Claim your DUE

Jappreet Sethi

The crying baby gets the milk; the irony starts from our childhood only to intensify when you move to the corporate world. Culturally, In India, we are not very outright about demanding a pay raise. Though we secretly wish we got a pay raise, when it comes to asking for it, we melt down.

We believe our employers will notice all the good work and give us a handsome pay hike. Nothing can be more detached from truth, and many end up with less than market wages. Are you one of those who burn the midnight oil and are yet making lesser than your peers in other companies? Here are four things that you can do to change your situation.

Ask for mentoring

As it is difficult for many to ask for a pay raise directly, it may be a good idea to ask for mentoring to improve your career prospects. When the bosses in power ask you as to why you need a mentor, you could say: “I have a feeling that in spite of my hard work, I am getting left behind in the corporate race. The other day a consultant called me for a job, and I was shocked to hear her salary offer. Though I firmly said no, the call has left me disturbed. I want to work for this company, but how do I improve my earnings? I want a mentor to help me with this.” 

When you finish this, watch how your manager reacts and offers goodies to make you feel like the next superstar.

Maybe a harmless rumour

If you tell your manager directly that you are looking for a job, it can mean inviting trouble in case you don’t get one. However, by selectively saying to some of your colleagues that you are getting calls from other companies to come for an interview, could help in spreading the word. During the lunch hour, casually drop the names of your competitors and discuss the recent projects/ clients they have won. Rumours will start spreading and reach your manager’s ears, and you have an audience. When asked about this, you must not say that is not true. Tell them, you have not responded, but the salaries and role are very lucrative. Watch for your manager's reaction and take steps accordingly.

Refresh your resume

Most of the companies, look for fresh resumes on the job portal, in case you have not updated your job profile, there are fewer chances that you will even get a call. New and recently updated profiles have a higher chance of getting shortlisted. Resume search is by keywords. A good way is to scan the job opening and find commonly repeated keywords and use them in your profile. 

Do mock interviews

Interviews are like movie plays, each party shows a different face, trying to outwit or impress each other. 

To crack an interview one needs to practice a lot, make sure you find a senior person and do mock interviews for job roles that you aspire for. You can video record the job interviews and play it back for real-time feedback. By continuously rehearsing the conversation you will start getting better at answering the interview questions plus it will be a great confidence booster.

By using these simple tips, you will be making a move to get paid decently for all the efforts that you are putting in your job.

— The writer is an HR & strategy consultant and author