It's high time I ask for a raise, but I need advice...

[Alex2507]

My favorite is when they start talking raise right after you give them notice.
I haven't liked too many people that I worked for.

 

[highfihoney]

If you're an apprentice and can outclass a journeyman there are companies that will pay you above your scale. As an apprentice there are scheduled pay raises every 6 months or so and my last point stands on it's own. Asking is not a sin.

I pay every one last one of my men above scale,helper,apprentice & journeymen alike,in a few case's over $10 an hour above scale but i expect them to give 200% at all times,i figure if they are not worth paying above scale they aren't worth having around,guy's with 8 & skate attitudes dont last but a few days with me before i replace them.

All my long term journeymen & apprentices know that if it ever gets to the point where i feel they are only worth what the union tells me i MUST pay them, their out the door & back to the union hall.

I know where your commin from but me personally,if i ever had an apprentice outclass any of my journeymen the one's who were outclassed would be looking for a new job that very day.

 

[cbraver]

I'm in my last year of college also (ME, not AE, though) and going through the same questions you are. It sounds like you got shorted on your internship pay, because most of us were taken care of pretty well in our internships. I'd wait it out, and see if they offer you a reasonable salary.

Like Tom Andry said, take your friends salary claims with a grain of salt. Talk to your schools career center and academic consolers. They will be able to give you a more accurate understanding of what reasonable pay is.

The good news is that engineers are in demand right now, as long as they are functional engineers (for example, you can lay-up a composite wing, not just screw around with some theory. Do'er-engineers are in demand now.).

 

[ErinH]

Good things come to those who wait?...

I went to HR today to attend a safety meeting. After things wrapped up my rep asked me to come to her office to talk. Here's what's going to happen:
I'm going to get a $1 raise for last Spring's co-op term. I'll then get an additional $0.50 raise for last fall; so $1.50 for the fall and this will be my new payrate. In addition to all that I'm getting a $1k stipend.

So, I did some very rough calculations:
5 months*4 weeks* 40 hour weeks * $1=$800 (spring 07)
5 months*4 weeks* 40 hour weeks * $1=$1200 (fall 07)

2000*.75 (taxes)= $1500

HELL YES!

Add another $700 or so for the stipend after taxes and I've just bought myself a new set of car tires, and paid down a huge chunk on what I owe on the car. (and maybe a little something extra for myself)

Now I'm glad I waited it out.

 

[Highlander]

...if you were me, what would you do.

If you're not prepared to leave if, upon asking for a raise you are turned down, then don't enter the office at all.

 

[aberkowitz]

Congrats on the raise!! Sometimes things just happen when you think about them enough .