Raise?
 

How do you ask for a raise? I know that in this economy and these times I should be happy that I have a job, but I just found out that the administrative assistant makes a significant amount more than I do. Her work load, ethic, timing, etc. do not, in my mind, mesh with what she is making.

A little background… I am a contract employee (as is the admin. Assistant) who is 100% on-site at the client's office. I started last May and love my job as editorial coordinator. This is the first of the three public relations jobs I've had in the past 3 years (long story, one only lasted four months) that I actually enjoy. All of my reviews have been excellent and I have great relationships with the three "supervisors" that are on-site. I've taken on a lot of additional responsibility and created/implemented some time saving programs since I started.

As my year review is coming up, I feel that my performance, dedication, enthusiasm, and results speak for themselves and that I am definitely deserving of a raise. Any ideas on how to broach the subject? I've never done it before…

Not to be discouraging, but ... there are a lot of people out there in our biz who are unemployed, so you'd better make sure they really want YOU before you ask for one!

Have you thought about getting on permanently? That would be a good time to renegotiate salary.

Your results, while they should speak for themselves, won't. You have to remind your boss of them ... say, "This is what I've done for the company ... I am a valuable asset to you ... this is why my work has earned a raise." Don't mention your compensation in comparison to the admin's - only to other people in the same job (can you find a salary survey? STC and IABC have done some, but I don't know if they quite apply to your position or not.).

I'm being trained to be the next historian here (the guy is gonna retire next January) and they really can't afford to let me go. As a contract, even if this particular job site fell through, I'd still be employed by A and just go to their office.

I'd never mention the admins salary, but its completely insane! She makes $15,000 more than I do.

I have proof points that I'd use if I brought it up. I tend to be fairly meek when it comes to this stuff. When I started, it was a "starting salary of...) with verbal and written summations of a possible raise in a years time.