How to tactfully negotiate a raise during my first review

Question

Background:

• Just came up on my second year with my company (<50 employees)
• First review since I started
• Started "part-time" as a flexible employee from 9-2pm 3 days a week
• Bounced between full-time when busy and back down to 9-2pm and then I just started not leaving at 2 and I've been full-time since last November
• My work is in the printing/data/design sector
• I'm hourly and I missed my company's health care sign-up because of the part-time status.

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I started my current job after leaving a toxic company and being unemployed for 6 months, so I was eager to "prove myself" and I was probably over-flexible.

I pretty much shot myself in my foot by not being more aggressive and negotiating better hours/pay sooner but I was really desperate for employment so I was flexible.

Now the pay isn't equal to what I value my time as, crosstraining hasn't happened, and my skills that were brought up during hiring aren't being put to use. Additionally, I've missed the sign-up windows for my company's healthcare/dental plan because of timing and part-time status and I feel like my flexibility has been taken advantage of.

For my review, I plan on emphasizing the points above and demonstrating that I'm being under-utilized as an employee.

Question:

Would it be damaging to ask for a raise during my review and what would be the most tactful method to bring it up?

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Clarifications:

• I am currently not being offered a raise.
• Some of the cases of underutilizing skills is assigning a design project and then after the initial delivery it's never brought up and finished externally with no feedback or review
• Cross-training was a department-wide promise at our last meeting
• I'm looking for insight on how to leverage/reposition myself based on the part-time flexibility

Answer 1

You should ask for a raise based on the current market and the value you provide to your company. The fact that you have skills that are not being used is not a valid reason to pay you more simply because the company is not getting any value out of them.

Answer 2

You seem confused about your status. Working a full schedule, even an over-full one, is not in any way being a permanent full-time employee. I could imagine getting a review if you're still temporary, there could be things to clarify. But I fail to understand how you could possibly contribute to the company 401k without being considered permanent. And the point where you go from temporary to permanent is when you sign up for health insurance, not some yearly window which is only meant for ongoing people. So either you, your boss, or your HR is terribly mis-handling your being formally hired, if that's happening at all.

I would suggest you concentrate this upcoming review on this status issue - am I being hired, if so when is it effective, and incidentally what would my salary be (noting in passing that contractors are generally paid more than employees, so you don't have too much of a bad surprise).

Answer 3

Would it be damaging to ask for a raise during my review and what would be the most tactful method to bring it up?

Be prepared on your end with what you accomplished in the year. Keep in mind that you should get a 2-5% raise for cost of living. It might be wise to bring in some research into what others are paid in a similar position in your general area. Be blunt and to the point. Say you want a raise and the reason why. Don't ask for promises or try to imply something. Be direct.

Sir/Ma'am, here are the accomplishments I did in the last year. I feel X was my most successful and biggest contribution to this company. I feel I should get a raise to Y.

See what they say. Don't just say you want a raise for no reason. A first year raise is a good time. I recall I got a 8% raise my first year out of school just by bringing up a big thing that was done.