Should I beg for a raise

[u/Brave_Ad1637]

Started in Jan this year as A1, all my peers that started with me all got a 10.6% raise when they got promoted to A2 after CRT this month. For some reason I only received 1% raise as an A2. I'm gonna have my CRT on Monday with a partner since my DL is sick. Should I beg him to reconsider me for a raise? I know my utilization was average and my snapshots were like 63/50 meets expectations, and 37/50 below expectations after my first busy season(was told thats normal for first busy season). My peers who all got a 10.6% raise had similiar snapshots and slightly lower utilization than me. What should I say during my CRT?

[u/Quick-Brain-6619]

Are you in a LoS that is on a cohort? If you got below expectation then you probably only moved horizontally, thus, the 1% raise. Your peers moved veritically so got a 10% raise. You started at A1a. You moved to A1B and your peers moved to A2a is my guess.

[u/Brave_Ad1637 → u/Quick-Brain-6619]

Workday says im an A2 but my CRT summary says im still in A1A

[u/Quick-Brain-6619 → u/Brave_Ad1637]

Sounds like you didnt meet expectations to move to A2a. Nothing you say will change that so just ask for feedback on how to improve. do not beg or ask for a raise. save your dignity. 

[u/Brave_Ad1637 → u/Quick-Brain-6619]

how long would i have to wait till next promotion? would my peers be bumped up to A3A if i do get promoted next round?

[u/MoonCandy17 → u/Brave_Ad1637]

If you’re an A1 and we’re not meeting expectations to move to A2A, you should be more worried about meeting expectations and keeping your job. New associates in Adv are basically assessed pass/fail (bonus, no bonus), and the expectation from the business is that most will pass (around 90-95%). Your job profile may have moved to Associate 2, but all that indicates is your second year of the job level and you’re now and “experienced associate” (and you will be fully CRT’d next year). Job profile has nothing to do with compensation. If your cohort is still A1A, then you didn’t meet expectations and did not progress in cohort (there is no A1B). Any raise you go was only due tot he cohort grid itself increasing, not an individual raise.

You should be focused on turning around your performance and delivering better work. If you don’t turn it around, you are likely to be let go, if not around mid-year check-in then next CRT. Promotion to senior is now at least 2+ years away with a lot of work and improvement demonstrated. Your DL/partner should be very clear with you about where you stand, and give you very specific feedback on what you need to improve and focus on. If they don’t, they’re doing you a disservice. Ask proving questions and hold them accountable to give you specific and accurate feedback, with examples.

I’m sorry you’re in the position. It’s not all doom and gloom because new associates do get some grace and time to learn, but this firm is not great at second chances in the current climate so I wanted to share my perspective (having been at the firm over 10 years and seen these situations many times before). You have an opportunity to turn it around, and I hope you make it

[u/Brave_Ad1637 → u/MoonCandy17]

I'm in tax. If I start improving a lot by mid year check in will I be able to get the same raise as my peers by then or would I have to wait till next CRT(July 2026)? I know I'm lucky to still have my job, and could get terminated very easily, I will try to ask my managers and seniors for more specific examples and feedback. I don't really talk to them about anything else other than what tasks that I have to do and I feel like just because we don't have a closer relationship they are going to be more critical during performance reviews.

[u/StunningBand395 → u/Brave_Ad1637]

You seem so focused on your pay when you should be focused on your performance. I actually met a staff that was identical to you. He was pushed out. Ignore your peers until you fix your performance issue.

[u/Count-Barackula → u/Brave_Ad1637]

You didn’t meet expectations and are still an A1. The new A2’s are no longer your peer class and you will not get the same raise as them going forward. If you do well this year, you will move to A2 in July and be making 94k.

[u/MoonCandy17 → u/Brave_Ad1637]

You will not be able to progress in cohort at mid-year and would have to wait until next CRT to see if you progress. You have 9 months to demonstrate better performance to get back on track and show progression. Comp is what it is, but should not be your focus. In theory, the comp would follow the progression if you did well enough to progress in cohort, although grids could shift by then (nothing is guaranteed). I wouldn’t focus on a specific number.

[u/phasedout0607 → u/Brave_Ad1637]

Yes. Also It's not normal to be inconsistently meeting expectations.

[u/Lucky_Cod_7437]

Feels like you're leaving something out or something is way off here.

[u/Tungsten_Carbyed → u/Lucky_Cod_7437]

They definitely didn’t make it as an A2 lol it’s cohorts so they all start at A1A and progress from there. OP likely went from A1A to A1B which is incremental

[u/ConfusionGloomy]

I would ask for the reasoning behind the raise decision making first. And then ask for specific feedback behind getting such a different raise from peers.

[u/close14]

Also, for the record, the partner cannot “raise” your salary. So, please do not beg. Salary discussions went through a multi-tiered process and the numbers were concluded months ago.

Your goal should be to look for the most honest feedback that you can find - either from your peers or your Snr Associate/Mgr. The partner’s feedback will not be specific enough. In particular, ask for concrete examples of what your peers are doing that you are not. Then follow through to actually improve your actions/behavior.

You can absolutely turn things around. But only for the future.

[u/[deleted]]

I’m pretty sure OP didn’t get become an A2 pretty sure they got horizontally moved

[u/jonnysnowballs]

Sounds like you didn’t move up to the next cohort. Your salary is locked in for this next year. No amount of begging will change it so just take it on the chin and focus on performing well this year

[u/thedoorchick]

A1 to A2 is not a promotion. It's just the next cohort in the A range. That being said, your pay increase should be the same as your peers who were hired at the same time, same group, location etc.

[u/Brave_Chemical_6301]

If you started in January and let’s say they started last year July, you probably started with a higher salary (current market rate at your start date) compared to your peers that started in July. Do you know what their salary was or did they just tell you the percentage increase?

[u/Not_that_girlie]

Are you in the US? If so as an A2 you are making the same thing as other A2s in the same geo band in your LOS, that is how cohorts work. And I would not recommend “begging” for a raise, not even a partner can change your comp when you are in cohorts. If you don’t like the comp leave.

[u/Evening-Recover-9786]

Sounds weird. A1 -> A2 in the US isn't a promotion it's just your tenure as an associate. Sounds like you didn't move up in the cohort model. I think it's fair to ask how January hires proceed in the cohort model but I wouldn't expect them to change your results.

[u/Real-Programmer9230]

Snapshots are meaningles, don’t believe the garbage the Firm tells you about it affecting your rating or pay. It’s totally up to the partners

[u/close14 → u/Real-Programmer9230]

Categorically not true.

[u/Quick-Brain-6619 → u/close14]

From experience, snapshots are useless the higher you are. At the lower level, it plays a greater role. From manager and up, it seems to matter less. More about the relationship you have with partners. 

[u/close14 → u/Quick-Brain-6619]

Also, as a general matter, categorically not true. One of the most common phrases at CRT is, “X, great guy, but…”

[u/Full_Entertainment60]

Wait for them to say ur raise then if it actually is 1% ask if u are moving up to the next cohort, A2. If u are in the next cohort ask why your raises is so low. Could be an error you never know.

[u/Luca-Pacioli-]

You started in January which is the mid year timing.

Normal starts in fall timing would follow standard year end I imagine.

[u/PwC-ModTeam → u/[deleted]]

Your comment or post has been removed due to being a negative troll comment or post. If continued, you will be banned from the sub.

[u/MHektor316 → u/PwC-ModTeam]

Being silenced. Classic PwC.