I’ve done for the company.

Some company specific background – I have just passed my 4 year mark, and I have not had one review or raise in 4 years. My department has gone through several layoffs, and we’ve down from 16 when I started to 8. I am fairly sure that I am the highest paid in my department already. From what I can gather, people in my position/industry generally top out at $55K. I make $48K. I am mid-level in my career (early 30’s, been doing this for 10 years). When I started here, people told me to ask high, because I’ll never see a raise. I did ask high, and they gave it to me (I was making $40K previously). I work in the envelope industry, and in the past 3-4 years there have been 4 manufacturing plants in our region close completely, the largest company in the country has declared bankruptcy, the second and third largest companies have merged. There are only 2 (much) smaller companies that I could potentially work for, and I have worked at one in past (terrible to work for, although I left on good terms) and the second one I got a job offer from several years ago that was a lowball offer. I really don’t have a lot of options as far as going to work for a competitor, at least if I want to stay in this industry. I work for probably the largest company in my region, and we’ve made out really well as far as picking up work from all the closings. Last year was an extremely profitable one for the company, at least judging by our bonus. This is a privately held company, and upper management here is largely family.

I’m in a customer service position. My job starts with estimating pricing, and goes through entering orders, following them through, and making sure that they ship. I have a small number of assigned accounts, and have good relationships with all of them. Obviously this is just my opinion, but I think I am one of the better people in my department – and being last in, I have made it through 4 rounds of layoffs, so I suspect management concurs.

I am really stuck on what things I can list that specifically help the company. Customer service/relations are incredibly important, but they are also difficult to quantify. I am not call center so I’m not reviewed based on number of phone calls/time spent on calls. I’m not really sales, so I’m not reviewed based on how many orders I bring in or the sales volumes I process (or even profitability). I really have little control over quality issues or on-time shipments.

So far, all I can think of is that last year I got my postal partner certificate, and I volunteered to take one a new account after our last person left. I have a few emails from customers telling me what an awesome job I am doing. But after that, I’m kind of stuck.

[phil5185]

I’m in a customer service position. My job starts with estimating pricing, and goes through entering orders, following them through, and making sure that they ship. I have a small number of assigned accounts, and have good relationships with all of them.

When you ask for a raise you must tie it to how your work adds to your company's earnings/profit. A common mistake is to try to tie your salary to your personal needs - more kids, higher cost of living. Or entitlement - I've been here many yrs so I deserve more money. Your manager hired you accomplish a task and to make money for your company. And that is what s/he bases your salary on.

Do some research, see how you compare to your peers. You estimate the pricing on your assigned accounts. If you estimate too high, they take their business elsewhere. If you estimate too low, the profit margin of your accounts is too low. See how you compare with the others - list the results and average them, show that you do (1) better than the others, (2) better than some of the others, (3) worse than the others (in this case, no need to ask, LOL).

[alabamagal]

Ask for a raise, everything you said.....

But honestly, your're in an industry with no future (just picturing electronic communications doing it in, not totally but going down fast). Customer service skills should be tranferrable to other industries. Put together a resume, start networking, if you really want to do better you should be looking a different industries, but in the customer service field.

[schildi]

What is the "envelope industry"? Making envelopes? Isn't that part of a paper plant or so?

[telephus44]

Apr 4, 2011 16:07:47 GMT -5 alabamagal said:

Ask for a raise, everything you said.....

But honestly, your're in an industry with no future (just picturing electronic communications doing it in, not totally but going down fast). Customer service skills should be tranferrable to other industries. Put together a resume, start networking, if you really want to do better you should be looking a different industries, but in the customer service field.

Yes, I am seemingly one of the few people here that realizes this. My long term goal is to move into the production or estimating side in another manufacturing plant (in another industry). I know enough about declining mail volumes and can see the future, and it's electronic - not mail. However, on a personal note, we're trying for our second child, so I plan on working here for the next 2-3 years while I network, build contacts, etc. The company is fairly family friendly and is close to home.

And yes, we actually manufacture envelopes. We are not a paper mill, so we don't manufacture paper. We buy paper and turn into into envelopes (that's the short version).

[workpublic]

is this age of job uncertainty a good time to be trying to have a second child?
could you postpone it till you have a more stable job(one not in a dying industry)?

not trying to be snarky, just putting it out there.