We can sum it all up in 2 words: self-advocacy. There, we said it. It’s key to this whole pay & promotion game. And you’re not alone if you find self-advocacy uncomfortable. In this issue, we’re going to change that.
Over the years, The Jolt Team have hired and promoted hundreds of people. But we asked an expert, our Anonymous Special Op’s HR Senior People Guru, for their rounded perspective, just to keep it all above board, legal & wickedly fun.
Welcome to the Pay Or Promotion issue (POP). It might be the highest ROI you’ve got from a free email ever. You’re welcome.
Wink: Be Prepared.
Super Skill: Doing.
Some of the best work advice we’ve been given is contained in the following words: “Confidence comes from being prepared”. You can apply this WINK to anything in life, but it’s 100% critical if you want to add some salary protein to your work salad. Self-advocacy is confidence. Confidence is preparation. Preparation is rooted in action.
Nudge: How NOT To Get A Pay Rise Or Promotion.
Super Skill: Doing.
Before we Jolt you into your action plan, we always push you to look at the other side of the work coin, and give it a flip. You can’t appreciate the sun of success if you don’t know what cold hard rain on your desk feels like. In this case, here’s a NUDGE of the Top 3 reasons you won’t get a POP:
Been in the job ages.
I heard he / she got one so I want one.
I’m nice so I deserve it.
We’ll admit that The Jolt team have all been guilty of thinking these at some time in our careers. Especially Number 1, which is very popular, because it takes no effort other than showing up. If you get to a point in your career where being a piece of the furniture, or the fact someone else got a bump up and you didn’t, is your only defensible cause to get a POP, you need to step back and give yourself a JOLT.
Jolt: Your Personal POP Plan.
Super Skill: Doing, Relationships & Resilience.
You don’t want to hear this, but self-advocacy doesn't start the day you decide you’re worth more. Don’t suddenly email a salary raise request marked ‘Urgent’. You need to put a plan into action, because preparation is the fuel for a future meeting to unlock your true worth:
Date: pick one for the meeting with your boss. You be the best judge of the timeline after reading our article. We recommend 4-8 weeks from now. But pick one. That’s your goal.
Exposure. If you’re good at this skill, then you’re one step ahead. But not everyone is comfortable with creating their own exposure. You don’t have to be cheap and dirty. Self advocacy is not self-promotion. It’s about demonstrating your worth and being seen in action by the people who make the decisions. Unfortunately, lots of good people fly under the radar and don’t get what they deserve because a) they think someone else is looking out for them b) they don’t want to be seen as a cheap and showy self-promoter. These are fallacies we tell ourselves to prevent us from feeling uncomfortable and in the spotlight. That’s self-limiting BS. You have unique value and worth and you should be paid for it. So, take time to pick up a project outside of your core area. Step-in & participate in things that you don’t typically engage in. Establish a mentor relationship with a senior executive. Make a presentation about an idea to a new group of people. This is the network effect. It’s your personal work algorithm and it’s how you build your value beyond your four walls. If creating exposure is a newer skill for you, take a few weeks to build it up. It’s essential.
Experience. Companies pay you for your skill. Your skills make the company money. Skills are built on your prior abilities, your current role experience, and your future potential to do new things. Being a life-long learner is a well used phrase for a reason, and it applies to both hard and soft skills. Think about what things you can you do in your current role to add or stretch you with skills that could be missing in your current role, or for a future role you want. Be honest. Are you digitally savvy? Do you have a short-fuse when things get tough? Did you deliberately put a dent in your HR managers car? Do you need to take a course? Can you raise your hand for a project that will push you to learn more aggressively? One of our Jolt team found a top-notch marketing program at one of the best business schools in the US. It was a one week residential course. They presented it to their boss who said “sure, do it”. Don’t shy away from asking. If they say no, ask them why and when you can revisit. It shows you are serious about listening, learning and adding value. That’s good. Keep doing it.
Results. Whenever you get a win, no matter how small you think it is, write it down. You’ll quickly get a good list of the value you bring and it will build over the weeks and months. Select a handful of the strongest wins, and then do this super-skill; assess the impact of your results for the company, not just for your area. For example, let’s say you brought in two new customers. That’s great. But maybe those two customers are now looking to do more with the company than they were brought in for. What’s the potential value of that? You made that happen! We guarantee the downstream impact of your success will be felt as results way beyond your role. It shows that you can think beyond your four walls.
Landscape. We love context. Context is the sea on which all decision boats float. To get context, take these steps. First, ask HR about the compensation structure of the company. Few people do that. If HR doesn’t have a formal way of looking at it, ask for the informal way. This will help ground you on what value they attribute to roles, and the types of package and rewards the company gives out. Second, know your company pay, promotion and budget cycles. Time your meeting prior to these so you do it before budgets are locked; ask a friendly HR person what that time-frame is. They’ll tell you - and then make that your date goal. Third, make sure you take into account where the company is. Are revenues strong? Good. Have there just been a round of lay-off’s and reductions? Not so good. The key, regardless, is to use this information to support your case with the right level of context. It shows you understand the bigger picture and that you’re emotionally sensitive to the heart of the organization. It will only make your case stronger.
We can’t get a pay rise or promotion for you, but we do know that it’s hard to say no to someone who comes with all of the above. It shows maturity, value and commitment. And if you don’t get it on the first crack, you have signaled that you’re ready. That’s powerful in itself. It lays the foundation for change.
You now have a plan. When you set the meeting date, be clear with what you want when you ask for it. This will allow your boss to prep and plan in advance e.g., “You’d like to discuss your current role, your future opportunities and your compensation”. But as we always say at The Jolt; do all of this in your own voice. It’s absolutely essential that you, are always you.
With much love and self-advocacy,
The Jolt.