Want More in Salary? Bring More in Value

If you think about the things you pay for, like your phone, your Internet service, your cable or satellite service, you don’t like seeing the price go up without some kind of increase in the value you’re getting. If you put yourself in your boss’s shoes, you’ll see that he/she feels the same way.

There’s plenty of advice you can find about how to make the best case for more pay at the time of an annual review. You’ll have an easier time, however, if you’re making that case all year long. Here’s what you can do.

Raise your hand. Practice leaders like having professionals who can see when there’s a need, and are ready to step up without having to be asked. Sometimes, this is nothing more than giving a heads-up that you’re about to finish an assignment and you’re eager to get the next one. Sometimes it’s about planning a practice-wide activity or event. This can be your chance for exposure to higher-ups who can influence your path going forward.

Ask for training. Make it a point to learn what career-related training your firm supports. Watch for those opportunities to roll around and ask far enough in advance to allow for planning. Look for ways to connect that training to projects you’ve recently done, or can anticipate in the near future. Always offer to follow the training with a recap presentation about it to co-workers. There’s nothing like have to explain it to someone else to make sure that you’ve truly learned the material yourself.

Bring in a project. This doesn’t mean you have to walk in with a signed engagement letter in one hand and a retainer check in the other. It can be nothing more than an idea you picked up from a conversation you had with a business owner at a networking event you attended. What your boss sees is that you are practicing listening for opportunities. Even if your idea doesn’t work out, you’ll learn something from why and be better prepared next time.

These ideas are only a drop in the bucket when it comes to what you can do to bring more value. More will occur to you once you start taking more initiative. On the other hand, if you’re honestly taking these – or other – steps, and it feels like you’re not getting anywhere, maybe it’s time to talk to us.

Click here to get that conversation started.