Getting A Raise, Part III

The previous article talked about a powerful and sure-fire technique for getting a raise. We talked about committing to spending time studying your industry and learning how to do your job better. But maybe you think the idea of studying your industry and coming up with ideas to improve your value won’t work because your job isn’t important enough.

You sweep the floors, stock the shelves, answer the phones, etc., and those jobs just aren’t important enough for you to spend any extra time learning about your industry. And you’re not going to be here long enough anyway.

Any Idiot Can Do What I Do – I’ll Wait Until I Get A Good Job!

Maybe you think that, someday after you get a good job, you can start doing something like this. But for now – it just isn’t worth it? Well, please consider the story of Johnny the Bagger by Barbara Glanz. I love this story and it illustrates so nicely the point I’m trying to make.

Glanz tells of a boy with Down Syndrome who worked at the most entry-level of jobs there is – a bag boy for a grocery store. Yet Johnny began doing something extraordinary on his own and he single-handedly grew the customer base for his boss by creating the kind of “extra value” we’re talking about.

Every night, Johnny would take little pieces of paper and write inspiring quotes on one side and he would write his name on the other. If he couldn’t find a good quote to use, he would make one up. When he arrived at work, he would have a stack of these quotes, and he would place one in each customer’s bag, smile, and thank them for coming in. Pretty soon, customers were lined up waiting in Johnny’s line while the other lines were practically empty, just so they could get one of Johnny’s quotes and his smile.

How Much Is A Kind Word And A Smile Worth?

Many customers admitted shopping at Johnny’s store just because he worked there – even though it might have been easier to shop somewhere else that day. Think of the lesson here. Johnny had absolutely the least potential for making things better for his company or creating “extra value” than anyone you can imagine. So if he could have this much of an impact by a little extra after-hours effort – how much more could YOU have at your job?

That’s the kind of thing we’re talking about. Taking some “extra time” to focus on ways you can improve what you do and how your company does business – and then doing it. Do you see what Johnny did to create this value? A little study (this coming from a kid who had Down Syndrome) and an idea to make things better in his industry – and then the necessary action.

How Much Is Johnny Worth To His Boss Now?

And all of the sudden, Johnny the Bagger is a hot commodity. Do you think maybe he’d be able to ask for a raise and get it? Do you think that his store’s competitors would be willing to pay him top dollar to recruit him away?

Note: Johnny only came up with one idea and put it to work. Your assignment is to try to come up with 10 ideas a day, 5 days a week – roughly 250 ideas a year. Think something will come out of that effort that will help you create extra value? You bet it will. Try it. Your short-term income will improve and your long-term prospects for success will be virtually guaranteed!

Related Articles:

• Getting a Raise, Part II
• Getting a Raise, Part I
• Maybe You Just Need To Make More Money?
• Your Financial Bucket List
• The Cost of Whistles – Living Successfully