You're listening to Business English Pod, the Business English podcast for professionals on the move.
Welcome back to Business English Pod.
My name's Jennifer and I'll be your host for this episode, the first of a two-part series on asking for a pay raise.
Have you ever found yourself in this situation?
Hi, Brian.
Can I see you for a second?
Sure.
What's up?
I just wanted to discuss your annual pay raise.
Great.
Well, at the last meeting, the directors voted on a maximum pay increase of 2%.
But I went to bat for you, and the good news is I got you 2.5% plus a bus pass.
Oh, um, gee, thanks.
Brian doesn't sound too enthusiastic about his raise, does he?
On the one hand, he might be happy to get any raise at all.
But on the other, he might also have deserved more, especially if he's taken on extra work or increased the company's revenue in some way.
If he had prepared and arranged to discuss his salary review with his boss beforehand, he might have received better news.
Asking for a pay raise makes many people uncomfortable, but it's most certainly to our benefit to make the effort.
Getting a raise is more than just asking, though.
Before the discussion can start, you need to prepare, make a list of your achievements and quantify them with numbers and examples, if you can.
It's also helpful to get an idea of how your compensation compares to industry averages.
You can easily find this information online or at the library.
Remember that there can be more to compensation than salary, like health insurance, retirement plans and stock options.
Today we'll listen as Ryan, a salesman at an industrial supply company called Pylon, discusses his salary with Jacob, his boss.
Ryan would like a pay raise, but first he needs to show Jacob why he deserves one.
Notice how Ryan has thoroughly prepared for this meeting and is able to provide specific examples to support his case.
As you listen to the dialogue, try to answer the following questions.
1.
Is Ryan happy with his job?
What reasons does he give?
2.
Why is Ryan's relationship with Alliance builders important?
3.
What is the difference in the pay structure for web design and sales work?
Hi, Jacob.
Thanks for taking the time to meet with me.
No problem, Ryan.
Why don't we get down to business?
Right.
Well, as you know, I've been a salesman here at Pylon for two years now and I've been really happy here.
I've learned a lot from the sales team, and there's great camaraderie with the staff.
Uh-huh.
That's good to hear.
Now, I believe you'd like to discuss your salary review?
Yes.
I'm not sure if you're aware of other contributions I've been making.
I'm all ears.
Fire away.
Great.
Well, first, I'd like to point out the strong relationship I've cultivated with Alliance Builders.
Uh-huh.
Over the last year, they've been buying more products and services from us.
Sales have gone up 20% since I took them on in February.
On top of that, I've been able to pass along some solid leads to other divisions.
Service contracts, for example, have gone up by 10%.
Yes, indeed.
I was just talking to Stan from Alliance the other day and he told me how instrumental you are in keeping them happy.
That's good to hear.
I've worked hard on that relationship, and I think it's one we can profit from for years to come.
And I believe I can develop similar client relationships to benefit Pylon.
I think my compensation should reflect that.
Okay, I'll keep that in mind.
Go on.
Well, the next thing I'd like to mention is my work on the new website.
I've been helping Jill with that.
Oh, really?
I didn't know that.
Yeah, I have web design experience from my previous job and I've taken some design courses on my own.
Jill said she needed a hand, so I jumped in.
Uh-huh.
Internet sales have increased by 15% since the new site went live.
And Pylon saved a ton of money, over $5,000, because we didn't have to hire an outside web designer.
You know, that's exactly why we hired you.
We knew you'd be a team player.
But the thing is, web design is an hourly job, and my compensation is based mostly on commission.
Plus, my sales number is still increased, even though I took on some extra work.
I see where you're going.
We can definitely look at that.
Great.
So anyway, I'd just like to highlight the increased sales I'm bringing in and the extra web design work.
And I think these aspects should be reflected in my compensation package.
Let's look at Ryan and Jacob's conversation carefully.
Ryan starts by thanking Jacob for the meeting.
No problem, Ryan.
Why don't we get down to business?
Right.
Well, as you know, I've been a salesman here at Pylon for two years now and I've been really happy here.
I've learned a lot from the sales team, and there's great camaraderie with the staff.
Being a smart guy, Ryan pre-arranged this meeting and gave Jacob a general idea of his agenda.
So when Jacob suggests they get down to business, he's signalling that he's ready to start discussing the pay raise directly.
Ryan starts by emphasising the positive aspects of his job and his experience working at Pylon.
In this way, he's indirectly telling his boss he plans to stay with the company and demonstrates his loyalty to it.
He values what he's learned from his sales department colleagues and enjoys the camaraderie or friendly relations with other staff.
It's a good idea to start a pay raise discussion on a positive note.
So how else might we do this?
The training opportunities are great and I think this will be a great place for me to develop my career.
I couldn't ask for a better group of colleagues.
I appreciate that managers are always open to new ideas.
It's clear that this company cares about its employees' well-being.
Next, Jacob brings up Ryan's salary review.
Yes.
I'm not sure if you're aware of other contributions I've been making.
I'm all ears.
Fire away.
As a boss, Jacob is a busy man and he might not know all about Ryan's contributions.
So it's up to Ryan to keep him updated, especially if they're about to discuss pay.
Jacob says he's all ears and tells Ryan to fire away.
He's ready to listen and it's time for Ryan to start his pitch.
Great.
Well, first, I'd like to point out the strong relationship I've cultivated with Alliance builders.
Uh-huh.
Over the last year, they've been buying more products and services from us.
Sales have gone up 20% since I took them on in February.
On top of that, I've been able to pass along some solid leads to other divisions.
Service contracts, for example, have gone up by 10%.
The relationship Ryan has cultivated with Alliance builders is an important achievement.
Much like a farmer cultivates a field of crops, Ryan has nurtured his relationship with Alliance and helped it grow.
Stating your achievements is critical to a pay raise discussion.
Let's review some other examples of how to do this.
Under my guidance, our management trainee program has had great success.
I've done a lot to increase our media presence this year.
My sales were up 30% last quarter.
Since I brought in new technology, we're a much more efficient workplace.
Notice that Ryan gives additional details to support his achievement.
Sales from Alliance have increased by 20% since he took them on, or started working with them.
On top of or in addition to these figures, other divisions have made sales from solid or good leads.
By being specific, Ryan makes a stronger case.
What are some other ways to use examples to support an achievement?
Let's practice.
I recruited 12 new managers to our training program.
All 12 are now running successful operations.
In the last year, I've helped more than 30 new companies transition to our software.
I sold our new video line to 90% of the region's retailers.
My efforts were widely reported in the local press.
This gave our company more visibility and six new customers signed up with us.
What happens next?
Yes, indeed.
I was just talking to Stan from Alliance the other day and he told me how instrumental you are in keeping them happy.
That's good to hear.
I've worked hard on that relationship, and I think it's one we can profit from for years to come.
And I believe I can develop similar client relationships to benefit Pylon.
I think my compensation should reflect that.
Jacob says Ryan is instrumental.
By this he means that Ryan's involvement with the Alliance account is extremely important.
One way to remember the word instrumental is to think of the word instrument.
Ryan is like an instrument or tool that crafts this relationship.
Ryan believes his compensation should reflect his success with Alliance.
Compensation describes everything an employee receives in exchange for work.
Compensation packages can include salary bonuses, stock options, medical insurance and retirement benefits.
Next, Ryan explains his web design work, something Jacob wasn't aware of until now.
Yeah, I have web design experience from my previous job and I've taken some design courses on my own.
Jill said she needed a hand so I jumped in.
Here, Ryan is stating his value to the company.
He has expertise and skills beyond sales.
And he has volunteered to help a colleague, a sign that he's a team player.
Stating our value is a little different from describing an achievement.
Our value is what we bring to our job in terms of skills, expertise and attitude.
What are some other ways to describe your value to the company?
I've been taking courses in copywriting so that I can improve my sales letters.
I never hesitate to stay late or work weekends if we're on a deadline.
I'm a strong public speaker and represent the company well at conferences.
After working in this field for 20 years, I have developed a strong network of business contacts.
Internet sales have increased by 15% since the new site went live.
And Pylon saved a ton of money, over $5,000, because we didn't have to hire an outside web designer.
Not only did Ryan volunteer to help with the company website, his design was an effective one.
Sales increased by 15% since the site went live or became accessible to the public.
He also saved the company a ton of, or a lot of, money.
Let's hear the next exchange.
You know, that's exactly why we hired you.
We knew you'd be a team player.
But the thing is, web design is an hourly job, and my compensation is based mostly on commission.
Plus, my sales number still increased, even though I took on some extra work.
As Ryan points out, the pay structure for web design and sales is different.
Web design is paid hourly, but Ryan's main work, sales, is paid largely on commission.
Therefore, Ryan's income comes from a percentage of his sales and he's not being paid for the web design work.
He stresses that his sales work hasn't suffered.
In fact, his sales have still increased, even though he has been doing extra work.
Although Jacob and Ryan have not yet started discussing Ryan's pay in terms of salary or benefits, Ryan is taking this opportunity to justify his request for a raise.
He is doing work that he isn't paid for and making money for the company in his sales position.
When asking for a pay raise, you need to clearly justify why you deserve one, as the following examples demonstrate
Now that I have an MBA, my compensation should reflect that.
Since I started working here, I've been given much more responsibility.
I think my salary should be increased accordingly.
I think the raise is justified because I volunteered for a number of extra projects.
How does Jacob respond?
I see where you're going.
We can definitely look at that.
Jacob sees where Ryan's going.
He understands Ryan's point of view and appreciates that his current pay structure does not fairly compensate for the web design work.
Finally, Ryan finishes his pitch and summarises what he wants and why.
Great.
So anyway, I'd just like to highlight the increased sales I'm bringing in and the extra web design work, and I think these aspects should be reflected in my compensation package.
Stating what you want helps you summarise your case clearly.
It sets the stage for the second part of the conversation when money and benefits are discussed.
Here are some more examples to consider.
I think a 7% increase in salary is appropriate in this case.
Given these circumstances, I'd like the company to pay a bigger portion of my health insurance premiums.
I'd like an extra week of vacation time each year.
I'd appreciate being able to work at home three days a week.
Now let's practice some of the language and strategies we looked at today.
We'll start by practicing language you can use to state your value to a company.
In this exercise, you'll hear a question followed by a prompt.
Use the language from the prompt to form an answer to the question.
For example, if you hear What have you done for professional development several courses accounting you can say i've taken several courses in accounting.
We'll play an example answer after each one.
Are you ready?
Let's give it a try.
How do you handle deadlines, stay late, work weekends Example answer.
I stay late and work weekends when we have a deadline.
Strong speaker.
Good presenter.
Example Answer I'm a strong speaker and good presenter.
Tell me about your business connections.
15 years, large network, customers and vendors.
Example Answer Over the last 15 years I've developed a large network of customers and vendors.
Have you done any additional training?
Completed four training modules, two IT certifications.
Example answer.
I've completed four training modules and earned two new IT certifications.
Now let's practice some language you can use to justify your request for a pay raise.
Imagine you and your boss are discussing your compensation.
Your boss asks you, why should we increase your pay?
Use the prompts that follow to come up with your answer.
Feel free to add to your answer if you'd like.
We'll play an example answer after each one.
For example, if you hear... You could say... Ready?
Let's begin.
More responsibility.
Department.
Answer.
I've been given more responsibility in my department.
Volunteer.
Orientation.
HR too busy.
Example answer.
I volunteered to run the orientation for new employees when HR was too busy.
Advanced degree, HR certificate.
Example Answer.
I now have an advanced degree and a new HR certificate.
Management Duties.
Merger.
Example Answer.
I'll be taking on some management duties after the merger.
New business.
Any other member of sales team.
Example answer.
I brought in more business than any other member of the sales team last quarter.
And that's the topic for our next episode.
Thanks for listening and see you next time.
