Salary increases

• Scarlet_Buckeye

  

  So you live in a relatively low cost of living locale, i.e., Cleveland. Just graduated from college and you land a good job with a company and one year later company transfers you to a MUCH higher cost of living locale (Orange County, CA) to one of their bigger offices because they like what you've done for the company and they have basically created a position for you just to keep you. The issue of a raise has arisen and company comes back with 6% (which you feel is mostly merit based). You don't have a lot of work experience as you are right out of college. Company also has put a lot of expense into transferring you out there. With so many people being out of work and the economic times as they are, should one just find this pecentage acceptable or is it permissible to come back to the company and say that you don't feel this is enough given the vast cost of living differences between the two locations? Is that a risky thing to do nowadays?
• Mikey McD

  Scarlet_Buckeye;1249103 wrote:So you live in a relatively low cost of living locale, i.e., Cleveland. Just graduated from college and you land a good job with a company and one year later company transfers you to a MUCH higher cost of living locale (Orange County, CA) to one of their bigger offices because they like what you've done for the company. The issue of a raise has arisen and company comes back with 6% (which is mostly merit based). You don't have a lot of work experience as you are right out of college. Company also has put a lot of expense into transferring you out there. With so many people being out of work and the economic times as they are, should one just find this pecentage acceptable or is it permissible to come back to the company and say that you don't feel this is enough given the vast cost of living differences between the two locations? Is that a risky thing to do nowadays?

  1) Should have done some research about the cost of living and shown it to them BEFORE you moved out there and should have asked for a raise to compensate for the difference in cost of living. If they say no just don't transfer unless you really want and think you can make it finically with what they are willing to give you.
• Glory Days

  

  Scarlet_Buckeye;1249103 wrote:So you live in a relatively low cost of living locale, i.e., Cleveland. Just graduated from college and you land a good job with a company and one year later company transfers you to a MUCH higher cost of living locale (Orange County, CA) to one of their bigger offices because they like what you've done for the company. The issue of a raise has arisen and company comes back with 6% (which you feel is mostly merit based). You don't have a lot of work experience as you are right out of college. Company also has put a lot of expense into transferring you out there. With so many people being out of work and the economic times as they are, should one just find this pecentage acceptable or is it permissible to come back to the company and say that you don't feel this is enough given the vast cost of living differences between the two locations? Is that a risky thing to do nowadays?

  thats a bigger percent than i got.
• justincredible

  

  Mikey McD;1249112 wrote:1) Should have done some research about the cost of living and shown it to them BEFORE you moved out there and should have asked for a raise to compensate for the difference in cost of living. If they say no just don't transfer unless you really want and think you can make it finically with what they are willing to give you.

  This sounds about right. Personally, I wouldn't have made the move even with the increase but I would've definitely looked in to the cost of living and went to them before moving.
• queencitybuckeye

  Based on your location, we're talking about attempting to make COL adjustments after the fact? Sorry, the hay is already out of that barn. Look at the 6% as a nice merit raise.
• Rotinaj

  

  If you are still able to live comfortably then I'd just accept the raise offered. Seems like you are already a valuable member of the company. The money will come. Now if you are barely able to make a living now then that's a different story.
• ZWICK 4 PREZ

  

  Tell them you need a raise b/c of the increase cost of living. Worst they can do is say no. Just be happy with it? Be happy with losing money? No thanks.
• BR1986FB

  Glory Days;1249113 wrote:thats a bigger percent than i got.

  Typically it's 3-5%.
• queencitybuckeye

  ZWICK 4 PREZ;1249130 wrote:Tell them you need a raise b/c of the increase cost of living. Worst they can do is say no. Just be happy with it? Be happy with losing money? No thanks.

  No harm in asking, I suppose, but anyone trying to negotiate after the fact with me would receive a one word response.
• Mikey McD

  queencitybuckeye;1249139 wrote:No harm in asking, I suppose, but anyone trying to negotiate after the fact with me would receive a one word response.

  I would just laugh until they left.
• bigkahuna

  No matter the state of the economy, you have to look at our #1.
  
  My wife is in nurse management. She's the youngest of the unit managers and has the least amount of experience(3-4 years vs. 7-10 of the others). She has requested/demanded two raises in the last year due to her performance and work load and got both because she threatened to walk if not.
  
  She then left for a job at a new facility with her Director of Nursing just 2 months ago. She told the new facility that she wouldn't leave unless they increased what she was currently making by 4%. In the next 6 months, she'll be finished with a BS Nursing and be getting a $4-5/hr raise.
  
  If you're valuable enough, they'll give you whatever you want. I'd say by May 2013, my wife will have gotten ≈ $7 increase over the course of 18 months. Like someone else said, the worse than can say in NO.
• ZWICK 4 PREZ

  

  queencitybuckeye;1249139 wrote:No harm in asking, I suppose, but anyone trying to negotiate after the fact with me would receive a one word response.

  That's fine. Perhaps his boss is different than you.
• sleeper

  

  I would ask for a 15% raise. If your friend is truly worth is salt and is a high performer, what's the worst that can happen? Fire him so he can have freedom to find another job that pays more money?
  
  In that case, the company did him a favor.
  
  Although to be fair on the other hand, companies are quickly realizing that they can fill positions with cheap fresh out of college labor and are paying bare bones because recent grads are pretty desperate for anything. They may not care if said friend is a high performer or not.
• sleeper

  

  And I agree with some of the other comments on here, why did your friend not ask for a higher raise at the transfer request? Stupid.
• mella

  Make sure to ask for a corner office also. If you are just out of college just roll with it and make it work. Be happy you have a job. You can ask for some more money and that is fine. Be prepared for them to say no. Work your butt off and get a promotion. Make them value your skill set so much that they, or another company will pay you what you want.
  
  Can you get a similar job with another company?
• ZWICK 4 PREZ

  

  The whole "be happy with what you got" mantra is the worst attitude you can take with a job. If you're happy with what you're being paid, they're happy with what they're paying you. If you feel you need more, tell them. They're not going to pay you anymore if they think you're happy with what you have.
• mella

  Don't get me wrong. I don't mean be happy with what you have. I meant be happy you have a job. Once you have a job you have options. Start by working your butt off and make yourself valuable to them or to someone else. Feel free to ask for a raise but be prepared for them to say no. Having a job and not being 100% happy with it is a lot better than not having a job. Making yourself valuable in the market place is not easy but it is necessary to gain leverage with your employer or another employer. The more leverage you have the easier it is to get a better salary.
• Bigred1995

  

  With the 6% raise, are you being paid near the average for your position in that area?
  It's not always about cost of living, its about what you do and how much that pays in that general location. If you're a manager at Burger King, i say be happy with the 6%!
• ZWICK 4 PREZ

  

  mella;1249235 wrote:Don't get me wrong. I don't mean be happy with what you have. I meant be happy you have a job. Once you have a job you have options. Start by working your butt off and make yourself valuable to them or to someone else. Feel free to ask for a raise but be prepared for them to say no. Having a job and not being 100% happy with it is a lot better than not having a job. Making yourself valuable in the market place is not easy but it is necessary to gain leverage with your employer or another employer. The more leverage you have the easier it is to get a better salary.

  He's already valuable to them or the position wouldnt have been created. I'd says he's in a great position to ask for a raise providing him showing he's not making the same money due to increased cost of living.
• fan_from_texas

  The increased cost of living argument raised after the fact seems like a non-starter to me.
  
  It's fine to request a larger raise. Do some research on your market value. If you're underpaid, show your employer what your value is. If your employer disagrees, leave--to the extent your analysis is correct, you'll make more elsewhere.
• Glory Days

  

  BR1986FB;1249134 wrote:Typically it's 3-5%.

  oh i know. thats what it was a few years ago before i started working where i am now. my last two years combined fit into this range. they claim budget stuff, yet continue to waste money all over the place.
• password

  

  Start looking for another job out there. If it is as expensive as you say out there, there will be other company's paying more to their employees because of the high cost. You have already accepted the new job, so there is no negotiating after the fact.
  
  You better be hoping that Obama gets elected, then you can just go on government assistance and not worry about anything.
• Cat Food Flambe'

  

  My company indexes COL for all of our locations. If you are requested to move, your current salary is increased by the index by the appropriate amount if you are moved to a higher-cost market. When moving to a lower-cost area, your pay is "frozen" until the index catches up and/or is offset by an increase in your market value. At the management level, we are also provided with three months protection for your spouse's income. Not surprisingly it's rare for us to transfer people - usually we just set up them up to do their job from their current location or work from home.
  
  At your level of experience, I'd not complain about the COL of living at this stage - it would come off as "whiny" and the perception will be that you should have been aware of it beforehand. Do your homework on COL and your market value in Orange County, prove yourself in the new position, and then bring up the numbers along with your results at your next performance/pay review. If you're doing well, you'll be in a much better position to make the case for more $$.
• believer

  

  First, consider your new location. Is living in Orange County an upgrade to living in the Cleveburg suburbs? I've visited both locations many times. I think you'll find that living in SoCal (weather, women, and things to do) is a step up from the Cuyahoga Delta region. That's a plus.
  
  Second, you are fresh out of college. And SoCal is full of fresh out of college people looking for jobs in a terrible economy. If you think Ohio's economy is in the tank, California is worse. If you are valuable enough to your company that they paid to move you across country and give you a 6% pay increase to do it, try to make do. As someone mentioned above, the money will come eventually.
  
  Third, if necessary supplement your income with a second job or find a roommate to share expenses for a while.
  
  Good luck.
• SportsAndLady

  

  fan_from_texas;1249516 wrote:Do some research on your market value.

  Just curious (because I'm about to do this..lol), what sort of information would be pertinent/valuable when you say do some research on the market value?
  
  I understand the basic information (median income, average rent expense, etc.) but anything else I should include that you think would be valuable?