My old boss in Chicago told me to never ask for a raise

He said it makes you look weak and they'll just give you more work. Happened at our annual review meeting last March. I've always wondered if that's just his outdated view or actual good advice. Anyone dealt with a manager who gave advice that felt totally backwards?

3 comments

3 Comments

logan_owens142mo ago

Wait, so did he ever explain what you're supposed to do instead? Just hope they notice your work and bump your pay on their own? That seems like a great way to get stuck at the same salary forever.

shanegibson2mo ago

Actually, the advice is usually to build a case first. You don't just ask out of the blue. You track your wins, like finishing a big project early or taking on extra duties. Then you schedule a real talk with your boss, lay out that list, and ask for a review based on your new value. It's not about waiting, it's about asking the right way with proof.

uma_webb281mo ago

Honestly this whole thing reminds me of my friend who kept getting passed over for a lead role. He was doing all the extra work, training new people, everything. He finally made a literal folder with emails from happy clients and a list of all his projects. Took it to his boss and basically said look, I'm already doing this job. They gave him the title and a raise two weeks later. You HAVE to show them the receipts.