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Salary Negotiations

The Cavaliers have finally cashed in, the curse is broken, and Cleveland is rejoicing! Many Cleveland businesses are experiencing record profits, and with the Republican National Convention around the corner, the boom is expected to continue.

You’ve been working long hours, picking up the slack, and you’d like to cash in on your efforts. How do you go about asking for a raise?

1. Timing is everything.
• Don’t wait for your next annual performance review (unless it’s just around the corner).
• Do capitalize on the success of a project or period of additional responsibility.
• Don’t ask if the company is making cutbacks or laying people off.

2. Do your homework.
• Research your market value based on position, performance, and education.
• Gather data on the overall job market by talking to a headhunter or an online jobs site.
• Collect information on your performance—sales increases, customer testimonials, growth, etc.

3. Plan your conversation.
• Practice your pitch with a friend who can be tough and push back.
• Talk to your boss about upcoming challenges for the company (preferably prior to the salary negotiation) so you can discuss solutions to these challenges and how you can deliver.
• Schedule a meeting with your boss, letting him or her know that you want to talk about your career growth.

4. Stay calm.
• Don’t allow emotions into the conversation
• Use silence as a tool. Lay out your case and then pause to give your boss time to process.
• Don’t ramble on if there isn’t an immediate response.
• Be clear and specific, but not aggressive.
• Don’t give your boss a sob story of not being able to survive on what you’re making.

5. End positively
• Whatever the boss’ response, be positive. Express thanks for his or her time.
• Ask questions about what you can do in the future to be considered for a raise in the future.
• If possible, rephrase the question. If you realize that your request is not being received favorably, change the word raise to “salary adjustment” which implies market value instead of extra money.

This blog is intended for educational purposes only. It gives general information and not specific legal advice. This advice is not specific to Ohio or Cleveland. For specific legal advice, contact Baron Law at 216.573.3723 or dan@baronlawcleveland.com to speak with an attorney.

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Cleveland, Ohio Estate Planning Attorney

Estate Planning Solution of the Week:  Create a Plan

Estate planning is a task for every parent, spouse, grandparent, professional, business owner . . . in short, anyone who cares about using the resources they have to enjoy their future, including the future of their loved ones.  Estate planning done well puts you in the driver’s seat with a highly trained person as your co-captain, helping you navigate the road ahead and exploring potential roadblocks.  Creating a plan involves creating a snapshot of the future as you would like it to look and then working with your current situation to determine the best way to get there.  The lawyer you choose needs to be someone with whom you feel comfortable with and confident in.

An estate plan can include (but is in no way limited to):

Creating an estate plan is the first step to enjoying your future, and Baron Law would like to stand with you as you take that step.  Our attorneys hail from northeast Ohio and understand the region.  Laws vary from state to state, so contact us today at 216.573.3723 or dan@baronlawcleveland.com to protect your future and the future of those you love.