[tab name=’Guidelines’]

Guidelines : Requesting

Requesting Raises, Promotions, or Transfers

Guidelines and Alternate Phrases

• State your reasons; then ask for the raise, promotion, or transfer. Elaborate on why you think the request is appropriate, emphasizing your qualifications, accomplishments, assumed responsibilities, and goals in light of the decision-maker’s standards for evaluation. Try to quantify past results–sales increases, new accounts serviced, increased productivity, reduction in costs, new employees trained and supervised, new skills acquired, and so forth. If you can’t claim any such accomplishments, base your request on the very monotony of the job, its risks, or its significance to the company.
• I want to take this opportunity to outline some of my past accomplishments here at Fairfield and to suggest expanded responsibilities for this next year.
• I want to review my contributions in the current job and to inform you of my interest in transferring to a new position in our Ohio division.
• This past year has afforded me the opportunity to increase my territory with 42 new accounts, resulting in a total sales volume increase of 160 percent. In light of this extra effort, I want to suggest a salary increase for this coming year.
• The very monotony of this task makes money my only reward; therefore….
• Due to chemical exposure, I feel I cannot continue to risk health problems for my present salary. If the salary were higher, possibly I would reconsider….
• I have completed my graduate business degree during this past year at night school and now feel I’m ready to put these new ideas into practice for the company.
• As you know, my department has shown a steady increase of about 12 percent each quarter for the last two years.
• In my present position, I’ve handled two similar projects–development of the Management Leadership Program and the Strategic Planning for Non-financial Managers–both of which required the exact skills this new effort will require. I think I can bring to the job creativity in course design, course facilitation skills, and the contacts necessary to encourage senior management support of the programs.
• I’ve worked with Bob Newman for the past six months, observing his management style and interaction skills, and I think I’ve gained sufficient depth to take on a department of my own.
• My present job has become routine and therefore offers no further challenge for me to develop my skills.
• I think I’m ready to contribute to the company’s goals in a much bigger role because of my increased exposure to….
• Don’t ask for a raise/promotion because someone else received one. Such a request falls into the category of playing little red schoolhouse, where David asks teacher to give him a “B” because Jerry got a “B.” Someone else may have received a promotion or raise because his work far exceeded yours; to be told such wouldn’t be pleasant.
• Don’t ask for a raise/promotion based on financial need. Because supervisors cannot very well verify true needs (even needs related to heavy medical expenses, etc.), they will often react against heartstring manipulation.
• Don’t whine: “But I’ve been doing this same old job and everybody else gets the best projects.” Or, “But you promised me last year if I…so I am…so why don’t you….”
• Focus your request on the company’s standards for measurement. In other words, what do they value in an employee and do you possess that skill or trait?
• I have the energy and perseverance such a job requires.
• As you may know, I’m single and, thus, travel and long hours will be no problem for me.
• I can be tough when the occasion calls for such decisions and can handle the unpleasant tasks this job will require.
• If you have knowledge of the field and appropriate salary levels, name a specific raise amount. Be sure you request the highest figure in your range; often people “have not because they ask not.” At least this amount establishes a point of negotiation.
• Since I’m the only engineer who has worked with similar designs and since this project will result in an approximate savings to the company of over $50,000 next year, I’d like to suggest a salary increase of….
• I think an increase of $3,000 would signify your appreciation of these contributions.
• May I suggest an increase of 15 percent for next year?
• From my random survey of other corporations in the industry, a salary of $50,000 is not at all out of line for these responsibilities.
• With an increase of, say, ten percent, I could be more positive about working the extra hours this project will entail.
• Although my present salary is slightly higher than what the new job offers, I’m willing to make that adjustment for an opportunity to advance and to gain skills in this new area.
• May I suggest $45,000 as a beginning salary–all of which I should be able to generate myself from increased sales during the next six months.
• Emphasize the symbolic meaning of the promotion or raise rather than your need for the money.
• Such added responsibilities and appropriate salary will, of course, allow me to feel as though I’m contributing significantly to the company’s growth.
• This increase will confirm to me that you value my past contributions here at Metcalf.
• This promotion will support the comments I’ve received from other staff working with me on the project.
• This salary increase would solidify in my mind the future opportunities for advancement with Huffco.
• This transfer, with the accompanying raise, will confirm your commitment to groom me for advancement within the company, as we have discussed on previous occasions.
• The extra money will be useful, of course, but beyond that, I would look upon the raise as your expression of intentions about my future here at United.
• Don’t threaten with another offer unless you’re sure the boss wants you to stay. Your threat of resignation may be the supervisor’s easy way out of financial strain or may make way for another, more competent rising star. If you do have another offer or feel you have no future with the present company, present your case as a “problem” about which you need your boss’s advice. You leave room for your boss to say either he can meet the offer or he can’t meet the offer but can promise thus-and-so for the future. Then you can make your final decision with all the cards on the table.
• I’d really like to stay because I enjoy what I do and appreciate our working relationship, but you know how hard it would be to turn down a $4,000 raise.
• Mention anyone you have trained as a replacement to minimize the decision-maker’s hesitancy about a disruption in the current operations. Or suggest the responsibilities of your present job are up to date and ready to be assumed by someone else.
• Alice Whitaker has been involved in the Hellman project from start to finish and is fully capable of completing it.
• I’ve trained Harriet Brownstone in all the duties of this job, and she is eager to assume this responsibility should you give the promotions your approval.
• With as little as two to three weeks’ notice, I can fully train my replacement.
• Bob Parkins has become thoroughly familiar with the job and could replace me quite easily.
• With perhaps a month’s training, Sheila Stowers could assume the responsibilities here.
• I’ve been working with Carole Jackson for the past year in developing the skills my present job requires. I think she is fully capable of taking on this work.

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[tab name=’Example 1′]

Example 1: Sample letters for requesting promotion in job

Memorandum

TO:

FROM:

DATE:

SUBJECT: Accomplishments and Request for Additional Responsibilities

In the past two years my responsibility to provide secretarial support to 18 surveyors in the Technical Services Department has been a growth experience. In addition to performing the routine typing, filing, and duplicating tasks, I have had opportunities to contribute in significant ways to develop skills in other, related fields:

• Discovered improper expense reporting ($3,400 over a two-year period) for a surveyor who, upon management investigation, was terminated.
• Have gradually learned to handle routine inquiries from branch offices, saving surveyors many interruptions during the day. The average surveyor now must respond personally to fewer than three to five calls a week.
• Restructured the filing system and cut retrieval time for the average document from 10 minutes to less than a minute.
• Have become thoroughly acquainted with the expense-reporting and cash-advance system so I now prepare such forms for six of the 18 surveyors.
• Organized a priority system for typing and filing required by the various surveyors; surveyors have commented on the system’s fairness and effectiveness.

Therefore, in light of these contributions and newly acquired skills, I’d like to request a promotion to a newly created position of Administrative Assistant. This new position would allow my continued career growth and also relieve surveyors and Mack Albert of much routine paperwork that cuts into their more important assignments.

In this new role, I’d like to assist or be totally responsible in the following areas:

• Assist in preparing the vice-presidential monthly summary
• Prepare the weekly job-status reports
• Make travel arrangements–including setting up a system to handle reservations, making cash advances, and filing expense reports for all 18 surveyors
• Prepare time sheets and vacation schedules
• Distribute and follow up on FECs
• Assist new employees in job orientation

I’d like to suggest a $3,000 raise as appropriate for such responsibilities. As mentioned during my last performance review, you recognize productivity and initiative; I would value such a promotion as evidence of your confidence in me on these points.

Of course, I’d be willing to train a replacement. In fact, I would like to suggest Cindy Hoffman (Marketing), who has worked with me temporarily during peak work loads. She has all the necessary typing, filing, and duplicating experience to handle those aspects of my present job.

Do I have your approval to assume these new duties–along with others you may want to add–thus increasing the effectiveness of our total department’s operation?
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[tab name=’Example 2′]

Example 2: Application letter for promotion

Company Name or Letterhead
Address
City, State Zip

Date

Addressee
Address
City, State Zip

Dear Chip:

I want to let you know I am very much interested in the negotiations with MLB. Should this contract come through, would you please consider me for that project? I understand the assignment will require a four-month stay on site at MLB headquarters in New York.

As you know, I’ve had experience on the System 347 with six other accounts, amounting to annual billings this past year of $2,455,000. Additionally, my department has trained three other reps on this system and has successfully rotated them into the field operation.

One of my personal goals is to gain more general experience in interaction with senior people from our various accounts. Incidentally, Bob Stewart emphasized this same strategic planning on behalf of the company in making all of our middle management people “generalists” during the next few years.

May I suggest a raise of $3,000 for this promotion, bringing my total salary to $63,000?

Bob Fillimore, who has been working with me here on the six accounts mentioned above, is ready to take the reins here–and he is fully qualified, I might add.

Sincerely,
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[tab name=’Example 3′]

Example 3: Request letter for raise in job

Company Name or Letterhead
Address
City, State Zip

Date

Addressee
Address
City, State Zip

Dear Mr. Seidmantz:

As a media specialist for the past two years with our Hargrove offices, I’ve found opportunity to contribute in new ways to our field groups.

As you will remember, I was hired simply to write press releases and respond to inquiries from the media and the public about environmental issues. During these two years, I’ve written more than 500 press releases and answered innumerable inquiries in a fashion that has, in my opinion, created a favorable impression for Hargrove.

But in addition to these assigned responsibilities, I’ve assumed the role of scriptwriter and producer for our training department. To address the need to get adequate explanation of employment benefits to the field quickly, I’ve developed three videos now in use. All of these have received very positive comments from our staff managers, who’ve experienced a reduction of approximately 50 percent in new-employee training time because of these videos.

In light of these additional responsibilities and achievements, I’d like to suggest a change in title (Media and Training Specialist) and an increase of $4,000 in annual compensation. I see no need at the present time to hire additional staff to assist me in the media area.

Your approval of this arrangement will confirm to me Hargrove’s appreciation of the employee’s willingness “to find a need and fill it.” I’m thrilled to be given such opportunities for growth and am confident these new training efforts are contributing directly to our productivity in the field.

Sincerely,
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[tab name=’Example 4′]

Example 4: Transfer requesting letters

Memorandum

TO:

FROM:

DATE:

SUBJECT: Achievements and Request for Transfer

In my last four years working in the procurement department, I have handled a budget of over 20 million dollars yearly. In addition, I initiated a review of current contracts that uncovered and eliminated over $200,000 in unnecessary spending. Currently, I handle all the government software contracts, and am contributing to the proposal to ensure their renewal through 2001.

At this early stage in my career, my first priority is to expand my knowledge. I feel ready to take on new responsibilities and learn new skills. I achieved all I can in procurement. Despite the fact that the procurement department cannot offer any increased responsibility, I would like very much to stay with the company. Therefore, I am requesting a transfer to the finance department.

I am interested in–and qualified for, I might add– their software development contract with the IRS. As my degree is in finance, I will be able to build on skills learned in college. I could contribute to the team working on software development with my knowledge of government contract regulations.

I would like to suggest a salary increase of $4,000 to go along with this transfer and increased responsibilities. Such an increase would solidify my future at Maxwell Logan and reaffirm your commitment to groom young professionals for advancement within the company.

I don’t foresee any interruption in the day-to-day workings of the procurement department if I transfer. Lily Reynolds, who is working on the contract proposal with me, is fully prepared to take over my current duties.
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[tab name=’Example 5′]

Example 5: Request letters for promotion

Company Name or Letterhead
Address
City, State Zip

Date

Addressee
Address
City, State Zip

Dear Ms. Sanders:

In the past two years, I have worked very hard to be more than just an administrative assistant at Maxwell Technologies. I have taken the initiative to institute a number of projects that go beyond the scope of my assigned duties:

• I researched the possibility of creating a web site for Maxwell Technologies, contracted Pete’s Web Design, and worked with their programmers to develop a web site. Our site recorded 500 hits in the last three months.

• In conjunction with our insurance provider, National Health, I organized a CPR/first aid course for employees and their family members.

• During the company-wide switch over to new software, I worked an average of 60 hours per week providing technical support to the ecology and transportation divisions.

• I converted unused storage space into a library where we can organize and preserve company publications and publications important for our research to make them available company-wide. We currently have over 200 volumes catalogued and organized on the shelves.

In light of these additional initiatives, I would like to request a promotion to project coordinator and a corresponding raise in salary. I feel I am fully capable of handling the responsibilities this new position would entail. Since coming to Maxwell Technologies, I have earned 45 hours of credit toward my business degree and become familiar with all of our ecology research projects while carrying out administrative tasks for project coordinators.

I hope my past work shows the kind of effort I regularly put forth above and beyond what I am asked to do. This promotion would signal the companies desire to encourage such initiative.

Sincerely,
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