asking for a raise?

has anyone asked for a raise?

part 1: right now our money situation is getting worse instead of better. i have been working with this company for a year full time. was part-time before that for 6 months. in the past 3-5 months, i have gotten more responsibilities added but no extra compensation for it. is it appropriate for me to ask for a raise? how would i figure out amount?

part 2: would the raise depend on my responsibilities and the current market salary for my job title?
can someone list the responsibilities of an office manager for me? salary range?


thanks!

Re: asking for a raise?

So, for asking for a raise, your #1 issue regarding money being tight has nothing to do with it, unfortunately. Raises/salary are based on the going market rate for the work being done/job description, and whether or not your responsibilities have changed since you were hired and offered your starting rate.

I would going in with a list of responsibilities that have been added to your plate, an explanation of how you've accomplished getting them done thus far, along with a number in mind of what type of increase you are expecting/asking for. Don't say anything about your personal finances. Go onto salary.com and do the free salary analysis, that will give you a decent idea of what the going rate for your position and in your field is making... office managers in different fields make different salaries.

asking for a raise?

Does your company do formal reviews? If not, I'd ask for one. Let them know that you are open to their recommendations/suggestions as to how to perfect yourself in your role.

Re: asking for a raise?

what's frustrating is that the responsibilities that were added i don't think belong under the Office Manager title.
I do A/R and A/P for one of our subsidiaries, I do HR work for all three companies, and I do the Office Manager/personal assistant group for the owners. the owners don't consider my title important, it's just a title so they could define my job.

Our bookkeeper changed, so a lot of the things she was doing has fallen to me even though I have no accounting experience. the subsidiary employees and the new accounting controller all come to me for answers even though some of them have higher titles.

If we go by the bookkeeping (which takes up most of my time~70% and climbing)my salary is definitely too low. If we go by the Office manager, i am making half of what I SHOULD be making according to salary.com and 15K LESS than the bottom 10%.

And while in theory, this all spells raise in other companies, like i said my bosses could care less about my title or degree (they say it does not relate and i have no experience) and they feel that what i am getting paid is fair.

can anyone give me a starting salary range for office manager? maybe i should use that as my starting point?

Re: asking for a raise?

bosses dont go by whats "fair". they pay exactly what they need to keep you coming back the following day. it stinks, but thats reality

Re: asking for a raise?

asking for a raise?

Unfortunaly your need for more money isn't a factor in getting a raise.
I would pull up your job description that was given to you when you took your job (can get this from hr) and make a list of all your added responsibilities and come up with a reasonable amount you think you should be paid and approach your boss with that. But I would keep in mind this could backfire in you - since you've only been doing these things for 3-5 months they could tell you to teach tr new book keeper those things instead of giving you more money. If you can stick it out a little longer (9 months to a year) or until your annual review bringing it up then may be best

Going by salary.com is not always accurate, location plays a big part or things, so does the size of the company. If your job offers health insurance and other benefits salary.com does not take that into consideration.

Re: asking for a raise?

Is it a small or large company? If large, there should be pay bands. If small, I'm not sure how that works. Ask for a raise, and tell your boss why you deserve that raise. Telll boss what you contribute and make a case for yourself. Ask for more then what you really want.

Office manager responsibilities vary so much from company to company.

Do you have annual raises? If so, if you are not happy with the raise, express that you are disappointed and tell them why.

Message edited 1/8/2014 5:54:06 PM.

Re: asking for a raise?

The only time I was able to get a significant raise within my company was when I obtained my Master's degree and at that point, I had to take on a different position.

It still wasn't a whole heck of a lot either since I'm a social worker.






With that said, generally speaking, I haven't known anyone to receive double their salary in a raise, especially at the same company.

I have made more (and NOT double) by going to different companies.


I actually took a pay cut for my current job, but because the benefits are so excellent, I probably bring home an extra $200 in each paycheck.

I don't really notice it though because the COL keeps going up and I am still working in a lower-paying industry.

Re: asking for a raise?

asking for a raise?

Now that you have gained experience by working at your current job, perhaps you should explore other opportunities.

Message edited 1/9/2014 8:31:25 AM.

asking for a raise?

Your need for more money is not a factor in asking for a raise. If you feel you deserve a raise based on your job performance and an increase In responsibilities then you should consider approaching your employer. I would ask HR for a copy of your job description before doing so- nearly every job I have held had a line at the end stating that other responsibilities could be added as necessary. Be careful asking for a review if it is not standard in your company- it may lead to negative feedback instead of your desired outcome of a raise-- anytime you ask for feedback you run the risk of hearing something negative.
If you do ask for a raise do not be surprised if you are offered a 3-4% increase in salary- those are fairly standard amounts for an annual raise.

asking for a raise?

I'm just basing this off what I know for this field and you had asked for specific numbers but office managers with light bookkeeping usually get paid between 15-20 an hour. Obviously factor in benefits to that.

Re: asking for a raise?

I agree that your family's need for additional money at this point shouldn't be a factor in whether you get the raise or not, but in some instances it can help in negotiations, depending on the size/character of the company.

I once was able to ask for a raise while at a small, public company that was family-run. I told my boss I could no longer afford my apartment because my rent went up and that if I didn't get a raise I'd have to work a 2nd job or find a higher paying job elsewhere. Within 3 months, I received a raise and a bonus because they said they didn't want to lose me as an employee and they didn't want me to stress about another job.

That approach worked for that company, during that time in the market -- if I had tried that approach with my most recent corporate job, the HR person would've told me to not waste her time with my whining.

To the OP, I'd make a list of the new responsibilities you've taken on, explain how they were not your responsibilities when you were hired and calmly/firmly ask for additional compensation to accommodate the additional tasks. Expect they will say no but I see no harm in asking.

asking for a raise?

Also, you'll have to manage your expectations. What kind of a raise are you anticipating? If you envision less than 10%, it is feasible. However, if you are expecting 25% or more, you may be disappointed and it may hurt your reputation with your employers.

Re: asking for a raise?

Go for it and ask. I would not give the reason that you just need more money. Give them the reasons you feel your worth more given the extra responsibilities etc..also don't give them an amount you want let them respond with an amount first and if they say not now at least you made them aware that you feel you are worth more. You would be no worse off by asking. Research your position to help you figure out where you are now in the salary range. I would feel the way you are feeling if I I knew I was underpaid.

Re: asking for a raise?

I say ask but leave personal reasons out of it. I was recently promoted and its bc I spoke up for myself. My boss was promoted and I ended up taking on her old position plus the one I was currently in.

I was being taken advantage of. My boss knew it, so that helped but it was the red tape above my boss that was the issue.

I went into my bosses office with my official job description and responsibilities from HR and then noted all of the tasks and responsibilities that went above and beyond want my official responsibility had.

It took a few months, but I was eventually promoted with a raise.

For the company, it is all dollars and cents. If you are doing the work without speaking up for yourself, they aren't going to just offer you more money. You need to be your own advocate.

Go in with a strong argument for a raise, show then and now. Have concrete business evidence as to why you deserve it.

Message edited 1/9/2014 10:32:18 PM.