How to make a point to boss for raise

Question

I want to tell my boss that -

"My hardwork is always washed away by client's repetitive changes . Other employees hardwork is visible to you not but not mine. So everyone here got increment/raise in last 7 months but not me .Client requirements always change in a week or two and i had to start afresh. So even you can't see my hardship"

Please tell me how to keep this point in a better way and in a convincing way

As said JaneS, those repetitives changes are called scope creep, it's very common and dangerous for the people working. Amoung the solutions that are covered by answers there are still : ask to change of project, found another job. It's always easier to get a pay raise by going on a new company. — Walfrat, Sep 12 '16 at 06:58

score 5 · Answer 1 · edited Apr 13 '17 at 12:48

5

There are plenty of questions and answers here that address how to ask for a raise, but you seem to have a bigger issue here: Why is your scope constantly changing?

What you are experiencing is called scope creep, and is the bane of many unwary organisations. Your company should be nailing down an agreed scope with the customer, and any changes are a variation that needs to be separately specified, designed and quoted. This is something that your manager or the account manager should be dealing with. Being reactive and responding to every single little request from your client is hurting you badly; you can't complete anything, because there are no bounds on what you are completing!

Talk to your manager about pushing back to the client when they ask for variations, then work on the scope that has been agreed to, and you might just find you are completing milestones and showing a higher level of visible productivity.

edited Apr 13 '17 at 12:48

Community

1

answered Sep 12 '16 at 06:00

Jane S

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You exaclty understand my problem dear. And talking with management is I think waste because this is the big client for them they cannot , and they have a point to put forward that the project is new the changes every now and then is obvious. but they dont realise how much hardwork I put in everytime Since - "that which is seen is sold". – Amar Singh Sep 12 '16 at 06:09
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And talking with management is I think waste because this is the big client for them - You do absolutely need to talk to your manager, because any organisation that is constantly doing work for free is not going to last very long. The client will continue to demand and expect it while your organisation continues to say yes. – Jane S Sep 12 '16 at 06:12

score 3 · Answer 2 · answered Sep 12 '16 at 06:37

The only thing we know about you at this point is that you haven't gotten a raise.

Are you a new hire? If you are a new hire, it may be that you'll have to work more than 7 months to get a raise.
Have you made an appointment with whoever is managing you - not just your supervisor but your supervisor's manager and depending upon the structure of your division, your project manager. Well, have you made an appointment with any of them to discuss your performance, where it meets their expectations, where it doesn't? At this point, I am not even sure you know what their expectations are. In which case, getting a raise is like winning the lottery: all you know is that you got lucky.
You complain that the client's specs are constantly changing. Do you know if you co-workers have the same problem? Of course, if your co-workers have a problem with client's specs always changing and they still get a raise, then the client changing their specs constantly can't be an issue. The company may very well be aware that the client changes specs constantly but if the client pays on a time and materials basis, I don't see why the company should care that the client keeps changing specs. In this case, as long as you keep delivering what the client is asking for, as long as you maintain a good relationship with the client's points of contact, I don't see why your company shouldn't give you raises.

You get paid and promoted based on meeting expectations. You don't know your management's expectations and you want help in making YOUR argument for a raise without knowing whether your argument has any validity as far as the company is concerned. Chances are very good that what you are trying to do won't work.

What you said - You don't know your management's expectations and you want help in making YOUR argument for a raise without knowing whether your argument has any validity as far as the company is concerned. Chances are very good that what you are trying to do won't work. - was really rude , If I was not clear and if you are not sure about above thing. then please don't judge me . and keep your mouth shut. You dont have any right to speak about my performance at work . Do you get that ? — Amar Singh, Sep 12 '16 at 06:47
@Yoyo You are the one who is not getting a raise not me. The fact that you claim that you meet expectations and the fact that you are not getting a raise clearly indicates a disconnect. And you want to make YOUR argument for a raise without knowing whether the management considers it valid? The only way you are going to sort this out is by communicating with your management and have your management give you their point of view. And this, you just admitted that you haven't done. — Vietnhi Phuvan, Sep 12 '16 at 07:01

Kilisi · Answer 3 · 2016-09-12T09:06:57.090

Two good answers already, but they won't solve your problem. What you need is a tracking system. If you already have one, then in fact your hard work IS visible (unless you're not utilising it). If you don't, use one, make one, find one. A lot of people see a tracking system and constantly keeping it updated as a chore, I don't, it's a tool, incredibly useful if used properly.

You should be documenting each change requested in a project, getting signed off multiple times along the way to completion by the client and your superiors. Any clarifications additions or pretty much anything else should be documented and available. Both for your purpose and for a host of other reasons including extremely important things like dispute resolutions and client negotiations.

Any changes a client requests should be going through the manager for approval before you start actioning them, if they aren't you should be informing your manager each time via email at least and getting approval. You shouldn't be the clients first point of contact, but if you are, ensure your manager is cc'd on everything.

Scope creep is not your problem, you can only do something about it indirectly and protect yourself from it impacting on you professionally. Your manager, project manager etc,. are supposed to deal with it.

How to make a point to boss for raise

3 Answers3