Ask Ella: Prove You Deserve A Raise

Dear Ella,

I have been working at my current job for almost four years, and I am getting to the point where I cannot figure out where to go from here.

I started in the merchant services business not knowing anything and am now running an office. Granted, there are not any employees that I really need to manage unless necessary, but I am overwhelmed with paperwork, customer service and everything else I do here.

If I am sick, my coworkers say it's like Armageddon. I am the assistant to the CEO and the president of the company and run personal errands for them as well. I really want to quit because I feel like I am being taken advantage of.

I started out at $10 an hour and now make $14 per hour, but I am not sure if this is a standard, fair wage. I know my bosses bring in at least $30,000 per month and they are never here.

I am hoping you can offer some suggestions as to how I can I get my bosses to pay me a wage more commensurate with my duties. Any suggestions?

Dear Measure Twice, Cut Once,

Merchant services means providing credit and debit card processing services. This implies that aside from running the day-to-day office requirements you also engage the public to get them to adopt and broaden their participation with your firm.

If your employers are bringing in as much money as you say they are, then you need to link the work you perform with their success in order to get the raise you feel you deserve.

Get your bosses to acknowledge the contributions you've made and to compensate you accordingly by compiling an accounting of revenues generated through your office since your start date with the firm. If you can show that revenues increased, then you can build a tangible case for a wage increase.

Also, request a weekly or monthly meeting with leadership to set goals and project expectations. These face-to-face meetings will keep your work front-and-center and increase management's knowledge of the contributions you make to their firm.

Meanwhile, explore your state's laws governing full-time hourly workers. You may be eligible for standard reviews, health insurance and overtime pay. Any additional benefits you may be entitled to under the law can also increase your total compensation for the work you now perform.

Keep an open mind as to how you can increase your compensation. For example, you may not be able to increase your hourly wage but you may be able to add to your income through commissions.

Be sure to e-mail progress reports to your bosses on a regular basis. By keeping an electronic file of those exchanges you build your case for promotion and other financial considerations.

You should also begin a confidential search for a new job. Once you've been presented with a competitive offer, you can use this new opportunity as leverage when negotiating for a higher wage with your current employer.

If your employers argues that their company offers a turnkey financial solution that requires moderate tweaking on your part, remind them that you still need to be able to manage key accounts and help bring in new business. If talks stall, take your client-management expertise, along with any network you've built, across the street to a competitor.

You haven't been stuck in a dead-end job, you've just hit a dead end on how to make the job you already have work for you. Use your strong interpersonal skills to negotiate, or be ready to move out.

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Written By Ella Kallish
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