On account of an absence of backfills, I’ve absorbed the work of some attritions during the last couple of years and have been working for a while as three raccoons in a trench coat. I’ve far exceeded expectations and have been acknowledged in efficiency critiques (though not raises — my firm has been properly beneath price of residing for a while, with my division averaging round 2% yearly since 2020). Now the very uncommon occasion for my firm has occurred the place they’ve determined to completely promote the job degree of my current function — to take what I’ve made it into and really give it the suitable title and pay. Hooray! On account of some transition on the group, I’m additionally about to be the longest-tenured teammate, and have been requested to decide to a selected minimal time period in function with some further management duties in order that every little thing doesn’t go tits up whereas I prepare a complete new crop of oldsters.
My boss got here to me with an official promotion date and proposed wage. I’ve completed a ton of analysis during the last yr as I’ve been interviewing externally (realizing I’ve been underpaid) and doing analysis internally, so I had a quantity in thoughts that we’ll name $X4, which might have been a 40% enhance over my present pay. In my thoughts, I used to be aiming for $X3, a 30% enhance. Boss shared a quantity that acquired me partway there, $X2. After I requested if there was wiggle room, he requested if I had a quantity in thoughts. I stated sure, and that I’d ship him an e-mail. That is what I despatched:
Hello Boss – Thanks once more for the popularity of my exhausting work and management on the otter analytics group. I’m excited to step right into a extra formalized management function and stay devoted to making sure the success of this program whereas rising the capabilities of the group.
I’d wish to have a dialogue about my compensation. Primarily based on my inner and exterior analysis, the proposed base of $X2 will not be aligned to what others on this function have been paid, nor the market price for comparable jobs/expertise. Connected is a few of my analysis for comparable and much more junior roles. (I had hooked up 4 postings with salaries listed, some even with goal beginning ranges; two had been inside our direct business, together with one with a direct competitor. My function could be very area of interest and never all corporations have it, not even all corporations inside our business, so market analysis could be robust.)
Finally, I’m in search of my base wage to be $X4.
Along with the general scope of this function, I really feel this displays the worth I deliver to the group: my expertise, capabilities, institutional information, and confirmed efficiency.
I sit up for additional dialogue and seeing what the longer term holds for this group!
Thanks,
Me
A day glided by and he referred to as me with a quantity that was not $X4, however was now $X2.7 — that they had come up, however to not that $X3 quantity I used to be actually holding out for. He may inform I wasn’t thrilled and requested me to assume on it over the weekend. I did, then went again yet one more time:
Thanks once more for the replace on my promotion. I would really like some further consideration on my base compensation, concentrating on nearer to $X3.3-X3.5.
The present quantity of $X2.7 doesn’t mirror the complete scope of this function. I’ve dedicated not solely to main [program] via the 2026 cycle to make sure continuity, but in addition to spend vital time each coaching a number of newcomers and dealing via [major strategic project that has a ton of company dollars and eyeballs attached to it], which depends each on my [program] information and my expertise working as a product proprietor for [internal tools he was previously unaware of my experience on].
Moreover, I’ve led the group via over X hours of [efficiency program] financial savings during the last two years which conservatively save over $X in labor yearly whereas decreasing each danger and pace to supply in a number of sides of our course of. I stay dedicated to furthering our efforts to simplify, automate, enhance, and scale back danger, and in reality have already completed so in 2025 via each [two major projects I’ve already identified, initiated, and completed on my own this year].
I sit up for additional dialogue.
Me
Sadly that e-mail didn’t web me something further. I acquired a brief speech in regards to the political capital it took to get me from $X2 to $X2.7, however did get a dedication to revisit each my title and pay at yr finish. I may inform my boss was nervous I might stroll over the dearth of further funds; whereas I used to be/am dissatisfied to not have hit $X3, there are extra components at play than can match into this e-mail and I’m joyful sufficient in the interim. As a result of I dedicated to a sure size of time on this function, I do have a free “out” date set and, whether or not it’s inside this function or the following, there will likely be one other reckoning with compensation quickly sufficient. In the meantime, I’m all however assured a bump in title and a good bonus at yr finish so long as I don’t fully destroy this system in my first yr as a pacesetter!
This language and technique labored for me as a result of I knew they had been in a critical bind if I walked. They’re motivated to maintain me not solely in my function and on my group, however at this firm. I’m one in all our high performers globally and could be thought of a loss when it comes to expertise planning. I had leverage, and I used it about in addition to I may have with out damaging my status. Advocating for myself was extremely uncomfortable and my coronary heart price skyrocketed greater than as soon as whereas writing these emails and having these conversations, however they had been essential to get me something near what I’m value — a 27% enhance isn’t nothing, even when it was on an underpaid wage to start with.
Thanks, Alison and the AAM commentariat to your years of collective wit and knowledge — they’ve been each invaluable and invaluable!
