CAN I GET A SECOND CHANCE AT MY PERFORMANCE REVIEW?

QUESTION:
I recently started gathering information to show why I deserve an 18 
percent raise. The justification includes the fact that I developed an 
in-house product that eliminated the need to purchase an $80,000 
software package. My intention was to bring this up before I was 
reviewed. The few nonexempt people I manage are reviewed annually on 
their hire anniversary. Based on this fact, I thought my own review was 
still four months away.

However, I was recently invited to a meeting that I thought was to go 
over an audit response we were working on. Imagine my surprise when I 
found out that managers get reviewed at the end of each fiscal year, 
and this was my annual review.

I was rewarded with the great sum of a 3 percent raise. I was basically 
flustered and angry (but didn't show it) and didn't say much.

Assuming I decide this is a place I want to work for after what I felt 
was a truly unappreciative salary increase, how do I now present my 
case?

REPLY:
You can't blame anyone because you didn't know the review calendar for 
your job. But let's put that aside.

You must present your case for a higher raise very tactfully. As you 
point out, it may be too late now: not because your bosses won't care 
but because they may not be able to go back to the till for a bigger 
raise, even if they want to give it to you.

You might consider this approach: "I didn't realize reviews were done 
at the end of the calendar year. Expecting a review on my anniversary, 
I've been preparing a presentation showing where I think I fit in the 
company and what I believe I'm worth. I'd still like to run this by 
you, recognizing that it may be too late to influence the raise I got."

Then it's up to your boss. Eighteen percent is a pretty big raise under 
normal circumstances. But I think it's worth taking the risk to present 
what you've prepared. You might want to add a section about what you're 
going to do next year and how that will add profit to the company. Be 
specific and use estimated dollar figures.

Then if your boss decides to go to bat for you, he or she can emphasize 
the $80,000 you saved last year and dangle a new carrot (your future 
performance) in front of his or her boss. Best case, they might come up 
with a one-time bonus to acknowledge the software savings you were 
responsible for last year.

You're going about this the right way. It's just too bad the timing was 
off. But that doesn't mean you must stop at the review they gave you.

Best, 
Nick Corcodilos 
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