6 Steps to Earning a Big Fat Raise

[JohnPlace]

At my last job, I was known as the master of the big raise. A friend recently asked me to explain how I kept getting gigantic raises when the rest of the office could barely scratch together loose change.

I shrugged. I couldn't explain it because I had never really thought about it.

"Come on," he said. "There's got to be something you're doing that the rest of us aren't -- what is it?"

My friend knows I'm not a brown-noser, so that suggestion never entered the conversation. Anyway, I took some time last week to really think about how I had managed to routinely land the largest raise in the office. I figured some of you might be interested in reading about it. A lot of it is common sense, but it was helpful for me to see the process in black and white.

6 Steps to Earning a Big Fat Raise

I also thought you might like to share your own ideas about how to maximize salary increases, which is another reason I'm posting this here.

Enjoy.

[Shamou]

Great article John... you almost make me feel sorry that I'm self-employed...

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[jwz]

Nice article, John.
I also read your article about 11 reasons and 'cures' for procrastination (dunno if I spelled it right. lol) and that one was brilliant too. Made me want to get up and do something.

-Jan

[Peter S C]

Good article John. As I think your article shows, it is not enough to simply do a good job and hope for a pay rise. You need to be proactive to ensure the person(s) making the decision regarding any "big fat raise" knows you deserve and expect it.

[JohnPlace]

Thanks guys. I am glad you enjoyed the article, as I enjoyed writing it.

Writing this article reminded me how many things we do without considering the specific actions involved. Sometimes it's helpful to break complicated behaviors down into steps for analysis.