How often should a person receive a pay raise?

Question

I have been at my current job for 7 years-in July. I work in advertising sales. I have NEVER received a pay raise. I am salary based + commission. Besides selling advertising, I am responsible for maintaining our website, rate sheets, and maintaining the ad database on our computers, as well as troubleshooting w/the iMacs, etc. I am only paid $7.50/hr + commission. In the past 12 months alone I have reached my sales goal + many times 50% above that. I think I deserve a raise. My requests for one go unanswered, matter of fact the head manager is avoiding me. I like my job, but, am getting really aggravated. Others around me who have been here fewer years have received raises. Any suggestions? What is a reasonable raise to expect? Thanks in advance!

Forgot to state, for sure the one person who received multiple raises isn't in sales, he does typesetting. He is making at LEAST $10.15 / hr. And the thing is he has been warned about his attitude, not doing some of his responsibilities, etc. But, yet, its like he has something over our manager.

Oh, and thanks for so many great responses.

Answer 1

At Every Achievement critical to company you can negotiate

Sometimes using threat to quit

and Mostly Once a year

Answer 2

Regardless of your current salary plus commission based pay you are still entitled to receive a yearly "cost of living" raise. This is not mandated by law but is standard practice in the field. If this company wants to keep a top seller such as yourself on staff they need to up the ante! As you are also doing the IT work and some of the clerical duties there is no reason you should not have a raise each year for this! Take your salary base and times it with 2.4% for each year - this has been the average cost of living raise - and there is your answer to what you should be making. And don't do this with your hourly, do it with your weekly or bi-weekly amount, then take the first total and do it again until all of your new totals have been added up to current. Sounds like you need to start putting feelers out there as to what a top sales person would make elsewhere with your added extra skills. As everyone else has gotten raises and you have not you also may have a discrimination suit. You could ask your boss why you are being discrminated against as far as the raises go. That might shake him a little as if you have the verbage they know you have been doing your home work!

Answer 3

If other people have recieved raises, you should too.
If you have not done so already, I suggest you outline your duties and responsabilities as well as skills that have improved in the past 7 years, also what kindof raise you expect, and pass copies off to your immediate supervisor as well as their supervisor, CEO, president of the company, whomever. They will take it more seriously if it is writing. Request a meeting if nescessary to back up your cause. If they don't give you a raise, start looking for another job, because after 7 years they should have either given you a raise, promoted you, or let you go.

From what I understand and have experienced, most people get a 2-6% raise every 6 months-1 year.

Also, they must understand that inflation and housing costs have increased in the past 7 years! They can't expect you to be making $7.50/hr forever! However, I know that sales and commission might be a different story - but still, if other people are getting raises, you should too.

Answer 4

I get a pay raise once a year, and that is how it normally is. At least at every other job I've worked at. Some people get bonuses around Christmas time, or maybe even get more than one raise per year. It really depends on the job. Usually a raise is between 3 and 5% in a retail job, depending on how well you're doing. I used to work in retail as a pharmacy technician and got 5% every year for doing so well. Now I work as a pharmacy coordinator for welfare under the state. I should get a raise each year, but I think it is slightly higher than the usualy 5% in retail. Thank goodness! I hated making so little.

Answer 5

Yearly is most common, but Sales is often treated differently. Since you can "earn" more by working hard and getting commissions - that is what most companies pay attention to.

But - you have been there a long time AND you are doing a lot of non-commission work. Tell them you either want to get a raise or you won't do it since is interferes with your ability to earn more.

You totally deserve a raise - or you should start confidentially searching for a new gig ...

Answer 6

I get a raise every year or so I believe it is about 3%. I am unsure how much you really make with commissions but you sound like you make damn never nothing for the work you part in.

I think even walmart would give you a better starting salary, I work at fedex and I started at about 11.25 a hour but only get 25-30 hours a week but for what you do you should easily make $15+ dollars or more.

My thoughts on you are look around and see if you could get better somewhere else.

Answer 7

All companies that I have worked for have had a review and merit increase process that was annual with an budgeted amount between 4-5%. Smaller companies sometimes do not give them as often but I would say that 7 years is too long.

What it boils down to though is are you willing to stay for that pay or do you think you would do better somewhere else.

Answer 8

Usually an annual raise is customary. I haven't ever worked in sales so I don't know if thats the same. But if you say your co-workers have recieved raises, then you should get them also. I would sit my boss down and discuss this with him/her during an annual performance review or whatever your company does. Seems to me that after 7 yrs, you should at least get some cost of living raises.

Answer 9

I don't know how often normal raises are but 7 years is way too late for a first raise.

Answer 10

ask your co-workers about their raises, it may not be "public" company data but most of them will tell you what they make in friendly conversation, especially if you tell them your situation.

It may be that they figure your real money comes from commisions, so you are paid based on performance and the $7.50/hr is not a big deal. but if other employees in similar position have been getting a raise then you should expect either a raise, or an explaination of how they earned one but how your performance doesn't warrent one.

Good Luck.