Me: And the Quest for Mo Money

In a rare move, here's a post about me. I started a great job four months ago and agreed to a salary that I felt was a bit below my standard. However, the job seemed like exactly what I'd been looking for, so I thought - what have I got to lose? It has turned out to be just what I was looking for and as my thoughts turned to staying there long term, so did my thoughts about salary.

I've never asked for a raise before, but I thought it was worth a shot. Conversation with a coworker suggested that writing my thoughts down was good, and a memo might be just the thing. So I did it. I sent the memo last week and The Boss agreed! Voila, 10% raise!

Anyway, I'm no expert on bosses or raises or anything, but I thought I'd share my salary request memo (which was, as all good memos are, 1 page long) in case anyone is looking for inspiration for how to put down their thoughts on increasing their take home pay.

To: The Boss
From: jff

Re: Salary Request

Dear Boss,

Now that my probationary period is over, I was thinking about my career at [workplace] over the long haul. I’m extremely grateful for the opportunity to be working here – it’s a joy to look forward to work and to feel that my work complements my personal passions. Feeling comfortable here has also led me to evaluate how working at [workplace] fits in to the rest of my life, which is why I’ve been thinking more about my salary. I feel that I am worth more than we initially agreed upon and that my work, both completed and forthcoming, will continue to be of high value to [workplace].

Why Now?
Because of my characteristic reserve in asking for things for my own gain, I wouldn’t normally be addressing salary four months into a new job. But I feel that the level of work I’ve provided, the potential substantial increase in our funding, and the prospective hiring of two new employees make it more reasonable to evaluate right now.

Why Am I Worth It?
You knew from [professional reference], my work history, and my writing samples that I would be an asset to [workplace]. However, I feel that some of the skills I’ve demonstrated since arriving here were not ones that could be conveyed via my resume or interview. [List of several skills that have added value to workplace].

The Bottom Line
In the context of [workplace] as a small nonprofit, I’m not interested in pay equity with other places I’ve interviewed, whether [firm A] or [firm B]. But I feel that my work may be more valuable than my original starting salary suggests, and that I am worth [$new salary] a year. I’d love to discuss this with you when you’ve returned.

Thanks for your consideration,
-jff