The Annual Review - Asking for a Salary Raise

Its that time of year again, the annual review.  We all love the annual review, it is a time when we have the opportunity to recognise all our achievements over the past year and ask the boss for a raise..... Or is it?

Often times there is no review at all and when there is, it is often not linked to anything at all,
employers will undertake to review everyone in their organisation but to what end.  Is it to know who is happy and who is not,  is it to understand who needs a promotion and who will never get one.  Or is it to understand who will get a salary rise and who will not.

Or worst case scenario is it just a box ticking exercise and the salary raise is already agreed behind closed doors with little or no input from the employee?

If you work in any of the above types of companies there is still a strategy to negotiating a pay rise and in order for you to be successful in your efforts you need to have done your homework.

In every business conversation the ultimate goal is to end up with a win win situation, so the final agreement should leave everyone walking away from the table thinking they are in the winning seat.  The employer should think that they have gotten a great deal, the employee will take on further responsibilities and the cost is comparable and justified.  The employee should feel that they have been offered what they are worth and that they haven't sold their first born to be able to pay the rent.

So where do you begin your homework,  check out the following 3. steps to perfect preparation for the upcoming review meeting.

1. Consider your achievements over the past year and make a note of them and what you have learned and how you can use those new skills to benefit the company in the new year. Bring some ideas to the table.
2. Make a case for the knowledge and years of experience you bring to the role and be able to justify why it is a good time for a pay rise.
3. Educate yourself as to what people in your industry are earning and bring that information to the discussion - follow the link below for more information on average salaries.

https://www.reed.co.uk/average-salary

Once you are sure you have a great business case for a raise and even a promotion if you are feeling that positive then have the conversation with a friend, practice it, ask your friend to play 'Devil's advocate'.  

One thing to remember there is more than just money to talk about when it comes to a raise, there are all kinds of benefits that might come into play and be more attractive to both the employer and the employee. 

Finally - you are worth it so have courage and just do it!!

Good luck form the CV Clinic. And if you don't get what you deserve you know where I am if you need help making the move.   

The Professional Woman Returning to Work after an Extended Career Break

There is lots of talk on all kinds of platforms about the

professional woman returning to work after the extended career break.

It is possible as is proven by the countless numbers successfully launching their careers.  However in order to achieve success it’s important to consider where you are and what your audience (the potential employer) will see.

As Carol Fisher pointed out in her famous article the 40 year old intern.  There is a gap or a disconnect between the potential employer and the relauncher.  Often the employer can look at people with a gap on their CV as a high-risk proposition.

The professional in the midst of relaunching their career may have doubts about their abilities, especially if they have been out for a long time.

The first thing Carol advises is to get out and tell everyone you know in your social circle and in your community that you are in the process of getting back to the workplace.  This will lead to a lot of conversations most of which will end in nothing but some will ultimately lead to a job opportunity.

Its important to remember that when you are talking to old colleagues and/or old bosses their idea of you is frozen in time.  They remember the professional you were before the kids and before the career break.  They did not see you walking around the house in your pjs because your little one was up all night with a fever.  In fact very few people actually saw that side of you.  So even if your own opinion of yourself has diminished over time, as happens with a lot of us the farther away we are from our professional identities, it is not a widespread phenomenon.

The advantages relaunchers offer the potential employer are numerous.  The life stage of a professional returning to work is one that is settled, there will likely be few if any more maternity leave, the work experience is extensive, there is a much more settled and mature outlook on life and there is an energy and enthusiasm to return to work.

The thing to consider is the digital skill set, things will have changed in the workplace when it comes to software and an employer will expect you to be up to scratch with your digital skills.  There are currently lots of courses specifically designed for mums to up skill their digital knowledge in preparation for today's workplace.

Another consideration is what do you like to do, are your interests the same as they were prior to your leaving the workplace or have they changed, one must be able to demonstrate the skills one brings to the table.  This is a decision that should be made prior to applying for that position; this is not a job for the employer.

Finally there are several global organisations both in finance and engineering and possibly elsewhere that are offering internships for professionals returning to work.  These are specifically targeted at the professional with the gap on their CV.  There are proven success stories from people who have taken this route and the results were a well-paid position and the successful relaunch of the career.

These internships are not always easy to find but the temp job that might be on offer is a similar route, the relauncher is basically being offered the opportunity to come in and show the employer what they can do, and once the skills are proven then the likelihood of permanent work becomes greater.   In the UK the temp job may be more prevalent than the internship so why not suggest it to potential employers who are interested in you but are a little daunted by the risk factor.  What do you have to loose.