Having the courage to ask for a pay rise can be daunting… we reveal five top tips
Fifty-nine per cent of women and 42 per cent of men have NEVER asked for a raise, a survey has revealed
SUMMONING the courage to ask for a rise can be daunting – but there are ways to make it easier.
Fifty-nine per cent of women and 42 per cent of men have NEVER asked for a raise, a survey for Channel 4’s Dispatches has found.
Here Nicole Soames, author of The Negotiation Book and boss of commercial training company Diadem Performance, gives her tips.
- Do your homework. Negotiating is about being appropriately ambitious. Take the time to research what others in similar jobs are earning. And pick your moment, such as when you have been voted employee of the month or after your firm lands a big contract.
- Put your proposal on the table. Dig deep, be brave and ask. Remind yourself that your employer needs your skills as much as you need your job.
- Walk the talk. Use clear and confident language. Avoid “weak speak” — vague phrases such as “I was wondering if it was possible to” undermine your position. State specific figures.
- Dial up your creativity. If your first proposal gets a “no”, you need to think of other creative options. This could be more flexible hours, a larger bonus or the chance to take a sabbatical.
- Be resilient. If you didn’t get that pay rise, stay positive and try to learn from the situation. And remember, just because you got a “no” once, you might not miss out next time.
SOUND AS A POUND
THE average hourly wage for TV and audio engineers has rocketed almost 40 per cent in five years – the biggest jump of any job in that period.
Pay for installation and repair workers increased from £12.20 to around £17 an hour.
The rise is fuelled by subscriptions to sports channels, the popularity of big-budget TV shows such as Game of Thrones and the falling cost of electronic equipment.
Air traffic control staff have had a 38 per cent rise to almost £40 an hour, while dancers’ pay is up 36 per cent.
Xenios Thrasyvoulou, of PeoplePerHour, which carried out the research, said: “No matter what the economic condition is, there will always be professions that thrive.”
Down to a T-level
THE first three technical qualifications – called T-levels – in digital, construction and education and childcare will start in 2020. The full set of T-levels begin in 2022.
Here, Education Secretary JUSTINE GREENING writes exclusively about the new courses, announced last week:
“My mission is to give all children the best possible start in life. That means a high-quality education that unlocks their potential and ensures a bright future along whichever path they choose to follow.
“T-levels are new courses developed with the help of top firms like Rolls-Royce, IBM and Space Engineering Services.
“They are the start of a revolution that will help us create an army of skilled young people for British business.
“These courses are not just about study. Every student taking a T-level will do a high-quality work placement so they can apply what they’re taught in a workplace environment.
“Backed by £500million investment every year, once all routes are up and running, they will provide a gold standard for technical and professional excellence.
“More importantly, they will give young people a clear path to employment and the confidence they have the skills employers are crying out for.”
Jobspot: PRET A Manger is on the lookout for team members for its Oxford Westgate store. Visit .
Boost for business
YOUNG people would prefer to work as entrepreneurs than in showbiz or sports.
That is the surprise finding of a poll by pizza giant Domino’s.
Twelve per cent of the youngsters it polled wanted to carve out a career in business, while seven per cent were keen to be professional musicians.
A further seven per cent wanted to be actors while just two per cent said they wanted to be sportsmen or women.
The research marks the launch of Domino’s TeamSkills programme, which offers free online training, advice on how to show leadership and inspirational stories from its staff.
The plan aims to encourage the leaders of tomorrow.
Simon Wallis, of Domino’s, said: “We have an excellent record of nurturing colleagues to become leaders.”
Visit for more.
Jobspot: BOOTS is hiring customer assistants for its Heathrow Terminal Two Arrivals store. Visit .
OPEN UP A DIGITAL FUTURE
DOZENS of engineering roles are up for grabs with digital network giant Openreach.
Its engineers build, install, manage and maintain the wires and fibres that bring internet and phone services to most homes and businesses in the UK every day.
Openreach, a division of BT, employs more than 30,000 people nationally.
BT has been criticised for underinvesting in Openreach, its slow roll-out of rural broadband and for failing to offer radical new technologies.
Billions of pounds are being spent building new networks.
Each week, its engineers make faster broadband speeds available to nearly 20,000 households and companies.
In London, they are working on projects to provide ultra-fast services to housing developments.
To meet its ambitions, the company has hired more than 1,800 people in 2017 so far – and it is hoping to take on 36 more in the capital before the end of the year.
Openreach’s HR director Kevin Brady said: “We’re on a mission to build the best broadband network in Britain. We offer great careers.”
