Careers - Compensation - Tips for Negotiating a Raise in 2011 | eWeek

Tips for Negotiating a Raise in 2011

Written By
Donald Sears
Donald Sears
Dec 1, 2010
2 minute read
eWeek content and product recommendations are editorially independent. We may make money when you click on links to our partners. Learn More

After a few years of the “do more with less” syndrome in IT departments (and almost every department), many tech workers are acutely aware of their value in an organization and hope to be compensated for the efforts.

Tech professionals can breathe a little easier as just under half (45 percent) of management is open to giving you more loot in 2011, according to a Careerbuilder survey of 2,400 hiring managers.

What do managers expect to see from employees seeking a better salary?

  • Nearly half (48 percent) of employers want to you “highlight specific accomplishments and results you achieved”
  • Almost 40 percent want you to “know the range of salary you want and have justification for the increase
  • Thirty-seven percent want you to “show an understanding of what is important to the company”
  • Over a quarter want you to “come prepared with your history of performance reviews”

For those companies (the other 55 percent of IT companies and everyone else) that cannot afford pay raises, here is what they are willing to give to employees in lieu of loot:

  • More flexible work hours (42 percent)
  • Bonuses (29 percent)
  • Training (23 percent)
  • Vacation time (21 percent)
  • More casual dress codes (17 percent)
  • Academic reimbursement (14 percent)
  • Title change (14 percent)

“While it is undoubtedly an employer’s market, many recognize the added responsibility workers have had to shoulder without the added pay,” said Rosemary Haefner, Vice President of Human Resources at CareerBuilder in a statement. “While we don’t expect salary levels to change significantly, the willingness to negotiate better deals with current and potential employees is a positive indicator for the employment recovery.”

eWeek Logo

eWeek has the latest technology news and analysis, buying guides, and product reviews for IT professionals and technology buyers. The site's focus is on innovative solutions and covering in-depth technical content. eWeek stays on the cutting edge of technology news and IT trends through interviews and expert analysis. Gain insight from top innovators and thought leaders in the fields of IT, business, enterprise software, startups, and more.

Property of TechnologyAdvice. © 2026 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.