Letter from the President - September 2022
It’s time for the Salary Survey edition of AUGIWORLD!
The salary survey is always one of our most popular editions as it provides people a way to gauge how they fit in financially within their industry.
In addition to the salary survey, the articles provided are a medley of topics. (We let the authors write about whatever they want!)
I decided that I should take this opportunity to discuss pay raises and salary negotiation.
I realize that some of you work for organizations where your pay is determined by a set scale, in those cases you will generally have a known list of items that need to be accomplished to increase pay or you may have to apply for a different job within that organization in order to increase your salary. Work with what you have available to you and do your research to know what that is.
If you are stable in your job and like where you work (or just don’t want to switch jobs) it can be a bit harder to get a pay raise, but not impossible. So, what can you do? To start the process, setup a minimum of quarterly meetings with your manager. During those meetings establish and review goals that you want to accomplish and make sure to find a balance with goals you are interested in and that your manager wants for you. Be sure to communicate clearly and come in with some ideas that you’ve thought about before the meeting. Some other suggestions, be patient with yourself and management; set reasonable expectations; make learning a priority; take initiative and above all else, have a positive attitude! Finally, just like with a new job negotiation, do research on current salaries and bring that data to your manager to make them aware of industry standard pay.
In my opinion the best time to make drastic changes in your salary is when you are switching jobs. My suggestions (these have worked very effectively for me), do your research so you have a good knowledge of current salaries (this magazine provides a great start!). Create a unique resume for each job you apply for that targets the position, and don’t disclose your current salary and if you are asked (they really shouldn’t ask). Also, don’t hesitate to give a higher number than you actually make that is based on your research. Plan to negotiate, now is the time as it’s highly unlikely you’ll be able to do so after you are hired. If you are asked to give a salary expectation, always go 10-20% higher than what you expect. Never accept the first offer as it would be extremely rare for that to be the best offer. Finally, if you aren’t able to negotiate a higher salary, consider asking for increased benefits (like vacation time) and/or a signing bonus.
I’ve also had the company I was working for at that time come back with an offer to increase my salary based on what I told them I was going to be getting. So, if that is something you want, don’t hesitate to use it as a bargaining chip. I know for myself, I personally decided to move on to the new company even though I was offered more money, because the new job would give me more flexibility and opportunities.
Whatever you do, don’t underestimate what you have to offer!
Sincerely,
KaDe
