Q–I work part-time at a very small company, but make every effort to help out when full-time hours are needed. I like the work and the man I work for. I have continually taken on more responsibilities as other employees have left. Now he wants me to now learn aspects of his job. I am paid hourly but received a surprise bonus and a paid vacation equal to the number of hours I work. The problem is that my hourly wage is too low, especially for the work I am doing. I would like to ask for a raise but don’t know how to negotiate. Any tips?
A–It sounds like you have everything going for you to successfully ask for a raise — work you enjoy and a boss who shows appreciation by unexpectedly rewarding you. Keep track of all the times you have helped out in understaffed situations, accomplished tasks without errors and generally delivered excellent work standards. Then check to see what others make in similar jobs. Part-time workers are generally paid less than their full-time counterparts, but making yourself available according to the company’s need warrants being paid at a higher rate. Meet with your boss, be open about liking the job and wanting to stay, sell him on the many benefits of having you as an employee and ask confidently for a raise.
Q–I’ve been put in situations where when management doesn’t want to do anything to solve the problem, the only alternative is to quit. I’ve found headhunters to be helpful by giving the job’s salary range and some background on the company but I’m concerned about their vested interests. Since companies pay the recruiters, the recruiters aren’t concerned about what’s best for my career. I think headhunters and companies tend to lie about the jobs because they are desperate for people. How do I get around that?
A–Don’t rely solely on what recruiters or company interviewers tell you about a job or a company. Do your own research. The more information you collect on the industry, the company’s history and corporate culture, the position and, whenever possible, the particular boss you will have, the better your chance of making the right decisionJob recruiters and hiring companies would be doing a disservice to present possible negatives.
Q–We are professionals in a government agency. Our boss announced he will retire in a couple of years and has begun funneling his work and responsibilities to his assistant. The assistant is bright but also arrogant. He tries to impress people by publicly belittling others. At a meeting involving outsiders, he berated a colleague and me for expressing a different technical point of view. I politely stated my reasoning and backed off but I’m afraid I came across as weak and inept to the outsiders. The boss said and did nothing, as usual. Others are already talking about leaving. To whom do we turn?
A–It sounds like you acted professionally by backing off to avoid a confrontation. It’s your boss who sounds “weak and inept.” Two years is a long time away from your boss’s retirement. If he is turning work over now to avoid a rough exit, he won’t want his staff to abandon their posts before that time. You and your colleagues should meet with him to share your consensus on this ill-mannered assistant. Your boss needs to know that if he recommends this man as the director, the staff will begin preparing for their exodus as well.
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Write to Lindsey Novak, Jobs, Room 400, 435 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, 60611. E-mail her at AtWorkbyLN@aol.com.
