Title

Review

Get a Pay Rise... but Lose the 'Tude

Asking for a pay rise is something that everyone wants to do at some stage, but few feel confident enough to do so, or if they do, understand how to present a pay rise proposal to their manager in a way that will achieve the desired result. The book, “How to Get a Pay Rise: Everything you need to know to get more” by Medine Simmons and Merryl Naughton provides people who are new to the workforce with simple, straightforward advice on how to prepare to make a pay rise request, how to make it, and how to follow it through.

Review by Clayton Jan.

At its heart, this is a book with a simple and accessible message: as an employee, your relationship with your employer is an economic rather than a personal one. As such, justifying a pay rise is about your activities at work and not about your needs at home: the better your productive output and the more financial your achievements, the more you should share in the company’s profits. This message is what many people don’t want to hear: your career is your business, and your employer is interested in how you can solve a problem for them, rather than them there to help you improve your life.

The book starts with a chapter on the key concept to grasp: that improving your salary starts with aligning your attitudes towards the economic reality of the employment landscape. It then delves deeper into other introductory career self-management issues, such as identifying and taking advantage of professional development and networking opportunities. Written by two Australian professionals from the human resources and recruitment fields, the book contains insights that will help those new to the workforce understand what is actually expected of them prior to asking for a pay rise.

The best thing about the book is that it provides simple and straightforward advice on preparing to ask for a pay rise, actually asking, and how to respond whether the answer is a ‘yes’, ‘no’ or ‘maybe’. It also introduces the concept of making strategic decisions to either secure new employment or to stay with a current employer depending on the path that will achieve the best long-term outcome for the individual’s career.

At only 110 pages, it is a small book. It is written in a highly conversational, informal style which is unexpected in a book of this nature. But it makes the book a quick and easy read. In other words, it is an ideal springboard to learning about effective career development, starting with your first job. Especially for people new to the workforce, its messages extend beyond the pay rise to actually learning to be a fully productive employee.

“How to Get a Pay Rise” is available from Readings Booksellers for $19.95

Disclosure statement: This review was not requested by a third party and the review book was purchased by Clayton Jan.