Thread: Best way to negotiate a raise at work?

Long story short -- I've had 4 job offers in the last 2 months for a slightly higher salary... Between $6k-10k more than what I make now at my W-2 job.

I'm not in a hurry to leave my cushy job though -- Because I get to work from home, and the new jobs would all be a 45 minute commute each way.

What is the best way to use these job offers to get myself a better deal at work? I've heard a lot of people do this very successfully in the past... In fact in my company, the rumor is that the manager's ONLY have ability to change your pay if you come to them with another job offer.

Still I'm a little perplexed at how to approach it.... Do you pull a huge poker-style bluff and go "all in" with a "I'm putting in my 2 weeks notice..." email... Or do you take him asside in a friendly manner and say, "Hey man -- I just wanted you to know I'm getting other job offers and the pay is better... What would you like to do?"

Interested to hear advice from people who have successfully negotiated a pay increase based on other job offers.

Cheers,

- Hakrjak

Originally Posted by BurnBright

What I would do: First make sure you would not mind working for the company making the offer because if you do not get the response you want you may just feel the need to move on. Then talk to your manager and be honest, let them know you want to stay but that because of the difference in pay you need to consider the offers. Then see what he says. Most likely if he/she values your work they will offer to increase your pay over hiring and training someone else also they would probably value the fact that you came to them with what the competition is doing.

Almost word for word what I would have written. Great advice.

The only thing I'd add is to make sure that you are really "in" where you work now.
In my office, there have been a couple of people who we were considering axing anyway.
When they came to us with a proposal like this, we said "Go ahead!"

I agree with the above advice but also want to mention the fact that I certainly WOULD NOT go in bluffing and "put in your two weeks" without having EVERY intention of leaving. If they want to keep you of course they'll try to talk you out of it and probably give you more money, but management will never forget the stunt.

I've seen a few friends stay on at companies after getting talked out of leaving and I don't think any of them were around after much more than a year. It seemed like it was always a bit awkward for them and they felt like they limited their upward potential so they moved on.

I doubt you plan to be a corporate lifer, so this might not even matter! Just my two cents.

I agree with the above posts. Don't put in your two weeks. Just go in and tell them you have had higher offers. Maybe toss in a "I don't want to leave but I really need the extra money for my family" so it sounds like you want to say and its only the money making you leave.

Give them a chance to match or bump up your salary. If they do or don't you can still stay by saying that you thought it over and you like your job so much that you can find ways to make ends meet by staying.

Thanks for all the responses! Wow -- Good info in these posts... REP+++ to everyone who replied with good ideas.

To provide a little more background:

My salary has been decreasing with this company for 5+ years. Each year they seem to take another 5%-10%. I've recently taken on a lot of new duties, and become the subject matter expert for a number of areas that are business critical to the account that I'm on. Our company just reported record profits this Quarter for the company as a whole, but the client that I'm assigned to has been in some financially trouble over the last year... So while the company can certainly afford to pay me what I'm worth -- I'm wondering if they won't use the client's money problems as an excuse. Only one way to find out I guess

Cheers,

- Hakrjak

At my last job, I had the exact same situation, much better offers elsewhere.

But I really liked my existing job. So I really had a dilemma.

First step was to get clear about what I really wanted.

For me this was to stay in my present job, but get paid the amount of the offer.

I told the company making the offer, that I needed 2 weeks to make a decision and made sure the job would be available in 2 weeks time. They agreed.

Then I went to my boss and told him honestly about the offer, and I causally mentioned where the offer was from (a competitor).

I was told there wasn't a hope in hell they would be able to match the offer (it was very sweet, in fact way above what I deserved, but who was I to complain). But he said he would pass it up the ladder.

A few days later, to the amazement of even my boss, they matched the offer.

Honestly I think it was more a source of pride that they just didn't want too lose a battle for an employee to the competition.

This worked for me, not saying the same forces are in play in your situation, but maybe this helps.

(I should mention that it was also IT related work, but at the time the market was very tight, and companies were having trouble finding good workers. Also I had experience at the new company making the offer as I had done an internship there).