Ask HN: When to ask for my first raise?
1) Should I ask for a raise at my 1-year anniversary, at the end of the calendar year, or after my project launches?
2) What are good sources for compiling information about salaries for my position?
Explanation:
I am a team lead at a company that writes software for clients. Next month I will have been here for 1 year. I love the company, the work, and my team.
The company has a reputation for not giving you anything you don't ask for, raises and promotions especially. There is a yearly review process but it's largely divorced from compensation discussions in that it's not discussed and is not open for discussion. With next month being my 1-year anniversary, is it appropriate to ask for a raise then, or should I wait until the end of the year?
I am also wrapping up my first greenfield project leading my team of 3 devs + myself (~50% dev time), which will be in UAT in December and production late January/early February. Should I wait until that launches to bring up a raise? My boss mentioned discussing compensation after but I believe he was referring to a bonus for getting the client to increase the team size.
I have technical chops but am lacking in the negotiation side of things. I have been underpaid before and just want to avoid a situation where I am leaving a lot of money on the table (or approaching this the wrong way and upsetting my boss).