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Countless articles provide guidance on pursuing that coveted raise: strategies to articulate your request, setting measurable goals to justify the increase, documenting your achievements, and gauging your market value.
But have you ever pondered the flip side – the actions that could potentially jeopardize your chances of a pay hike? Why risk another year of potential growth only to discover that your actions, or lack thereof, impeded your chances of securing a raise?
To strategically position yourself for that desired salary increase, it’s crucial to understand the pitfalls to avoid. Let’s delve into these aspects to help you navigate your path toward a raise.
1. You Don’t Take That Extra Step:
We all get hired to do a job and we agree to a salary for what is asked. It would be unreasonable to expect that you will get a raise for doing exactly what is expected of you. Taking that extra step, like doing additional work or helping colleagues with their work will get you noticed and put you in line for a raise.
That doesn’t sound right, does it? However, those that don’t go the extra mile or take on special projects typically don’t make enough of an impression to get extra pay. When given work, did you give it “your all”? Did you put 100 percent into it? Well, more than 100% will help to get you that raise.
2. You are Late to Work or Early to Leave:
Sometimes “stuff” happens. The train is late, there is traffic, or maybe you stayed out too late the night before. Whatever the reason, if you are often late or leaving off early, it is going to be noticed and nothing good is going to come of it. Allow extra time to get to work.
What are the actions that will almost guarantee that you will not get a raise? Why wait until another year has passed only to find out that you did something (or didn't do something) that will keep you from getting a raise?Click To TweetYou were hired for a specific set of hours, cutting those hours with lateness and leaving early is not going to help you get a raise (or keep your job). Many companies cite “tardiness” as a reason that a raise wasn’t given to a particular employee.
3. You Have a Poor Attitude:
No one wants to work with someone who has a poor attitude, especially your boss. While we all have days where we would rather be somewhere else, you really do need to ensure that you aren’t coming across as difficult to work with or not pleasant. This is especially true when working with customers. Unhappy customers are not good. Customers don’t want to deal with rude employees.
Likewise, you don’t want to be a complainer. Those that often complain (or whine) aren’t going to be getting raises during that time of the year. If you are really that unhappy at work, it’s time to get a new job or change your attitude.
4. You View Everything as an Obstacle:
We all have challenges at work, if it was easy they wouldn’t need us. If you view every challenge as an obstacle to getting your job done, that is not going to help with a raise. Your manager and your company are looking for solutions. View every problem or challenge as an opportunity for you to make a difference. Don’t present problems to your manager expecting them to solve the issue. Present potential solutions as well.
5. You’re Not a Team Player:
Some of us are really good at what we do and are proud of our work product. Even if you are not dependent on others to get your work done, a collaborative environment is healthier and most employers prefer a
Getting a raise is not always easy, however, “losing” a raise is something you can avoid by meeting and beating all expectations. If you fall into any of the scenarios mentioned above, it’s time to fix them. Apply yourself, put in more than 100%, show up on time, have a positive attitude, and go beyond your manager’s expectations. That next pay raise may be going to you.
