Show Me The Money

by Lawyer Working Girl

As most of you may remember, a few months ago I got a promotion. When I was in the boss's office being given the news all kinds of thoughts were running through my head, but mainly I was thinking "How much is he going to offer me??" When he told me, even though I was hoping for a little more, I didn't ask. There was something about the way he said it that made me think, "They are not budging from that number, so don't even ask." For weeks afterwards I kicked myself for not at least asking for more. After all, I will never know until I ask. Turns out though, that another (male) colleague who was promoted to my same position did ask and they flat out said no, so my intuition was right. They weren't budging. That made me feel a lot better.

Over this next year I plan to work hard so that when my next evaluation comes up I will have several reasons for why they should give me a decent raise. Next time, I'm quite certain that I won't hesitate to ask for what I think I'm worth...at least I hope. A Washington Post survey reported that women are 85% less likely to ask for a promotion than their male counterparts. In order to prepare myself and to build up my confidence to go in and ask for the raise I deserve, I think the best thing is to know exactly what goals the company has for me for the year and then exceed expectations and beat those goals. I think if I meet the goals they have set, then they have the upper hand and are more likely to deny my request for more than the standard raise. If I beat their expectations, I think I have the upper hand to say, "Look at what I did this year. I deserve more."

I'm not stranger to asking for more money. At the first firm I worked at after law school I also settled for the initial offer they gave me. Once I got in and had worked their for 9 months, I realized that I deserved more (and my bank account NEEDED more). So I sent an email to the partners stating that I wanted to meet with them regarding my salary. I wrote down a list of points as to why I deserved a raise, such as already assisting and mentoring some of the newer associates when they went to court (and I had only been at it 9 months), as well as covering my own cases and sometimes covering others cases too. I was honest with them, I just needed more money to be able to meet my expenses. At the end of the meeting, they said they would consider everything I said and get back to me soon. I thought that meant I would never hear anything about it, but surprise, surprise, about 2 days later, they sent me an email saying that they were giving me a raise. And the amount of the raise surprised me even more! It was more than I expected. I actually convinced them that I was worth them investing more money in me. I can't tell you how great that felt, and not just because I would have more money, but because it meant that they felt that they needed me and that they wanted to keep me happy. Three months later on my one year anniversary, I received another raise! I think that was a first in firm history -- getting two raises within the first year.

So now it makes me wonder, was it easier for me to go to my partners back then and ask for a raise because they were fellow Working Girls? Will I be as confident going to my current male boss with a demand for a raise? Working Girls, have you ever had to demand a raise from your boss? Did you find that it was easier to ask a boss of a particular sex? What tips do you have to offer other Working Girls who might be ready to ask for a raise?

It's About Time I Got Rid of that Ass

Hi, I'm Working Girl One and I am no longer an assistant.

I was, for a what felt like forever, a sales assistant. Then, I switched departments and became a marketing assistant. For the last month or so, I've been a little drained about my job. My work load gradually increased week after week and I was certainly doing more than assistant work. Pretty much from day one, I have been doing coordinator work. And now I am finally the marketing coordinator.

Three weeks ago my bosses informed me that they were changing my title from marketing assistant to marketing coordinator. However, my title was the only thing changing. My salary would stay exactly the same. While I understand that a change to a higher level title is a great thing for a Working Girl, it looks great on a resume, I knew that I deserved more than I was making.

I wanted to ask for more money, something I've done before, but I wasn't sure how to position myself in this situation. How much to ask for? What to say? Thankfully, I was spared the awkward asking for a raise conversation. A week ago my bosses informed me that they would announce my title change this week and I would also be getting a raise!

Today my promotion was announced and there were congratulations all around. While my work load isn't changing (it's already busting at the seams), this promotion is just what I needed to get excited about work again and give me that extra push to be a stellar Working Girl.

Been Working So Hard, I'm Punchin' My Card

What a week! What a week it has been!

On Sunday, I told you about how much I was dreading this week. As I wrote that post Sunday night, I secretly hoped that I would air my concerns and, by some grace of God, my week would go smoothly. Not the case.

With Monday came the stress of doing what I never thought I'd have to do as a sales assistant: asking for a raise. Yes, on Monday I asked for a raise... kind of. The associated publisher give me the news a week ago that I'd be assisting one more sales rep, he was the one I had to talk to. First, I called his assistant and got on his calendar for a short afternoon meeting. After that, I prepped. I spoke to my boss (this is Facebook friend boss, remember my other boss is still in Aruba, ignoring my e-mails, but we'll get to that in a hot minute) about what I should say. I wrote down an outline. I practiced my conversation with a coworker in the magazine library.

Then, I went in to his office. My face was flushed but cheeks were bright red and I was sweating. I looked pretty attractive. My voice was shaky as I told him how flattered I was to be given this responsibility, told him my concerns about assisting three people, and quickly mentioned that I wanted to be compensated accordingly. I didn't exactly ask for a raise. Instead I said, "I want to be sure I'm compensated accordingly, whether it's a raise we discuss now or in the future, or ensuring that I am not given a hard time when filing for overtime."

I didn't get the raise. I knew I wasn't going to get the raise. But I still had to ask. I had to let him know that I wouldn't be "sold" or taken advantage of because I have a "can-do" attitude and generally say "yes" when asked to complete a task. It was uncomfortable and awkward, but I did it and I'm glad I did. I have been promised that I will not be given trouble when filing for overtime and for now, that's good enough for me. Now, the bosses know that I mean business.

So, I got through Monday and asking for a raise...kind of. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday are all a blur. My brain is also mush. I have been carrying the workload of my vacationing boss, who has time to forward me e-mail from her clients but does not have the time to even open the e-mails I am sending her with important questions. I know this because unopened e-mails on her Blackberry remain unopened on her Outlook, which I am required to check. It must be nice sipping margarita's on the beach with your doctor husband imagining your assistant suffering back in her cubicle. My boss's clients have sent me mean e-mails demanding that we move their ad to a better position or asking me dumb questions and then imply that I'm incompetent when I provide them with a completely acceptable answer that they do not understand. All the while, I must play the "dumb assistant" role because at the end of the day (or should I say, at the end of her vacation?) that gives my boss a scapegoat when something goes wrong and she must fix it.

Today is Friday. Thank God. And tonight, I gotta cut loose. Footloose.