How to ask for a raise

And not burn any bridges

March 17, 2023

Hi, and a very happy Friday and St. Patrick’s Day to you! This time each year I’m reminded of my middle school Mountain Dew obsession every time I look at the Chicago River. Ahh, the good old days.

Hope you remembered to wear green so you don’t get pinched, and may you get a Mickey D’s Shamrock Shake at some point today. 🍀

Let’s get to your Qs of the day.

Today’s Tunes: “This is a story about a girl named Lucky.”

—Rod

Asking For a Raise (Imposter Syndrome Version) (From the Vault)

(Happy first day of the Eras tour to anyone celebrating)

 question 
My imposter syndrome is preventing me from asking for a raise. I know it’s not true but a little part of my brain is saying, "you don't deserve one and if you ask, your boss is going to find out that you actually suck.” Any tips on asking for a raise without suffering from a self-induced panic attack?—B

 answer 
Asking for a raise with imposter syndrome is like walking in a straight line wearing scuba flippers…it’s way harder than it should be. You need to feel confident going into the conversation in order to be confident during the conversation, and that’s pretty much impossible if you think you don’t deserve the world and then some!

The good news here? It’s that silly (yet v smart) brain of yours—not your boss—that thinks you don’t deserve a raise. So let’s rewrite this narrative, push the imposter syndrome aside, and get you what you deserve.

Make a list. 📝 Write down the skills and qualifications that make you eligible for a raise. When I set time aside to do this with purpose, I remember tons of accomplishments (big and small) that help me remember that I’m actually a very qualified person. (Unfortunately, the fact that I can eat two Chicago hot dogs in two minutes isn’t a skill I can leverage.)

Do some digging. 🕵️ Remember that time your friend asked you to look up their Hinge date and you came back with a dossier including the name of their childhood dog and their Social Security number? Channel that same energy into researching what people with similar experience in your industry make (or ask your coworkers if they’re willing to share their paystub info). Going into the conversation with proof of what you should be paid will help your case.

Practice. ☑️ As weird as you feel talking to an imaginary boss, rehearsing and practicing what you’re going to say and how you’d respond to questions will prepare you for the actual conversation.

PTO For Job Interviews?

 question 
Do you take PTO to go on job interviews? I’ve been pretending to have doctor or dentist appointments every time I have one, but the Type A guilt in me is saying I'm stealing company time!—J

 answer 
Interviewing while you have a job is one thing, but pretending you have a root canal every other week is a tough act to keep up.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned throughout my career, it’s that lying (even fibbing) in the workplace never ends well and most likely will catch up to you at some point. You don’t want to burn bridges, even if you’re on the way out. So I’d take the high road on this one and use your PTO if you have it.

Pro tip: Don’t want to burn all your PTO for interviews? If you’re interviewing with multiple companies, try to schedule them all on the same day at different times. This way, you won’t be taking an entire day off for a single conversation. And you’ll only have to dig your fancy blazer out of your closet once.

Got a Q for me to A? Submit yours here.

Things to Slack your work besties

…while you update them on the latest Scandoval drama.

The next time your uncle asks why you’re wasting your money on rent, send him this link. From student loan debt to the sharp rise in housing prices, many millennials seem behind in keeping up with the financial “milestones” of older generations.

Lindsay Lohan just announced she’s expecting! I’m hoping for twins…and also for justice for the criminally underrated LiLo cinematic masterpiece Labor Pains.

Dreams really do come true! I chatted with one of my biggest inspirations, Rachael Ray! We talked about WorkDaze (hi!) and mental health, and I even got advice from the queen herself on how she keeps her audience captivated.

Thanks for reading! Hope you have the best weekend ever, and remember that the company isn’t paying you to talk about your job over dinner tonight. See you Monday!

IDK WHAT DO I KNOW?! LMAO!

—Rod

Reply

or to participate.