Salary Surveys – Are You Being Paid Enough & Should You Ask For A Raise?  

Starting out in your chosen career can be daunting, especially when it comes to talking about salaries and raises when the time comes. Salaries can depend on a variety of things including benefits, experience, time with the company and area and all of these should be taken into consideration when think about your salary.
If you have been unsuccessful in obtaining a raise and your monthly salary is not meeting your financial demands, it might be time to start job hunting. Wonga ZA provides short term cash loans but these should only be used in emergencies and should not supplement your monthly salary.

WHAT MAKES A SALARY?
When it comes to a starting salary, it is important to remember that starting out means that you have little to no experience in your field and it would be unrealistic to expect a company to pay you a large salary for little to no experience. A company would also consider the benefits they would be offering you and how much those would cost them. If a company isn’t offering any benefits, then a bigger salary would be reasonable, but if a company is offering medical aid, pension and a 13^th cheque, your basic salary would come down.
Employees who have been with a company for a certain period of time would also qualify for an increase every year. A starting salary would be marginally less than someone who has been at the company for 4 years and has qualified for an increase three times already. The longer you are committed to a company, the more they will invest in you, salary-wise, over the years. Another aspect that can dramatically affect your salary is that of area. It is a well-known fact that people living in Johannesburg earn a lot more than those working in Cape Town, and even smaller cities like Port Elizabeth. It is important to understand this and accept that if you would like to earn a Johannesburg, you need to live in Johannesburg.
IS WHAT I’M EARNING ACCURATE FOR MY INDUSTRY?
Many websites provide comparisons for various industries for professionals to see what the current industry standard is in terms of salaries and are able to compare their individual salaries to those with more or less experience and to those living and working elsewhere. These sites can include;
General industries – Payscale
General industries – MyWage
Advertising & Marketing – Adtalent
ASKING FOR A RAISE – HOW TO DO IT
If you’ve taken all of the above factors into consideration and you’re still convinced that you are due for a raise, there is a certain way to ask for a raise that is both professional and assertive.
Time your request well. Take note of your boss’s mood and avoid discussing it with him/her when they have just left a meeting or appear to be having a bad day. Also take cognisance of the timing in terms of when would you be due for an increase and when are increases usually given? It can be wise to bring up the discussion a few months before your review so that they’re aware of your expectations before your review.
Take note of your boss’s personality and managerial ways. If your boss is someone who prefers to get straight to the point, then take initiative and present yourself with clarity. If your boss is a more relaxed person, opt for a conversational approach and bring it up whilst chatting about other work items. In both options, it’s important to be clear about what you want once you’ve brought the subject up. Asking for a raise means being recognised for the work you’ve been doing and requesting to be paid in accordance to the value you’re now bringing to the company, especially if your value is now worth more than the previous year.
MANAGE YOUR EXPECTATIONS
It’s also important to have expectations of an increase that is realistic to both the company and your increase in value. According to Forbes, companies usually budget for about 5% or less for yearly increases and it is helpful to keep that in mind. It would be unrealistic and potentially disappointing for you to expect more and your boss is only prepared to give 5%. From there you can know what to expect and mention to your boss what you would like, or what you were hoping for and can then suggest that you both compromise.
ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT?
If your request is met with a no, it is important to not feel dejected; you can use this opportunity to further prove your worth by asking for instruction on how you could go about obtaining a raise or promotion. This will show you’re invested in the company and you’re willing to work hard. Take note of your boss’s response when you ask this as not providing can give you an indication of poor company structure, or poor management. Your boss should always be able to provide help to his/her staff in working harder and reaching rewards.