I’m in my first full time, office job. I’m in London, 24yo, and have been at my agency since April.
Since then, the business has flourished and my team of two (my boss and I) are really profitable. We had a third hire last year but that didn’t work after a couple of months and I ended up doing a lot of extra work to compensate over the Christmas period. We are also looking to expand the team to five.
My anniversary is coming up and I’m still on my entry base pay of 24k.
I asked about a pay rise yesterday and my boss said I was ‘on her radar’ and that I should come with proof of my achievements to my annual review.
I was a bit insulted, bc it’s such a low pay for London (I think) and I’ve worked so hard, only to be ‘on her radar’.
Is this normal? Or are they taking the piss? Any advice would be welcomed as I don’t really know what I should be expecting. Thank you!
(Thank you to those of you who have responde so far! I’m tied up at work atm but will go through later today)
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Yearly is perfectly normal for a pay rise.
Good companies would give you an adjustment one after a probationary period, sort of 3-6 months in, but no one is under an obligation to do anything.
I would definitely expect one come your year anniversary in April, if you don’t get one, I’d be looking for the door.
24k in London is indeed a pisstake. Raises re normally once a year. if anyone in my team asked for a raise less than a year in, id be thinking they were the pisstake. The number accepted to join was the accepted offer. maybe dont lowball yourself next time?
usually theres a couple ways payrises happen;
1/ they dont. Your employer makes no budget for it, or your line manager shunts your rise budget off to someone else in their team.
2/ The company do a yearly appriasal cycle where you show all you did for the company and they come up with a magic number. Go armed to this meeting with all of the things you have done to iprove the company/increase revenue/protect the business. Anything less than inflation is an effective cut in spending power. Prices have all gone up, and you say you are really profitable.
3/You get a job offer elsewhere thats for fair pay and then current boss wants to keep you by matching/exceeding that.
Most companies do their pay reviews around April (start of new tax year).
It’s fairly uncommon to get a pay rise randomly mid-year unless you’ve been promoted – Pay reviews are generally done all at once, an entire business within the space of a month or so.
If it’s an across the board raise for all employees it’s usually announced before April and comes into affect from April
It is pretty normal for appraisals/pay reviews to take place around the end of the financial year, which is basically now. Your boss will have said it was on her radar, because its is March and the new financial year starts in April. So if you have not heard anything between now and end the month, then I would raise something.
I do mine about now every year, just got an additional £2 an hour, or 3k a year.
A year? Start applying for other jobs and see what you actually attract in the marketplace.
“On her radar”, in a team of just the two of you you would bloody hope so!
It’s pretty common for you to have to evidence your work and value. Your boss will know what you do and want to fight your corner for a payrise to the higher ups who control the purse strings. So do everything you can do to evidence that and give them what they need to justify your worth to the people above them who won’t necessarily know the day to day stuff that goes on.
Don’t see it as an insult from your manager, it sounds like they like you and want to help. Of course sometimes that’s not enough, ultimately companies don’t often care about their workers, so be prepared to find another job to leverage a payrise or to get out if they don’t offer you your worth.
Around a year perhaps
Generally once a year, either at your appraisal time or your company might have specific pay review windows. It’s also perfectly normal to be asked to come with a list of achievements and justify your pay rise request, even if your manager is already convinced, they likely have to make a case to someone higher up. Plus they don’t know your work as well as you do so they’re going to need your evidence to build a stronger case.
On her radar basically means she’s on it. It’s not taking the piss, it’s just an acknowledgement. Come prepped to your review with some info about your achievements (as you would anyway) and broach it formally then.
12 month appraisal, ask for one then. If you aren’t getting an appraisal, ask for one. Tough time with inflation though means many businesses are struggling too, but if they aren’t willing to offer you more, start looking elsewhere
Wait until your year there to go for a raise, but keep bringing it up every week or so. Make sure they know you’re eager for a pay rise.
Aim for at least £28k as that’s at least 20% and what you should be worth in London. Especially if you’re as vital to your team as you say.
Take examples of work you have done with some metrics of the increase in profitability. Another thing to bring to these meetings is similar roles and what they are paying
I don’t think you should ‘expect’ anything. If something does drop your way, fab. But the reality is you’re going to have to handle it as a business negotiation, demonstrate your value over the successes and progression you’ve made as others have said.
Back up your case with evidence and data where possible.
They’re taking the piss…..
When the 3rd person was brought on it clearly showed more support was required and they were happy to pay for it.
They should have given you more money when they left and you covered.
Start applying elsewhere and hope for the best when review comes.
But 24k in london ? You can make more in a warehouse.
Don’t forget the inflation rate. It’s just a compensation below that. The pay rise starts above that.
You need to proof that you make profits to your company etc. Make a search about your role/title to see the salaries to compare with yours
> I’ve worked so hard, only to be ‘on her radar’.
To be fair to your boss, she has to be careful not to promise something that might not materialise or give you false hope. Especially if she was put on the spot.
Assuming this isn’t a cost of living pay rise you are asking for, then you need to be able to put solid reasons behind your request. These have to be more than ‘I’ve been here a year and I work hard’. They need to be specific results attributable to you and not the dept. Your boss has to be able to sell this to her Managers.
Also be careful about how you talk to them about your current salary. They might turn round and ask why you accepted at that salary if it was so poor.
Concentrate on selling your successes so far and potential for the future. Ultimately though you might need to get some competing offers of employment to get your fair salary on the market.
My best advice to you is, the biggest payrises at your level are achieved by leaving and starting a new job every 18-24 months. Take the experience you’ve earned here to the job market and get a nice rise that way.
It is normal for them to be taking the piss..