Asking for a pay raise?
Asked by Olivia
I work part time (17.5 HOURS A WEEK) at an office cleaning position. I am employed by a large janitorial company. I was hired April 21st of this year. I was never told anything about raises when I was being interviewed and I didn't want to ask because the hiring manager had told me that due to the down economy they had recently lost a lot of their accounts. I asked a couple of the supervisors at my building about a 90 day raise and one told me that they weren't giving them automatically anymore b/c of the economy. So he gave me this piece of paper and I am supposed to fill it out saying why I deserve a raise in two lines of writing space. I don't know what to write. Do you think that I should even bother filling it out? If I did get a raise, it'd only be .25 or .50 so it wouldn't amount to much money at all, but for me it's more about the satisfaction of knowing that my employer recognizes that I am doing a good job. I feel that if they deny me for a raise essentially they are saying that they don't care if I quit or not. Is my view wrong, I would like to know other people's opinions on this. I live in Michigan where unemployment is the highest in the country.

Best Answer:
To start with, you need to sit back and think about what you do that is great for the company. Consider things like this: Do you save the company money? What do you do to complete your task with accuracy and proficiency? Do you always arrive to work on time? Do you perform your duties above and beyond the average employee? Do you take your job seriously and go the extra mile to ensure that you provide that extra level of cleanliness which will ensure your company will keep that particular account? All of these things are what will make the difference between an average company and a superior company. In today's economy, people are looking for employees who are willing to take pride in their work and go that extra mile and me them look good in the process. If you are doing this, you need to sum it up in two lines and state what you do that makes you a great employee. .25 or .50 raise is not much but it is a stepping stone to the next raise! It is better than nothing! Be proud of what you do and take pride in your work. It will pay off one day.

I deserve a raise because: "I do great work and am always looking for ways to better contribute." or "I work hard and take pride in a job well done."
Answered by Falcon_01

It does not hurt to ask for a raise. Go ahead and fill out the form. Your employer would rather give you a raise, then have an unhappy employee and not know about it.
Answered by Just a person

Hi Olivia You have only worked there for three months, so asking for a raise now, in today's economy, is a bit soon. Since the company has lost several accounts, you probably should be glad to still have a job! Not that you are doing good work and being appreciated, but more like there just isn't enough cash flow to do much. $0.25 per hour would only be a little over four dollars, so I wouldn't bother right now. In answer to your question, I don't think you should consider the lack of a raise right now being an indication of whether they want you to stay or quit. That may not be the message. Just keep doing exceptional work. If a customer says something to you about your work you might ask for a letter to be sent to your boss. That tilts things in your favor for a raise later. You might ask your boss for more hours, but again don't be upset or discouraged if you don't get scheduled for more. It most likely is NOT YOU! Money and the "bottom line" of the business dictates a lot of decisions. Your wages are compounded by employer taxes, workers' compensation insurance, liability insurance, yada yada. If you feel you are truly justified in getting a raise in this economy you will have to point to the letters of commendation and praise by the customers, and how hard you work to do the best possible job. Do NOT whine about needing more money to feed your poor starving kids. That won't cut it. If you can't put together a justifiable reason within two lines you probably should just keep quiet. But then, you could go to your supervisor and ASK if you are doing a good job.
Answered by Babe