Sidebar: Boost Your Chances of Getting a Raise

Computerworld - Before you march up to your manager to demand a raise, keep in mind that money is just one piece of the compensation pie, experts advise. First, calculate the value of company-provided training, medical and dental benefits, retirement savings plans and spot rewards such as an afternoon off or a $200 gift certificate here or there. It very well could turn out that your overall compensation is indeed in line with that of your peers at other companies, or at least those in your geographical area.

"Salaries vary so much by region and industry that you really need to compare apples to apples," says Laurie Levenson, president of DirectAccess Technology Staffing Inc. in Carlsbad, Calif.

That said, Levenson and others note that there are certain IT skills for which companies are willing to pay a premium right now. On the technical side, .Net experience is perhaps the hottest skill, with network security experience running a close second. On the management side, says Gartner Inc. analyst Linda Pittenger, "we're finding [that] strategic planning or any role that enhances resource utilization, such as IT alignment skills, are the ones getting paid more. These include IT architects and IT sourcing officers and people involved in project and portfolio management and process improvement roles."

IT professionals with data mining and business intelligence experience could also get raises, says Katherine Spencer Lee, executive director of Robert Half Technology in Menlo Park, Calif. Specifically, these include professionals proficient with software tools from SAS Institute Inc., Business Objects SA and Cognos Inc.

Regardless of your specific skills or experience, Levenson offers this advice: "Work with management on agreed-upon measures and get a commitment that if certain goals are met, a raise is received. That's a much more effective way to get a raise than to take a salary survey in there and demand it."