Anonymous
01/11/2014 18:50
Subject: How to ask for a raise
Yes, OP, you are very young and somewhat ungracious.
A 4% raise is a fine raise. Your reasons for being "frustrated" are not reasonable. You always have a chance to negotiate. No one is twisting your arm so you can't counteroffer. Also, there is no "norm" when it comes to nanny raises. Every family is different and their expectations are different. If you meet and exceed them, you can make a case for a raise. If you don't, no raise or bonus.
It's pretty simple and nothing for you to get resentful about. If you are unable to let go of your resentment, you should probably find another line of work.
A 4% raise is a fine raise. Your reasons for being "frustrated" are not reasonable. You always have a chance to negotiate. No one is twisting your arm so you can't counteroffer. Also, there is no "norm" when it comes to nanny raises. Every family is different and their expectations are different. If you meet and exceed them, you can make a case for a raise. If you don't, no raise or bonus.
It's pretty simple and nothing for you to get resentful about. If you are unable to let go of your resentment, you should probably find another line of work.
Anonymous
01/11/2014 18:27
Subject: How to ask for a raise
Anonymous wrote:Well OP, then you should be grateful. Seems like you got some excellent advice from another poster here that you ignored so maybe you need to work on being more gracious.
This is OP. Of course I'm grateful - I'm happy that my bosses have acknowledged that they're happy with my work. That being said, I would be more grateful if they had given me a review and the chance to negotiate my raise (which was the advice I received and what I stated I intended to do, so I'm not sure where you're getting the impression that I didn't follow that excellent advice).
Have you looked at what % raise it is? I think the $ per hour raise is too high for 1 year since that would be an 8% hike. That is a lot for an annual increase.
It's a bit less than 4%. I realize that in most industries, that's pretty standard for a raise (and I believe that's what led my bosses to deciding on that figure) but as far as I know, $1/year is within the realm of normal for nannies.
It's frustrating because this is just another event in a long string of them where my bosses 1. don't give me a chance to negotiate on things and 2. don't take the time to learn how these things are normally handled with nannies, instead using their experience as professionals in other professions to guide their decisions. The second point is not such a huge issue, but it feels disrespectful to me when they make decisions and tell me about them as opposed to broaching the subject and coming to an agreement with me. They did this with my original rate when I started working for them (I gave them a range, they chose the lowest rate within that range and wrote it in to the contract with the clear assumption I wouldn't object), they've done this multiple times with their vacation time (taking way more than was written in to our contract and expecting me to make it up in other ways because it's paid vacation time for me), and now with my raise. It hits a sore spot because I'm very young and I believe they don't expect me to care about dealing with these things in a professional way, but I do.
Anonymous
01/10/2014 17:04
Subject: How to ask for a raise
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Well OP, then you should be grateful. Seems like you got some excellent advice from another poster here that you ignored so maybe you need to work on being more gracious.
You should be grateful someone else is willing to do your childcare job for you, at any price.
They don't - I'm not an MB - I just think the OP here is showing her true, less than gracious, colors.
You are not to be believed, faker.
Anonymous
01/10/2014 16:52
Subject: How to ask for a raise
Anonymous wrote:Well OP, then you should be grateful. Seems like you got some excellent advice from another poster here that you ignored so maybe you need to work on being more gracious.
How is she not being gracious? And what advice did she ignore? She never even got the chance to negotiate. She was given an increase, which OP seems grateful for, though it isn't what she planned to negotiate for. You should work on not being a pill. A raise is something you earn, not a gift, and OP has every what to feel that the raise is less than she earned.
Anonymous
01/10/2014 16:35
Subject: How to ask for a raise
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Well OP, then you should be grateful. Seems like you got some excellent advice from another poster here that you ignored so maybe you need to work on being more gracious.
You should be grateful someone else is willing to do your childcare job for you, at any price.
They don't - I'm not an MB - I just think the OP here is showing her true, less than gracious, colors.
Sure. How do you think people should stand up for themselves?
Anonymous
01/10/2014 16:32
Subject: How to ask for a raise
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Well OP, then you should be grateful. Seems like you got some excellent advice from another poster here that you ignored so maybe you need to work on being more gracious.
You should be grateful someone else is willing to do your childcare job for you, at any price.
They don't - I'm not an MB - I just think the OP here is showing her true, less than gracious, colors.
Anonymous
01/10/2014 16:29
Subject: How to ask for a raise
Have you looked at what % raise it is? I think the $ per hour raise is too high for 1 year since that would be an 8% hike. That is a lot for an annual increase.
Anonymous
01/10/2014 16:22
Subject: How to ask for a raise
Anonymous wrote:This is OP again - today was my pay day and before I had a chance to bring this up with MB, she handed my check and told me they'd given me an increase. No chance to negotiate! It's not as much as I wanted (or feel like I deserve) but it's something.
Congratulations! So happy for you.
Anonymous
01/10/2014 16:21
Subject: How to ask for a raise
Anonymous wrote:Well OP, then you should be grateful. Seems like you got some excellent advice from another poster here that you ignored so maybe you need to work on being more gracious.
You should be grateful someone else is willing to do your childcare job for you, at any price.
Anonymous
01/10/2014 16:10
Subject: How to ask for a raise
Well OP, then you should be grateful. Seems like you got some excellent advice from another poster here that you ignored so maybe you need to work on being more gracious.
Anonymous
01/10/2014 15:23
Subject: How to ask for a raise
This is OP again - today was my pay day and before I had a chance to bring this up with MB, she handed my check and told me they'd given me an increase. No chance to negotiate! It's not as much as I wanted (or feel like I deserve) but it's something.
Anonymous
01/10/2014 13:42
Subject: How to ask for a raise
Anonymous wrote:I'm almost afraid to ask, how much are they paying you now?
$13/hour (CAD)
I'm on the west coast of Canada, where the going rate for nannies is much less than DC. However, I'm still being paid on the low side of average and the COL is pretty darn high, so I don't think an extra buck an hour is unreasonable.
Anonymous
01/10/2014 11:58
Subject: How to ask for a raise
I'm almost afraid to ask, how much are they paying you now?
Anonymous
01/10/2014 09:13
Subject: How to ask for a raise
"Dear MB/DB,
Now that I have been with the family for more than a year I was wondering if we could set up a time to talk about how you think things are going? I have really enjoyed getting to know (insert kids' names) and you, and hope that my satisfaction in the position is apparent in how I'm doing the job.
I would like to know if you are satisfied with my performance, have any things you would like me to do differently, or have any goals for the kids you would like me to work on in the coming months?
If you are satisfied with my performance, I'd also like to talk about the possibility of a raise or additional benefits as I head into my second year.
Please let me know when would be a good time for you. Thanks very much."
Assuming they agree to a conversation, know that they may be uncomfortable or unfamiliar with having these kinds of talks also. It can be awkward from the employer side - especially if you're not used to dealing with salary discussions and that kind of thing.
From a purely negotiating standpoint, have an idea of what would make you happy (perhaps that $1/hour increase), what would make you ecstatic (more than $1/hour, medical benefit compensation, additional vacation, etc...), and what is the bare minimum you would accept. Don't get locked in to any one specific thing if you can be a little flexible. For instance, reimbursement of health insurance costs is not taxable (to them or you) as income - so that can be a way to get you a significant additional benefit while being a little less of a financial hit to them (if money is an issue).
Also, you might want to have part of the conversation talk about whether they and you see this as a longterm position for several more years. Perhaps knowing that they would see you staying for 3 more years would be valuable to you in terms of job security - so perhaps you wouldn't require the same level of raise annually. Or maybe this is another year at most so you want to get the maximum benefit in the short term. And so on...
Just be direct, non-confrontational, positive about wanting to continue employment with them, and genuinely open to feedback.
Good luck!
- MB
Now that I have been with the family for more than a year I was wondering if we could set up a time to talk about how you think things are going? I have really enjoyed getting to know (insert kids' names) and you, and hope that my satisfaction in the position is apparent in how I'm doing the job.
I would like to know if you are satisfied with my performance, have any things you would like me to do differently, or have any goals for the kids you would like me to work on in the coming months?
If you are satisfied with my performance, I'd also like to talk about the possibility of a raise or additional benefits as I head into my second year.
Please let me know when would be a good time for you. Thanks very much."
Assuming they agree to a conversation, know that they may be uncomfortable or unfamiliar with having these kinds of talks also. It can be awkward from the employer side - especially if you're not used to dealing with salary discussions and that kind of thing.
From a purely negotiating standpoint, have an idea of what would make you happy (perhaps that $1/hour increase), what would make you ecstatic (more than $1/hour, medical benefit compensation, additional vacation, etc...), and what is the bare minimum you would accept. Don't get locked in to any one specific thing if you can be a little flexible. For instance, reimbursement of health insurance costs is not taxable (to them or you) as income - so that can be a way to get you a significant additional benefit while being a little less of a financial hit to them (if money is an issue).
Also, you might want to have part of the conversation talk about whether they and you see this as a longterm position for several more years. Perhaps knowing that they would see you staying for 3 more years would be valuable to you in terms of job security - so perhaps you wouldn't require the same level of raise annually. Or maybe this is another year at most so you want to get the maximum benefit in the short term. And so on...
Just be direct, non-confrontational, positive about wanting to continue employment with them, and genuinely open to feedback.
Good luck!
- MB
Anonymous
01/10/2014 00:13
Subject: How to ask for a raise
I am planning on asking MB for a review/raise tomorrow. I have been with them just over a year (which they did not recognize, which is why I'm bringing up the raise) and feel I'm due - I do not make much to begin with, and have been a very reliable, flexible, and responsible nanny for them.
I've never had to ask for a raise before and while I understand how it works in an office setting where you're negotiating a salary, I'm not sure how to ask for a $1/hour raise without outright saying "I would like to ask for a $1/hour raise", which seems too forward. I am going to preface it by saying that I've been with them for a year and was wondering if they'd like to do any sort of review - or at least discuss anything they'd like me to do differently or anything new they'd like to change. I have gotten basically zero feedback in the year I've been with them - lots of appreciation and affirmation that they're glad I'm working for them, but never ANY sort of negative feedback, which makes me nervous in a way (what if they're silently stewing about some weird habit I have or something??)
Anyways, what I'm asking is for a script of sorts. I'm really bad at stuff like this but do better if I have a pre-planned idea of what I need to say. Problem is, I have no idea how nannies normally ask for raises! Thanks!
I've never had to ask for a raise before and while I understand how it works in an office setting where you're negotiating a salary, I'm not sure how to ask for a $1/hour raise without outright saying "I would like to ask for a $1/hour raise", which seems too forward. I am going to preface it by saying that I've been with them for a year and was wondering if they'd like to do any sort of review - or at least discuss anything they'd like me to do differently or anything new they'd like to change. I have gotten basically zero feedback in the year I've been with them - lots of appreciation and affirmation that they're glad I'm working for them, but never ANY sort of negative feedback, which makes me nervous in a way (what if they're silently stewing about some weird habit I have or something??)
Anyways, what I'm asking is for a script of sorts. I'm really bad at stuff like this but do better if I have a pre-planned idea of what I need to say. Problem is, I have no idea how nannies normally ask for raises! Thanks!