This is fudging a bit. I've asked for rate increases in my freelance writing but never requested more money in any of my salaried jobs or, as the case is now, in my hourly-rate job as a newspaper copy editor. I don't know what the difference is, why it's possible for me to speak up for myself in one instance and not another. My boss gave me a grouchy look when I raised the subject, but too bad. It's been more than two years since my last raise. I've never called in sick or come in late without advance notice. I've learned new page layout skills and had my responsibilities increased. And the newspaper won a headline-writing award, for which I'm at least partially responsible.
The young people I work with not only know how to ask for what they want, but also consider it their right to always get more. Sometimes they strike me as being narcissists with a sense of entitlement, but other times I think "hey, way to go." But at the age of 50 I'm finally understanding that I have to ask for what I want and not let fear get in the way.
Maybe my next post will be about the experience of getting fired.
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In a perfect world, we would all be paid what we're worth, and we'd never have to ask for more. But in a business, they're trying to make a profit, so the less they pay us, the more profit they make, at least that's how the thinking goes. So we have to ask and scare them into worrying that we'll leave them if they don't say yes. I'm confident you'll get more money, they're just oblivious to how long it's been since your last raise. Asking for what you deserve is certainly not grounds for firing.
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