Is This Right Time to Ask For A Raise of Salary?
Consuella: Is this any time to ask for a raise?
Sheila: Well, you know, I think there's never been a more important time to be in communication with your boss about your roles, your responsibilities, and your 1)compensation. What happens is, all these layoffs are happening. In the wake, people are taking on other people's jobs. I'm doing 50% of my boss's job because they 2)eliminated that level of management. So it may be that your compensation hasn't kept up with your roles and responsibilities. That's the way to approach the conversation.
Consuella: OK. So how do you do that? You have several steps that we should take in approaching these negotiations. Step one is, know what you're worth. How do you figure that one out?
Sheila: Preparation is essential. OK, and I think the mistake we make is that we come in thinking, "Well, this is what I want. I need $3,000 more a year.? Your boss doesn't care what you want. Your boss cares what you're worth. So what you need to do is go on monster.com -- they have a terrific 3)data base - that will tell you that someone in your role, your responsibilities, your industry, your region; this is what they're making. You can 4)kinda target it that way.
Consuella: And also know your "5)Walkaway Plan" when you're asking. What's a "Walkaway Plan"?
Sheila: Yeah. Often people think of a walkaway as "This is the least I'll take? But actually a walkaway is "What am I going to do if my boss says 'No'?", OK, so it may be another job; it may be "Well, I need to find out why 'No'", and "I need a plan for how to fix the problems in the next six months."
Consuella: So, and this actually leads beautifully to your step two, which is "Don't ask for a raise, discuss it."
Sheila: Yeah.
Consuella: So, talk about the difference.
Sheila: Asking for a raise is the worst way to go about it. Easiest thing in the world for your boss to simply say "No".
Consuella: Right.
Sheila: So, instead, what you should say is, "I'd like to talk about my compensation. Seems to me an adjustment is in order. Here's why I think that's true. I want to get a sense of where you're coming from on this question."
Consuella: So, discuss it without putting him or her on the spot, in other words.
Sheila: You don't want to corner your boss, right? Because they're going to react defensively rather than thoughtfully.
Consuella: Alright. Step three is "Go beyond No" and what do you mean by that, and how do you do it?
Sheila: Yeah, I think if you get a "No", the first step is to find out why "No". "Is it me?"-- that's something I can control -- tell me, specifically, what is it about my skills that need improving for me to go to the next level, for me to get the raise? Or is it the environment? And if, you know, they're 6)strapped for cash, get creative. Uhm, I know someone who negotiated two weeks of paid leave so she could 7)freelance on the side. She worked for a cash-strapped non-profit. Also, flex time, educational benefits, 8)flexible spending, working at home, extra vacation; these are all things that cost your boss little, but are worth a lot to you.
Consuella: Now if the boss says "No", what's your next move? I mean, you kinda discussed that a little bit, but is there a point when you just decide you gotta leave?
Sheila: Yeah, absolutely. And I think the question of, you know, "Is there something I'm missing here?" will help you know "Is there something I need to fix?" "Is there something I could help fix?" And I think the last thing you want to find out is, "When do we have this conversation again?" "When should we check in again?" so that you know and your boss knows this is something we'll revisit.
Consuella: Alright. Really good advice, Sheila Hume. Thank you very much.
Sheila: Thank you. It's a 9)tough topic, a difficult conversation.
Consuella: It is. Something definitely to 10)ponder.
Sheila: It should be real simple.
Consuella: Thanks again.
是要求加薪的時(shí)機(jī)嗎?
康絲韋洛:什么時(shí)候要求加薪最好?
希拉∶哦,你知道的,選擇一個(gè)好時(shí)機(jī)與老板商量有關(guān)職責(zé)和待遇的問題最重要不過了??纯船F(xiàn)在發(fā)生了什么,一些人剛被解雇了不久,又有一些人來接替他們的工作。因中層管理人被裁,你的工作量增加了一半,但是待遇卻沒有隨著你的角色和職責(zé)做相應(yīng)的增加。這時(shí),你就可以要求加薪了。
康絲韋洛:好的,因此你應(yīng)該怎么做呢?準(zhǔn)備講條件分幾個(gè)步驟走,第一步是:知道自己的價(jià)值。你是怎么做的?
希拉:事前一定要做好準(zhǔn)備工作。我們經(jīng)常想“我要求加薪,我的年薪要加三千多美元。”我認(rèn)為這個(gè)想法是錯(cuò)誤的。你的老板才不會(huì)管你想要多少呢,他只想知道你的價(jià)值所在。因此,你要上一上monster.com網(wǎng)站--上面有很好的薪酬行情數(shù)據(jù)--你可以查看一下你的工作、你的職責(zé)、你的行業(yè)、你的領(lǐng)域,他們都有列出。你大可參考一下。
康絲韋洛:在提出加薪時(shí)還要小心部署“應(yīng)變措施”。什么是“應(yīng)變措施”?
希拉:很多人把應(yīng)變措施當(dāng)作“薪酬底線”。但實(shí)際上是“如果老板拒絕我的加薪要求的話,我應(yīng)該怎么辦?”所以,你可以考慮跳槽,或找出老板拒絕你的原因所在,然后在后面的六個(gè)月內(nèi)對癥下藥。
康絲韋洛:這實(shí)際上是到第二步的一個(gè)漂亮過渡,第二步即:有商有量,而別光說要求加薪。
希拉:是的。
康絲韋洛:說說它們的分別。
希拉:向老板要求加薪是最壞的做法,他大可干脆拒絕你。
康絲韋洛:很對。
希拉:所以,相反的,你應(yīng)該對老板說∶“我想和你談?wù)勎业拇鰡栴}。我似乎有必要做些調(diào)整。我之所以這么認(rèn)為是出于某某原因。我想在此問題上聽聽你的意見。”
康絲韋洛:沒錯(cuò),換句話說,就是要與老板好話好說,千萬不要讓人難堪。
希拉∶你不想跟老板弄得太僵,對吧?不然他們的反應(yīng)并不是經(jīng)過深思熟慮,而是防備性的。
康絲韋洛:是的。第三步是∶不接受拒絕。你這個(gè)說法是什么意思?應(yīng)該怎樣去做?
希拉∶我覺得,如果你被拒絕了,首先要立即弄清楚原因是否與自己有關(guān)--這是自己可控制的--尤其要明確自己需具備什么樣的條件才能升職加薪?;蛘哂质欠衽c世道有關(guān)?你知道的,如果公司財(cái)政緊張,你就要變通一下。我認(rèn)識(shí)一位非牟利性的、收益不太好的公司的職員,她請了兩周帶薪假期到別的公司做兼職。又如彈性工作時(shí)間、學(xué)費(fèi)津貼、彈性花費(fèi)、在家工作和更多假期等,這些對你的老板來說花費(fèi)甚少,而對你自己卻大有裨益。
康絲韋洛:如果被老板拒絕,下一步應(yīng)該怎么辦?我知道你剛才提過一些,但何時(shí)決定辭職才是最好的呢?
希拉:當(dāng)然要分清形勢再?zèng)Q定辭職。我認(rèn)為問題是,“我這份工作有沒有做得不夠好的地方?”這可以幫助你弄清楚∶“我要做什么補(bǔ)救?”“我能幫助解決什么嗎?”我覺得最終你應(yīng)該問清楚:“我們什么時(shí)候再做進(jìn)一步商議?”“什么時(shí)候再確認(rèn)?”好讓自己知道老板明白這件事情還要跟進(jìn)。
康絲韋洛:謝謝。希拉•休姆,你的建議太好了。非常感謝你。
希拉:謝謝。加薪的問題確實(shí)是難以啟齒。
康絲韋洛:是的。確實(shí)要經(jīng)過深思熟慮。
希拉:但做起來也簡單。
康絲韋洛:再次謝謝你!
注釋:
1) compensation n. 補(bǔ)償,賠償
2) eliminate n. 消除,排除
3) data base 儲(chǔ)存之資料,資料庫
4) kinda adv. 有一點(diǎn),有幾分(= kind of)
5) walkaway n. 輕易得到的勝利,輕易完成的事
6) strapped a. 身無分文的
7) freelance n. 自由作家,自由記者
8) flexible a. 靈活的
9) tough a. 艱難的,強(qiáng)硬的
10) ponder v. 沉思,考慮