Workplace Asking for a "promotion" via email?

[eff]

I posted a few weeks ago about addressing my part time status with my team leader/boss. Basically I work full time hours with no benefits, making the same pay I made as an intern but with much more responsibility. Pretty much nothing has changed since then, though my team leader told me she has brought it up to management in the past. I'm at a point where I really need health insurance and would not mind a raise, and I'm ready to address this with my manager(not team leader, she is all for me going full time getting benefits etc. and has told me this multiple times now). I put promotion in quotes above because I am already constantly taking on more responsibility and the "promotion" I would get would just be to get me benefits and possibly a slight pay increase(mentioned by my team leader).

The problem is I work remotely for a company where most people work in the office, and I'm not sure how to communicate with my manager. He is always busy, so I can't just call him or message him on the company messaging program. Would it be totally inappropriate to send him an email? I've already started a draft but I am afraid to send it as I don't want to come off cowardly about asking for what I deserve, if that makes sense. Any advice?

 

[babypie]

Normally I'd say no, ask for a meeting and then bring it up face to face. But since you work remotely I think it's OK.

 

[Kansashalo]

If you and your company are located in the same city but you work from home, then I would schedule face-to-face time.

However if you are in two different states, then an email along with a conference call should be fine. My manager is located in another state 6 hours away so we primarily handle everything via email, IM, or conference call.

Good luck!

 

[eff]

Yeah, it's going to have be email since I'm like 300 miles away... what do you guys think about this wording?


Hi [Manager], I apologize in advance for asking this over email, but I know you're very busy and walking over to your office is not an option as I'm so far away. I've just been wondering, are there any plans to have me go officially full time? I've enjoyed and appreciated my time with [Company] so far and I'm continuing to learn more to contribute to the team, but I would like to be more certain of my future here. I've been off my parents' health insurance for a few months now and that has become a real concern for me. I would really like the opportunity to solidify my place in the company while gaining a bit more security and reaping some of the great benefits I know [Company] has to offer.


I'm not sure how to end it... any tips?

 

[calipursegal]

Yeah, it's going to have be email since I'm like 300 miles away... what do you guys think about this wording?


Hi [Manager], I apologize in advance for asking this over email, but I know you're very busy and walking over to your office is not an option as I'm so far away. I've just been wondering, are there any plans to have me go officially full time? I've enjoyed and appreciated my time with [Company] so far and I'm continuing to learn more to contribute to the team, but I would like to be more certain of my future here. I've been off my parents' health insurance for a few months now and that has become a real concern for me. I would really like the opportunity to solidify my place in the company while gaining a bit more security and reaping some of the great benefits I know [Company] has to offer.


I'm not sure how to end it... any tips?

Honestly you aren't really asking for a promotion, you're asking if they have plans to promote you. I can see the person reading this and simply responding, "no, we have no plans to promote you at this time." The letter focuses on what you need from the company (i.e. insurance) instead of focusing on what you've done for them and how that should translate into more money and benefits for you. What have you done specifically that constitutes you getting a raise? Map that out in your email so that the manager can't just come back with a simple no. How long have you been there, what have you done above and beyond what is required? You really should have something longer than a paragraph to send.

 

[aklein]

If you and your company are located in the same city but you work from home, then I would schedule face-to-face time.

However if you are in two different states, then an email along with a conference call should be fine. My manager is located in another state 6 hours away so we primarily handle everything via email, IM, or conference call.

Good luck!

ITA with this. I know the OP mentioned she is 300 miles away from the home office, but this is a matter that really should be discussed over the phone rather than via email. It can probably be discussed in a 30 minute conversation whereas it could take days (and countless emails) to make your case over email. Plus, if you force your manager to actually talk to you about it, you can get a better idea of his/her town and probably make him/her more sympathetic to your situation.

Make sure you are prepared for the phone call. Practice what you're going to say and maybe even write out a script if yuo need to.

I do think you need to be firm and assertive about this matter when you talk to your manager over the phone. Your email really made you sound like a pushover.

 

[eff]

Honestly you aren't really asking for a promotion, you're asking if they have plans to promote you. I can see the person reading this and simply responding, "no, we have no plans to promote you at this time." The letter focuses on what you need from the company (i.e. insurance) instead of focusing on what you've done for them and how that should translate into more money and benefits for you. What have you done specifically that constitutes you getting a raise? Map that out in your email so that the manager can't just come back with a simple no. How long have you been there, what have you done above and beyond what is required? You really should have something longer than a paragraph to send.

Thanks for the feedback. I guess I am trying to be kind of non-confrontational. I'm honestly really scared of upsetting someone and losing my job, which I know is silly. I sent in my performance review outlining ALL that I've done for the team/company(and it is A LOT) in March, and as far as I know no one even looked at it. In my previous thread, someone told me to focus on needing healthcare etc. because it's understandable, so I was kind of trying to lean towards that. I'm not sure how to mention what I've done again without sounding kind of bitter, because honestly I feel taken advantage of. I guess I'll just have to take some time to figure out how to do this properly.

 

[eff]

ITA with this. I know the OP mentioned she is 300 miles away from the home office, but this is a matter that really should be discussed over the phone rather than via email. It can probably be discussed in a 30 minute conversation whereas it could take days (and countless emails) to make your case over email. Plus, if you force your manager to actually talk to you about it, you can get a better idea of his/her town and probably make him/her more sympathetic to your situation.

Make sure you are prepared for the phone call. Practice what you're going to say and maybe even write out a script if yuo need to.

I do think you need to be firm and assertive about this matter when you talk to your manager over the phone. Your email really made you sound like a pushover.

Thanks... I really do need to try to be more assertive, I have been told before I come off as a pushover, which is probably part of why they've been kind of stringing me along and leaving me as "part time" when I work more than some of the full time employees. I really don't know how to go about this though. I think it has to do with anxiety(which I have a lot of, and have suffered from panic attacks since my teens) and feeling like I am going to lose my job if I rock the boat, and that would just be a total disaster. I need a self help book or something

 

[calipursegal]

Thanks for the feedback. I guess I am trying to be kind of non-confrontational. I'm honestly really scared of upsetting someone and losing my job, which I know is silly. I sent in my performance review outlining ALL that I've done for the team/company(and it is A LOT) in March, and as far as I know no one even looked at it. In my previous thread, someone told me to focus on needing healthcare etc. because it's understandable, so I was kind of trying to lean towards that. I'm not sure how to mention what I've done again without sounding kind of bitter, because honestly I feel taken advantage of. I guess I'll just have to take some time to figure out how to do this properly.

Yeah that's the difficulty by doing it in writing. I'm just thinking from a manager's point of view, you've been doing the job all this time without insurance, it doesn't seem like a valid reason to give you a raise. You might make that your last paragraph but the first one should say that you've enjoyed working there and mention all the things you contributed and how you are excited to take one more responsibility. You can spin it in a positive way. You just want them to feel that you deserve a promotion, not that you need insurance. You could attach your performance review to the email if you don't want to outline your accomplishments in the actual email. Good luck!

I hope I was helpful.

 

[aklein]

Thanks for the feedback. I guess I am trying to be kind of non-confrontational. I'm honestly really scared of upsetting someone and losing my job, which I know is silly. I sent in my performance review outlining ALL that I've done for the team/company(and it is A LOT) in March, and as far as I know no one even looked at it. In my previous thread, someone told me to focus on needing healthcare etc. because it's understandable, so I was kind of trying to lean towards that. I'm not sure how to mention what I've done again without sounding kind of bitter, because honestly I feel taken advantage of. I guess I'll just have to take some time to figure out how to do this properly.

Well asking for a raise, healthcare, etc are things that require confrontation. You don't have to strut in and demand that your boss give them to you but if you lay out your case really well it will certainly help.

I also thinking having a phone conversation will really help because you can use your bosses tone as a way to get a read on how the conversation is going and what points to bring up.

I think it is important to mention all the things that you have done since you have started working full time hours and to compare it to jobs that other full-salaried (and benefitted) employees are doing. You need to demonstrate with facts that you're doing exactly what the other employees are doing, if not more.

I also think you need to be prepared for how you are going to handle the possibility that your boss may not grant you benefits.

 

[Kansashalo]

Aklein and Calipursegal are giving you some great advice. Your original email was too personal - meaning you didn't specifiy what you have done for the company that merit a raise, but merely the personal reasons in your life why you need it. That won't fly.

To help you gather your reasons as to why you deserve a raise/promotion, list out what you have accomplished (not necessarily what you do), any financial impact (in terms of savings) to the company, and finally ways you are contributing to the department and/or company. Also research what people are currently paying for part time jobs like yours (you can do this by searching careerbuilder/yahoo/ really any job board).

I also agree with Aklein about coming up with a plan B in case your request for a merit increase & benefits are met with a "no". Think of other things that could help you (ex. ask for overtime pay, perhaps no raise but you would take benefits, etc.).

I know all this may seem scary but you can do it! Don't be afraid to ask for what you want.

Good luck

 

[bnjj]

I would send an email only to ask for a video conference or teleconference and discuss this with them verbally.

 

[sil]

I agree with bnjj.
A conversation as significant as this, should be done, at the very least, over teleconference or video conference. (The company must at least use Skype, no?)

It's excellent that you are writing things down and thinking your points through. This will help during the your conversation. But I encourage you to just use email to secure a video or telephone conference if face-to-face is truly impossible.

It is very easy to say no to typed text. Trust. There is no face attached to this request and the decision can be made swiftly without any "difficulties". (Even if the answer is not necessarily "no", I may just respond "no" because it's not a convenient time to deal with this. Securing a convenient time for a conference alleviates this excuse. This may not be something you want to spring on people in an email.)

I guess my point is: If you are compiling a strong case for your promotion, it is easy for you to lose your thunder through email.

IMO Promotions are just as significant as severances. I would never fire someone over email, so I would hope if employees are negotiating wage or position that they would value it as important enough for a face to face. Good luck!

 

[Sternchen]

I also agree with bnjj.

 

[eff]

Thanks for the responses, everyone... I'm not sure if a video conference would be possible, but I'm going to work up my courage and ask for at least a telephone call ASAP. I actually have strep throat right now, so maybe not the best timing lol

I feel kind of depressed about my job right now, sometimes feel like I just want to find another job and start over at another company just because I feel very unappreciated here... but it's impossible to find a job with a reasonable salary in my field right now, so I guess I should just count my blessings and try to ask for what I need/deserve.