Wage Advice..

[Gmanc711]

Whats up guys, so tommarow I have to go to my summer job and lobby for a raise (or quit) one or the other. I want some advice on what to ask for/expect. I'm going to give you a chart and then want to know what you think.



The number you see are Column 1 The Year I worked. Column 2, what I made that year. Column 3 is what minimum wage was/is that year and the % is the amount I made over minimum wage.

2002 5.25 5.15 2%
2003 5.50 5.15 6.7%
2004 6.00 5.15 16.5%
2005 6.50 6.00 8.3%
2006 ? 6.75 ?

So my raises went +4.7% in 2003, +9.8% in 2004 (yr I became manager) but I took a -7.8% over minimum wage in 2005.


So my question is what should I be asking for when I go in tommarow?

[That Guy]

Originally Posted by Gmanc711

Whats up guys, so tommarow I have to go to my summer job and lobby for a raise (or quit) one or the other. I want some advice on what to ask for/expect. I'm going to give you a chart and then want to know what you think.



The number you see are Column 1 The Year I worked. Column 2, what I made that year. Column 3 is what minimum wage was/is that year and the % is the amount I made over minimum wage.

2002 5.25 5.15 2%
2003 5.50 5.15 6.7%
2004 6.00 5.15 16.5%
2005 6.50 6.00 8.3%
2006 ? 6.75 ?

So my raises went +4.7% in 2003, +9.8% in 2004 (yr I became manager) but I took a -7.8% over minimum wage in 2005.


So my question is what should I be asking for when I go in tommarow?

min wage raised, that doesn't automatically mean you lost money. You should measure your wages against those of the previous year or inflation, not against min wage.

[dmek25]

$7.00/hour

[cpayne5]

What is your job?

[Schneed10]

Originally Posted by Gmanc711

Whats up guys, so tommarow I have to go to my summer job and lobby for a raise (or quit) one or the other. I want some advice on what to ask for/expect. I'm going to give you a chart and then want to know what you think.



The number you see are Column 1 The Year I worked. Column 2, what I made that year. Column 3 is what minimum wage was/is that year and the % is the amount I made over minimum wage.

2002 5.25 5.15 2%
2003 5.50 5.15 6.7%
2004 6.00 5.15 16.5%
2005 6.50 6.00 8.3%
2006 ? 6.75 ?

So my raises went +4.7% in 2003, +9.8% in 2004 (yr I became manager) but I took a -7.8% over minimum wage in 2005.


So my question is what should I be asking for when I go in tommarow?

My bargaining position would start like so:
In 2004, I made $6 while the minimum wage was $5.15. I was $.85 above Min Wage at that point. Then minimum wage went up in 2005 and I made $6.50, only $.50 over minimum wage. This year minimum wage is going to be $6.75, and I think it's only fair that I get back to being at least $.85 above minimum wage. That would mean you're asking for $7.60 an hour.

I think if you start hitting them with %'s above min wage, their eyes might glaze over. Speak in terms they can grasp, just shoot for 85 cents above min wage, like you had in 2004.

That's a good starting point in negotiation, because $7.60 an hour is still $1.10 above what you made last year (14% raise). But if they're only willing to give you $.50 above min wage (like you had last year), then I'd take it (that would be $7.25). And $7.25 is still a nice raise from last year, it would be 11%.

If they only want to give you $7.00 I'd start looking elsewhere. Someone will surely think you're worth more than a quarter above min wage, given you've got 4 years under your belt.

[That Guy]

they won't care about % over minimum wage. they'll only care about how much it costs to keep you (someone who understands how the place works) vs how much it costs to train someone else to replace you.

instead of %s and numbers, try, "here's what i do to help you make money, and I think the work i provide is worth more than my current paycheck."

[Schneed10]

Originally Posted by That Guy

min wage raised, that doesn't automatically mean you lost money. You should measure your wages against those of the previous year or inflation, not against min wage.

I wholeheartedly disagree.

Think about what minimum wage is. That's the least amount they could possibly pay someone to work. In other words, it's the bottom of the barrell in terms of the quality of worker. Your value in the job market is determined by your value relative to your peers.

GManc, what it really comes down to is are you a better worker than some dipshit they can hire off the street at min wage? Can you really do the job better? I'm guessing you can because you have experience with it. If you can convince people that you're better than said dipshit, you can ask for more than min wage. It's all about the value you bring to the table.

[Schneed10]

Originally Posted by That Guy

they won't care about % over minimum wage. they'll only care about how much it costs to keep you (someone who understands how the place works) vs how much it costs to train someone else to replace you.

instead of %s and numbers, try, "here's what i do to help you make money, and I think the work i provide is worth more than my current paycheck."

OK now we're on the same page.

[Schneed10]

My feeling is they're not going to fire you for asking for $7.60 (min wage + 85 cents). So it can't hurt to ask, after all you have a rational reason behind it (you want to stay at 85 cents above min wage). And if they want you to come down from there, you can be reasonable in the negotiation. I'd draw the line at $7.25, saying hey I was 50 cents above min wage last year, I should at least stay at 50 cents above this year.

[Monksdown]

Please take this the right way. But you can't find a summer job that pays better? Do you have a car to deliver pizzas? That was my summer job and I made a killing. And managers at the larger pizza chains are really down with the summer job thing. They don't care.

That just seems awfully low. Do you have any other options?

[That Guy]

if you can work the weekend shift at a restaurant, that's the best money. you've got to be friendly and have a good memory and be willing to let people treat you like crap though.

[That Guy]

Originally Posted by Schneed10

My feeling is they're not going to fire you for asking for $7.60 (min wage + 85 cents). So it can't hurt to ask, after all you have a rational reason behind it (you want to stay at 85 cents above min wage). And if they want you to come down from there, you can be reasonable in the negotiation. I'd draw the line at $7.25, saying hey I was 50 cents above min wage last year, I should at least stay at 50 cents above this year.

min wage is 6$ where he works, so min + 85 would be 6.85, not 7.60.

here in N Va, even the MCDonald's pay 8-9$ an hour.

[Monksdown]

Schneed-

Ive seen the responses you get in here, and Im positive you handled being treated like shit really well.

haha

[EEich]

It's not like you're irreplacable. If you don't take the money they're offering, someone else will. What's the least you're willing to work for?

[Sammy Baugh Fan]

True Story:
I went in for a .com managment job back in early 1999. They had a figure they were prepared that had a $5,000 range. I did my very best to show I was qualified, personable and bla, bla, bla.

They ofered the job and asked what I thought I would want. I said the higher figure. When he said ok, I added that I wanted a $5,000 "Signing Bonus" so I could ramp up my clothes and get ready. He said he needed to talk to the CEO , who we had met.

I said "ok, call me".

On the way home he called and said they would go with the salary and a $3,000 signing bonus! lol!!!!!.
~edit: Who asks for a signing bonus? Me! Hey, it got me $3K!

I said "I'll be up to get the check tomorrow and will start in 1 week."

True Story.

Don't sell yourself short.
Quam Esse Videri
"To Be, Rather than to Seem"

"Be" worth money.

Good luck
mike