Are You Ready to Discuss a Promotion and Raise with Your Boss?

Before diving into the technicalities of discussing a promotion and pay raise with your boss, let us share with you two stories. 

Why Are You Not Getting A Raise?

Due to the pandemic, Jane in the United States hurriedly participated in an online graduation ceremony for her senior year, watching her own photo and the benevolent smile of the university president on the screen. Jane understood that her carefree campus life was about to come to an end.

Entering the turbulent waters of social life and becoming a white-collar worker in and out of office buildings, she felt like a moth to a flame, helpless but unable to resist.

Fortunately, Jane was among the 20% of her peers who were lucky. During the campus recruitment phase at a well-known company, she successfully secured an offer by passing several rounds of interviews, outperforming numerous graduates from G5 universities and top universities in her country.

She thought that with an offer in hand, her job was secure. The only remaining task was to allow her parents to boast about how she joined a big company right after graduation, especially during family gatherings and celebrations.

With a solid educational background, she believed in doing more and speaking less. Jane started her job with great enthusiasm and diligence. She quickly and efficiently completed any task assigned by her superiors and often proactively asked her boss if there was any additional work to help with.

"Everyone in the office must surely love a colleague as diligent and proactive as me! And the boss, I don't need to say, where can you find an employee like me?" Although she was exhausted, Jane often comforted herself with these thoughts. She believed that a little extra effort was a small price to pay for getting a raise or a promotion.

However, she was surprised to find that the entire office didn't treat her better because of the extra work she did. In fact, the colleagues who used to accompany her to the cafeteria during her early days at the company began to distance themselves from her, and they no longer asked her if she wanted any milk tea when they ordered takeout. 

As for getting a raise or a promotion, it seemed like a distant dream. Jane had been with the company for a year, but her colleagues who joined at the same time had already been promoted, and she had become their team member.

"Is it a matter of tears or hardships? Where did things go wrong? Why am I not getting a raise or a promotion?" Jane couldn't help but wonder.

Understanding your Work Environment

On the other hand, Grace was even more troubled:

A graduate of an Ivy League university with three foreign internships, a high GPA, proficiency in three languages, and excellent emotional intelligence. A few months ago, she joined a well-known financial company through internal referrals, a respectable accomplishment by outside standards. However, the only one who knew the true hardships was Grace herself.

In addition to working at the financial company, Grace enjoyed studying languages, coding in Python, SQL, Stata, and becoming an expert in PPT and Excel. "Having diverse skills can open up wider career paths in the future," became Grace's professional creed. However, all her efforts failed to earn recognition from her superiors and boss. Her performance evaluations were unremarkable, marking a "stain" on her career since graduating with honors.

Why is it that despite working hard in the office, it's often difficult to get a raise and a promotion? Sometimes, it feels like you're putting effort into something that's as soft as cotton and can't hit the target precisely for success in a promotion and a raise.

In fact, many employees find it challenging to transition from a student mindset to a professional one. They often act as if work is like completing assignments before the due date, a habit they've carried from their school days. 

However, employees new to the workforce don't lack enthusiasm for work, and they are often hardworking and ambitious, filled with eagerness and aspirations to make a name for themselves in their careers. But sometimes, they may lack an understanding of work goals, plans, and their current work environment. They might not be clear about their own position or the priority of the problems they encounter at work.

Adapting to the WorkForce

So, how can employees break free from their student mindset, excel at work, gain appreciation, and earn promotions and raises?

1. Timely and Appropriate Display of Personal Abilities

Being proactive and having a good attitude towards work is noticeable by superiors and bosses, as well as colleagues. If you perform better than others, show responsibility, have a broader perspective, and do a great job, you are more likely to have opportunities for promotion.

2. Maintain Good Relationships with Colleagues

Relationships with colleagues are very important. The bond between colleagues is even more intimate than with classmates from school. Or should we say, it's more complex and can sometimes be a love-hate relationship. However, it's essential to recognize that in today's office culture, good relationships with colleagues are exceptionally important for career development. Apart from fostering more efficient teamwork, maintaining good relationships with colleagues ensures you have a strong "support base" when it comes to advancing your career. Therefore, don't underestimate the daily relationships with colleagues; they can be a crucial part of your path to promotion.

In Summary 

The stories of Jane and Grace shed light on the hurdles that employees often face when striving to getting a raise or promotion in their professional careers. It's a transition from the familiar student mindset to the complexities of the workforce that presents unique challenges. 

While enthusiasm and hard work are essential, understanding the work environment, timely display of abilities, and nurturing strong relationships with colleagues are key factors that can help employees break free from the student mentality and pave the way for career success. By adapting to these principles, employees can overcome obstacles and work towards the promotions and raises they desire in their careers.