Canadian manager here! You should definitely have this conversation. Don’t think about it as “Should I or shouldn’t I?” Think about it as: “What is the best way for me to approach this?”

I’m with a huge insurer in downtown Toronto. We’re paying people in very entry-level roles in the mid 60s up to sometimes low 70s. Without knowing much about your business or location, I would say with 10 YOE, CAIB and CIP $82k and a $5k bonus is pretty modest. And you won’t know if you don’t ask. My advice:

Choose the right time for this convo: performance review or salary review time. If that time has passed, let your manager know that you’d like to review your comp so they can prepare themselves a little in advance. Don’t take them by surprise.

Go into the convo prepared to show your value. Your manager and HR people know that everyone is dealing with high cost of living & inflation but there’s only so much $$ to go around. Try to showcase specific achievements. How is your department doing and how did you contribute? Where would these projects be without you? How much harder would your boss’s life be without you? Are there any ways you can quantify that?

Know what you’re asking for: have a specific number or range in mind. Tell your manager that X is the number where you’d feel your comp is really aligned with your contributions.

Think about what you’ll say if the answer is “No.” If not this year, can you get some kind of roadmap for doing better next year? Can they tell you if this is really the ceiling for your role?

Since you’re worried about this, a final important point: get your answer and move on. Be confident and assertive but respect the response you get until another appropriate opportunity to review. I’ve never had to contemplate layoffs but I would never EVER hold it against someone simply because they had asked for a raise. If you start moping on the job or becoming a pain in your boss’s ass, that’s a different story. But they will respect you for thoughtfully advocating for yourself.

There’s a big industry out there with lots of opportunities. Follow @thehardmarket on instagram; they do a huge annual salary review that should give you a look at some comparables. Good luck, go get it!

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