I lately acquired this letter from a reader:
I’m a long-time reader of your web site. I’ve received a number of part-time jobs — a few of which I’ve been with for a really very long time, and I’ve recognized that I used to be very underpaid relative to the abilities I deliver. And I lastly reached the purpose the place I used to be prepared to go away considered one of them if I didn’t get truthful pay. I had by no means requested for a elevate at this job earlier than, so I learn up in your web site, and I did some analysis.
I made a decision to ask for an X% elevate, realizing that I used to be extremely unlikely to get it, however having determined that I’d settle for Y% for now. I wrote an e mail to my boss to suggest this, making it clear that I needed to satisfy to debate it however give her the heads-up/justification for the request prematurely so she may give it some thought and see what she may do.
I checked out web sites to attempt to get common numbers for my discipline and experience. (After all, it’s onerous to seek out nice comparisons when it’s a nonprofit in a distinct segment discipline.) And I additionally had the good thing about realizing what a neighborhood competitor was providing. I had trusted buddies learn my e mail via a number of drafts — I needed it to be clear and straightforward to learn, have sufficient particulars however not so many to get slowed down, and have a conversational model that wasn’t apologetic.
AND IT WORKED! My boss took it a lot better than I’d have anticipated, and he or she got here again with some bundle choices as an alternative of simply cash, and I really feel like we had been each fairly happy ultimately.
This author agreed to let me share the e-mail with readers right here, as a result of it’s a superb instance of methods to be easy about these things. One factor that’s nice about this instance is that it’s so conversational — so typically folks assume they need to be very formal when discussing pay, and far of the time you don’t. After all, the tone right here won’t work in your specific relationship together with your boss, but it surely clearly struck the correct notice for this case — and I believe it may assist folks to see it so right here it’s (anonymized in locations):
Hey, Jane,
I do know that we’ve had conversations prior to now that not less than talked about the truth that the Battlestar Galactica is my lowest paid job. I’d wish to revisit that – with a dialog within the subsequent week or two, however e mail first so you have got an opportunity to consider it.
It’s at all times somewhat tough to find out what market charge is, particularly for a distinct segment function in a nonprofit setting. I seemed on the house journey wage calculator, which doesn’t return so far as my commencement yr. (Does that imply I’m previous now?) It was nonetheless helpful as a begin. Placing in 2010 as my commencement yr (the furthest again it might go, which can be once I began working right here), the colony of Caprica, non-profit apply, and no residency (as a result of the residency I accomplished has nothing to do with my apply scope), the wage calculator exhibits a mean of $XX/yr. Dividing that by 50 weeks in a yr (assuming a minimal two weeks paid trip) and 4 days every week (most full-time spaceship jobs at this level contemplate 4 working days per week to be full-time) leads to $X/day. If you wish to use a five-day work week, that also leads to $Y/day. Both method, this may even have full-time advantages hooked up, which often contains medical insurance, a minimal of two weeks (often extra) paid day without work, licensure, membership dues, and persevering with schooling allowance. If we cut up the distinction there and took advantages into consideration, we’d be about $Z/day.
For a neighborhood comparability – since wage calculators don’t decide all the pieces — the Prometheus is providing a base wage of $AA/yr for a four-day work week for doing raptor flights solely, plus manufacturing bonuses based mostly on the variety of ship repairs carried out. Additionally they provide all the advantages I discussed above – and the licensure, memberships, and CE allowance are supplied even to their part-time workers. With out the advantages, that’s nonetheless a base wage of $BB/day, and I used to be advised to undoubtedly anticipate month-to-month manufacturing bonuses given my talent set.
I do know that manufacturing bonuses had been supplied on the time all of us began – I keep in mind Apollo mentioning that at my interview – however I’ve heard since then from different workers members that you just’re not a fan of manufacturing pay. I hope that by now I’ve earned belief from long-time colleagues – that I’m not going to jeopardize a ship and rush a restore for the sake of extra money, particularly when I’ve no management over the numbers which are scheduled. I receives a commission on manufacturing at Cloud 9, and nobody there has ever questioned my motives once I say both sure, we are able to match that in, or no, that one has to attend till tomorrow/subsequent time. On the identical time, I don’t wish to cope with manufacturing pay and having to concentrate to the numbers and ensuring that they’re right. And it’s simpler to price range for constant numbers.
Let me know when works to satisfy within the subsequent week or two, when you’ve had an opportunity to contemplate this and see what you are able to do. I’ve been appreciative of the possibility to additional develop these expertise on the Galactica, and as I look again over pay historical past, I began at $CC/day in 2016 (that was after we switched from hourly to make budgeting simpler), and I must say, with understatement, that I’m so much sooner now. (For instance, 32 ship repairs in simply over seven hours on Tuesday.) Whereas I respect the elevate I noticed went via on Friday’s paycheck, I’m trying to get nearer to the $Z/day I discussed above.