I finally tried asking for a raise with specific numbers instead of just vague complaints

After 2 years at the same salary in Columbus, I walked into my boss's office last Tuesday with a spreadsheet showing market rates for my role and she bumped me up $8k on the spot, so has anyone else found that hard data works way better than just saying you deserve more?

3 comments

3 Comments

parker_palmer4428d ago

you know what nobody talks about with the data approach... it shifts the whole power dynamic in the room. when you walk in with a spreadsheet, you're not begging anymore, you're presenting evidence. it's like you're both looking at the same facts together instead of you asking for a favor. my buddy tried this at a construction company in Cleveland and got denied at first, but a month later they came back to him with the raise plus back pay. the numbers scared them at first but then they realized he was actually being reasonable.

piper_kim28d ago

Wait, did your buddy get the back pay retroactively? That's wild. @parker_palmer44 you're spot on about the power shift, I did the same thing at my old warehouse job and walked out with an extra $2 an hour plus a late shift differential they "didn't have in the budget" a week before. Numbers don't lie, they just make people uncomfortable until they check the math.

the_alice28d ago

Wait, did they just cold call him a month later or did he have to circle back and push again? Cause that's the part I'm trying to figure out - do you leave the door open or just let them sit on it until they cave?