This week’s Q&A is taken from my PMI PM Network careers column which was published last week.
My performance review is coming up next month and I think I’ve done an excellent job over the last year. I want to ask for a pay rise, how can I make sure I give it my best shot?
As a project management practitioner you should have an unfair advantage over non PM colleagues as this potentially difficult situation relies on many of the skills that a good PM will possess. It will require situational analysis, planning, presentation, negotiation and closure of an agreed way forward.
Situational Analysis; It is important that you make sure the timing is right; if your organisation has been experiencing difficulties in recent years, is it going to be easy for your manager to turn down your request on those facts alone? If the organisation is booming or having tough times, what has your real contribution been to the success of the organisation over the past 12 months compared to your peers, does it stand out? Whatever the situation, you need to make sure that this stage is completed in an honest and truthful way that will stand rigorous challenge.
Planning; Let’s start with your manager – do you have a clear idea about how they liked to be approached, how they make decisions, what information and presentation style they like. Understanding your key decision maker’s style and personality will enable you to plan your approach.
Think about what you want in advance; how much of pay rise are you looking for? If not a pay rise would you consider an increase in other incentives likes bonuses etc? How did you come to that pay rise figure – what is it based on? Be clear about what you want in your own mind; if appropriate back it up with comparable salary figures from the wider marketplace. Be prepared to show that this is not a purely emotional decision; prepare your key achievements from the year that demonstrate your abilities and how exactly you perceive yourself to have done an “excellent job2. Remember to include facts and figures (revenues, profit, benefits realised etc) that you know your manager will need to make a sound decision.
Presentation; Make sure that you prepare for the performance, review your planning beforehand from several viewpoints. Run your presentation and key facts through, be ready for objections and have additional materials available to support your ideas.
Negotiation; Prepare for the performance review from the viewpoint of your manager; put yourself in their shoes for a moment and ask yourself the questions; why should I give myself a pay rise? What benefits would I and the company receive if I did give a pay rise? What changes would I expect to see for an increased in pay, what increase in performance can I expect? This is an opportunity to think about all the objections you think your manager will bring to the table and prepare in advance your answers to counteract.
Closure; If all goes well agree the timescales for the changes to be made and any activities that have to be completed. On the other hand if the desired result is not achieved avoid bringing emotion or veiled threats into the situation. Don’t make any rash decisions that you will regret later, instead seek to understand the reasons for any decision that does not meet your expectation and set a plan on how you can work towards getting the right result next time.
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You can also check out the Project Management Training Directory
