[OGRipper]

This is a tough situation Amy. You are going to need to ask for something or else you will continue to feel like a pushover. Since they know you are a getting less than others, they should expect it. You might not actually get more money but they should respect you more if you stand up for yourself and you will be sending a message that you are not to be ignored. If they say they just can't afford to pay you more, tell them you can accept that if they show you financials that justify what they are saying. I've seen that work before, it can show you are interested in the health of the company as a whole and not just your world. If in the end they don't offer you more money, you can make a decision to stay or go knowing that you tried. If you decide you are willing to go, you can line up something else (easier said than done, but still) and maybe give them a last chance. Then you will really know the most they are willing to do.

 

[SkaredShtles]

As OGRipper said, this is a tough one. They probably can't replace you for what you're making, but how many GIS development positions are there in the Tahoe area? There's the whole "I love where I live and that's worth 30K to me"............

I'd still hit 'em up for some significant cash, though.

 

[tmx]

amy, there are some really good books to guide you through this. negotiating salary doesn't have to be the dreaded task it might seem to be at first. you can find books specific to your situation, young and female lacking experience in negotiating salary yet confident in the work you provide for the company. (sorry i don't have book titles at the moment.)

the tips and information found in these books will help you throughout your life and not only with negotiating salary. check 'em out before speaking to your boss.

good luck!

 

[Qman]

Being confrontational about it and focusing on "they make more than I do...wah!" will probably not get you very far.
Women that I know that have had success getting large raises in their field (web design, surface design, Human Resources) were most successful either finding another job and having their current employer realize how important they are by being faced with them leaving or, going to the boss with documented proof of their contribution to the company and the bottom line.
I work in product development so an example of what I've recommended to clients in my field is, get the numbers from the revenue statements for each product. If the numbers prove that your designs bring more money in, then asking for a raise is justified. That's usually a good way to open up the subject in a non-confrontational manner and can help in getting you more than the standard and so-called "cost of living increase". Since I don't know what you do, I hope that helps you formulate your own method based on your field.
Don't forget about asking for non monetary 'raises' too if the plea for more cash comes back negative.
You probably don't have the issue in S. Tahoe but free parking in downtown Seattle is worth about $1200/year. There's also free cell phone service and more vacation time, maybe even more tuition reimbursement if continued education doesn't sound like prison to you.

Not sure that falls into 'A' or 'B' but since you're obviously wound up about it, definitely take some time to throttle back a bit and think it through.

 

[Qman]

This problem, much like any other can easily be solved by fire. :evil:

change my answer....I like this one....

"I could set the building on fire"........

 

[Tenchiro]

change my answer....I like this one....

"I could set fire to the building"........

FIAH!

 

[golgiaparatus]

i have been w/ this company a year and a half. the other programmer has been here a year longer, but makes 30k more.
we do very similar work, but he works more on web applications and i work on desktop applications.

i'm kind of quiet at work and don't tend to stand up for myself. hate confrontation.
when i got a crummy raise a couple of months ago i said i wasn't happy, but just let it go. which i guess i shouldn't have.

i'm a GIS developer. Typically, a pretty high paid position.... just not here. There's no way i could be replaced with someone who would do what i do for what i make.

30k is a big difference... does he have a LOT more experience than you do or something. Sounds to me like you didnt price yourself nearly high enough at your initial interview.

 

[amydalayna]

30k is a big difference... does he have a LOT more experience than you do or something. Sounds to me like you didnt price yourself nearly high enough at your initial interview.

That's EXACTLY it. But I couldn't be picky because I couldn't find anything else in the area.
They may have sensed how desperate I was and decided to take advantage of it.

 

[SkaredShtles]

That's EXACTLY it. But I couldn't be picky because I couldn't find anything else in the area.
They may have sensed how desperate I was and decided to take advantage of it.

Absolutely. And why wouldn't they? You used to be a happy employee, and now you're a disgruntled employee.

Just don't hold it against the programmer making more than you. It's not his fault he negotiated a higher salary.

 

[amydalayna]

Absolutely. And why wouldn't they? You used to be a happy employee, and now you're a disgruntled employee.

Just don't hold it against the programmer making more than you. It's not his fault he negotiated a higher salary.

knowing what the other programmer makes doesn't change the way i feel about him either way. he was a weirdo before i found out and he's still a weirdo.
programmer's are all weirdos.

maybe i need a career change.

 

[OGRipper]

maybe i need a career change.

Isn't that a separate issue? For the moment you are doing this and you owe it to yourself to try to get a fair deal. I hate these discussions too, I am normally modest and it's hard to blow my own horn. But don't let fear of confrontation push you into another career. It really shouldn't be that big a deal to say: "Hey, you know you are not paying me enough, and for a while I was ok with that because I really wanted to work with this company. But now that I have proven myself, it's time we adjust my salary to a fair level."

Continuing to kick yourself for not doing it will be much more rough than actually doing it, whatever happens.

 

[Qman]

maybe i need a career change.

and look on the bright side, if they monitor your PC then maybe they'll make that decision for you.

 

[golgiaparatus]

That's EXACTLY it. But I couldn't be picky because I couldn't find anything else in the area.
They may have sensed how desperate I was and decided to take advantage of it.

I hear you... been there. Ask for a raise... I bet you get it, just dont get crazy and ask for 20k morer a year. Be reasonable, and like everyone says... write him a letter outlining your accomplishments and your departmen'ts advancement as a result of said pizza, also... hamburger and taco.

I'd better sandwich.
It must be at least extra long cheese coney past lunchtime.

 

[amydalayna]

and look on the bright side, if they monitor your PC then maybe they'll make that decision for you.

it's a 10 person company. they (he) only monitors company email. we have no real IT department.

 

[sanjuro]

Ssh Tunnel

 

[sanjuro]

That's EXACTLY it. But I couldn't be picky because I couldn't find anything else in the area.
They may have sensed how desperate I was and decided to take advantage of it.

Position is the key. Same thing happened to me: unemployed mean no leverage. If I was working another job, I could ask for higher salary and a signing bonus.

 

[pterodactyl]

Disguise = lie...leverage = power struggle....all the top components of conflict resolution... Integrity is a really neat thing…

Mutuality of power and being compensated for your hard work and efforts is your goal, and to come to a mutual agreement that encompasses the satisfactory end result for both parties.

And in case this is misconstrued as personal opinion, reference:

Wilmot & Hocker (2001). Interpersonal conflict. 6th ed. : McGraw Hill

Please, don't question my integrity. I had an offer that paid more. I terminated my employment with my employer. They offered me more money. I decided to stay. I fully expected that I was going to take the other job. I think the lie or power play is to go to the employer with an offer and say,"look what I got...what are you going to do for me now?" I didn't plan for it to work out that way, it just did.
What I learned from that was that if you want weak results, ask for a raise. If you want a serious bump in pay find a new job and quit yours. If they want you, they will do what they have to and you will be happier for it. If your pay really sucks is 3-5% really going to change things?
Companies have stockholders, managers have budgets. Unfortunately all businesses from $500,000 to $50 Billion have politics.
It is stupid to go into any kind of negotiation just asking for something unless you expect measley results. Do you want 3% more or 15% more? If you want it, get it. You have to play the game, like it or not.