How I Did It: Asking for a Salary Adjustment

A friend of ReproJobs recently emailed us to share that thanks to some articles we posted, she was able to negotiate a higher salary for her current position. We interviewed her to ask how she did it, what tips she has for salary negotiations at repro organizations in general, and how managers can support their staff even if a pay increase is not an option.

ReproJobs: We reached out to you because a friend shared that you were able to negotiate a salary adjustment for yourself based on articles and job descriptions we shared on ReproJobs. Can you talk about what that was and how you did it?

Anonymous: My organization has been experiencing growth recently, and our leadership wanted to ensure that there was fairness, equity, and transparency in the hiring process and followed a practice that has been pushed by ReproJobs, which is to make sure that salary ranges are listed on all job descriptions. I’m a big fan of this practice because it helps to lead to salary transparency across the board. I noticed that on a few of the job postings that were going out, the salary ranges listed were a bit higher than what I was currently making. I reached out to the person on our staff responsible for hiring and inquired about the salary ranges, especially because some of my responsibilities for my position were at a higher level than a few of the positions that were being paid more than me. They let me know that the salaries were being set in order to try to attract the most competitive applicants possible, but that I should request a pay increase at my next performance evaluation. When I had my annual review, I requested a salary adjustment, in addition to my merit increase, to bring my salary in line with some of the new hires coming on. My supervisor pushed to see what adjustments could be made, and while it was not quite as much as I had been hoping, they were able to increase my salary more than just my merit raise.

ReproJobs: We can imagine you were nervous—were you? How did you gather the courage to start the conversation? 

Anonymous: Talking about money, especially when working for a non-profit, can be a challenge. It was not the easiest conversation to start, but I had a few things that helped make the conversation more manageable. I know that my organization had made a commitment to equity and transparency, so I knew that my request was in line with those values and that my request would be seriously considered. I also have really great communication with my supervisor, and I knew that this request, even if it weren’t able to be granted, would not be held against me. I heeded the advice that it’s worth asking for what you want because the worse they can say is no, but asking for what you need is what gets you closer to what you want. 

ReproJobs: So, how did you present your evidence of why you deserved a salary adjustment? What information did you gather?

Anonymous: I made the request as part of my annual review because that is typically when my organization makes salary adjustments. I wanted to see what my overall evaluation was (and make sure it was positive!), what the recommendation was for a merit-based salary increase,, and how close it was to what I wanted. In my case, my merit increase was a little short of where I was hoping to get to. Towards the end of my review, I asked if it were possible to be considered for a one-time salary adjustment to bring me in line with some of the other new positions coming in. I highlighted some of the aspects of my position that carried more responsibility than the newer positions, as well as my years of work experience and how my educational degrees were directly relevant to my work, so I wanted them to be taken into consideration. I knew that it was probably not likely that I would get a decision made on the spot, and I appreciated that my supervisor said that they would absolutely look into seeing what could be done, though they weren't sure how much wiggle room in the budget there was. I appreciated that it wasn’t an immediate “no” and that my request was being considered seriously. 

ReproJobs: If someone else were to do this, what advice would you give them?

Anonymous: I would encourage anyone seeking a salary adjustment to do a little research about their organization to understand the fuller picture before asking for a salary bump. For example, if your organization just had a down year in fundraising, or is considering having to make budget cuts across the board, it’s probably not the best time to request an increase. It’s also helpful to know if there are specific reasons why a job posting may have a higher salary range than your position, especially if there are specific skills or education requirements that your position does not require. It’s also helpful to understand what may be going on that allows some positions to be paid more than others. For example, if your salary is primarily being funded from general operating funds, and a new position is being funded from a project-specific grant, there may be greater flexibility in the new position’s salary. That doesn’t mean that it’s not still worth asking for an adjustment, but it may help to acknowledge that you understand the considerations that need to be taken into account.

I also think it’s important to be able to back up your request with concrete ways that you are performing well and adding value to the organization. Make sure you are doing all the things that are in your control to give your supervisor solid reasons for them to advocate on your behalf for a salary increase. It’s a whole lot easier to make the case for someone who is really excelling than for someone who is just meeting expectations for their position. 

ReproJobs: Some of our readers are managers—do you want them to know? How can they be better advocates for their employees?

Anonymous: I think that good managers understand that employees want to feel like they are valued by their organization, both in how they are treated and how they are compensated. There may be financial constraints that limit what kind of financial benefits can be increased, but there are other ways that show employees that they are valued. It could include increased vacation days, additional time off, resources for professional development, or a more flexible work schedule, including the ability to work remotely. Tell employees that are doing a good job and not just in private conversations. Highlight their accomplishments at staff meetings and on social media, if appropriate. Do the little things that make folks feel appreciated, and it will go a long way to keeping employees happy. Let them know the ways you go to bat for them, and be transparent about the realities of the organization so that they understand why some requests can’t be granted. They may feel disappointed in the outcome, but will remember that their manager has their back.

ReproJobs: What have you learned about yourself through your work?

Anonymous: I’ve learned how to really lean into my strengths and to not short-change myself on the things I do well. I’ll always strive to keep growing and learning, but I’ve learned to better highlight my successes and not focus only on my shortcomings.

ReproJobs: What do you value in a workplace?

Anonymous: I really value organizations that show that they trust their employees and actually live the values they put on their websites.

ReproJobs: How do you like to organize your email?

I am a big fan of having different folders to organize my e-mails into. Most days, I try to respond to e-mails as they come in, but when things are busy, I’m usually just triaging the e-mails that most immediately need my attention. I put time on my schedule of Friday afternoons to go through my inbox and make sure I’ve responded to the most important emails. If I can, I try to use that time on Fridays to organize my inbox down to zero with everything filed in the appropriate folders, though I don’t always get that far. 

Sometimes when my inbox feels super overwhelming, especially when weeks are really busy or I’ve been traveling, I will move all e-mails that aren’t from the current month into a separate folder, which makes my inbox feel a lot more manageable. Once I’ve been able to get everything from the current month filed away in the right places, I then go back through the separate folder to make sure there isn’t anything pressing I need to respond to, then I’ll go back to that folder when I have some down time during my day, like if I only have 10 minutes before my next meeting, I’ll go through and start clearing that folder out. 

ReproJobs: What’s a delicious meal you ate recently?

I recently got take out from my favorite sushi restaurant and splurged on some of my favorite rolls. Delicious!

ReproJobs: Which Harry Potter house are you in?

Anonymous: Ravenclaw.