Brilliant Cover Letters

CHAPTER 8

Career

development

letters

M08_INNE4636_01_SE_C08.QXP:M00_INNE4636_01_SE_C00 27/7/09 11:09 Page 163

M08_INNE4636_01_SE_C08.QXP:M00_INNE4636_01_SE_C00 27/7/09 11:09 Page 164

W

hilst the majority of cover letters you write will be related to your

hunt for a new job, there will be times when you need to write to

try to improve upon the conditions of your current employment.

The two principal scenarios are:

G you want to request a pay rise;

G you want to request a promotion.

First, we’re going to deal with how to successfully handle a request for a pay

rise.We’ll come to handling a request for a promotion later in the chapter.

Pay rise request letters

Requesting a pay rise

If you’re happy in your current role and the only reason you would want

to change jobs is that you feel you should be paid more, your first step

should always be to address this issue with your current employer. There

is every chance that a mutually agreeable solution can be reached.

There is no shame in asking for a pay rise.Whilst your employer might not

be delighted by the prospect, they should respect that you are entirely within

your rights to make such a request. If you feel

you’re no longer being paid what you’re worth

then you’re perfectly entitled to speak up and

say so. Ultimately, you could be doing your

employer a favour. Rather than looking elsewhere for work and then just

handing in your resignation, you are giving them a chance to review your

remuneration and make an appropriate effort to retain your services.

there is no shame in

asking for a pay rise

M08_INNE4636_01_SE_C08.QXP:M00_INNE4636_01_SE_C00 27/7/09 11:09 Page 165

166 brilliant Cover L etters

I won’t claim that they’ll greet your request with open arms though!

Timing

Before we talk about the content of your letter, let’s discuss the timing of

it.Timing can be a very important factor when asking for a pay rise. It can

have a significant impact on your chances of success.

Clearly it would be a mistake to demand a pay rise too soon after starting

a new job (or too soon after your last pay rise).You need to allow yourself

time to make sufficient impact as would warrant a pay rise. Conversely,

you shouldn’t leave it too long either.You deserve to be paid what you’re

worth and not have your remuneration eroded by inflation.

Many organisations automatically review salaries on an annual basis.

However, if 12 months pass and there’s no sign that a pay rise is forth-

coming then it’s very possibly time for you to seize the initiative.

You still need to choose your moment carefully though. Try to pick a time

when your contribution to the organisation is going to be seen in the best

possible light. If you’re halfway through a major project then wait until its

successful completion. If you’re working on a tender for a big contract

then wait until you’ve won the contract. If you’ve recently taken on new

duties or responsibilities then wait until you’ve demonstrated that you

have risen to the challenge.

You also need to bear in mind other factors that could impact on the

timing of your request. If your organisation is currently experiencing

financial difficulties then your request may well be frowned upon. If your

boss is under an unusual amount of stress – or is experiencing personal

problems of some sort – then, again, you would be well advised to post-

pone your request until things have settled back down.

Tact and diplomacy

It’s obvious enough that putting in a request for a pay rise can be a deli-

cate matter.

Whilst receiving a letter of resignation is undoubtedly worse for an

employer, receiving a request for a pay rise is not exactly good news

either. A lot therefore depends on how precisely you write your letter and

phrase your request.

M08_INNE4636_01_SE_C08.QXP:M00_INNE4636_01_SE_C00 27/7/09 11:09 Page 166