Asking for raise

Question

I'm working at a global company as a network engineer since January.

The other week my manager said to me: "I have a very odd question to you. Do you think you get enough salary? I looked around on the market and I found that you are earning a little bit below the average, but anyway I can not do anything until next spring, but just think about it."

No need to say, I was very surprised, didn't expect this kind of a question. I replied, I'm satisfied and actually I just got applied a half year ago. Obviously I didn't want to seem greedy and what I said it is true, but more money is always good.

It is a small team and one of the team member in my region just got fired because of cost cut-off, so I'm the only one left for the whole continent. If I would left the company they were in deep trouble, so I'm in a winner position, but just don't know how to come up with this to my manager or I don't know if it is worth it to come up now or wait until next spring as he suggested and ask for a bigger raise.

This is the first company I actually don't feel to leave after a half year... If I consider it as a business obviously should ask for raise, but in the other hand it is a good company and I can learn a lot, they treating me good (no micro management, WFH, traveling...) . I think it becomes an emotional decision for me now. However the workload will increase and need to spend more and more time in front of a stupid display and typing letters in the right order.

How should I go about deciding much I should to ask for? 10-15-25%?

Answer 1

You are getting ahead of yourself at the end of the question there. You sound like you are excited for a pay raise, and your manager appears to support your decision, but that does not indicate you will get a pay raise as your manager may not have the approval to perform such an action. It sounds like you have a good manager. Maybe talk to him to see if he can help you obtain a reasonable raise.

Alternatively, have a look at the Market Rate your manager brought up. You should base the pay raise off the market rate, rather than just blurting out a random % value. You should be able to ask for the % difference between your current rate as a minimum.

You should fight for a pay raise based on the work you have done, improvements you have made and your contribution to the company. Using a market rate as a base value is good, but trying to leverage your position because the company "needs you" is a quick way to get a bad rep.