Early salary review: how, when, where?

Question

I got a new job just before Christmas and during the negotiation I got a verbal agreement for an early salary review 4 months after I start work.

Now, 3 months and 20 days have passed and I feel a bit troubled since I did not get any information regarding this. I am hesitant to bring this up since I might come up as greedy. I am also hesitant as to whom to talk to .. my manager (who I barely talk with) or the HR (which is just a single woman)?

How do these things normally work? Do I just wait in the hopes that they will remember me or try to push it? Should I wait until the 4-month period has ended and then ask or should I ask before-hand?

Answer 1

If you are in the US and you have nothing written on your employment contract, you might as well not bother. If your locality is not US, then you need to consult someone who understands how the employment law works but again if it is verbal only and if nobody else heard this conversation, it is your word against the other side's.

It doesn't hurt to ask the person who made that salary review promise, in private, in a semi jokingly manner, such as "Hey, what happened to the review you mentioned while interviewing me ?" but not in an accusatory tone. That person might have totally forgotten it, as I am sure you are not his only worry in this world, and might come around and say, something like "let's talk next week". At this point you can ask "Can I schedule a meeting on the company calendar so we both have time allocated for this".

Timing-wise, I suggest waiting at least a few days after the 4 months mark passed. Otherwise you may come as greedy and only thinking about money. Even if you are only thinking about money, this doesn't make you look good in the employer's eyes.