Programming Certification Etiquette and Procedure - Additional Compensation

Question

I'm scheduled to take the Zend PHP5 Certification next month and had a few questions regarding the aftermath. Specifically, I believe it is common to be deserving additional compensation after earning a certification. I have a few questions regarding the process (Assuming one passes the requirements for certification):

1. How does one approach his/her boss about the subject? Is there a grace period to allow them to approach you? How do you address the subject?
2. What are the talks normally like? Are they similar to salary negotiations? What is the general tone of the discussion? Any tips?
3. How can I tell what is a 'good deal' in my situation. I know that some believe the Zend PHP5 exam to be 'weaker' than other certifications. Is there a percentage I should be looking for?
4. Any other insight into the process would be great.

Thanks for reading!

P.S. My company paid for the exam itself and self-training materials. Probably about $250 total.

Edit: Thank you all for your answers. I was afraid that I might be too gun-ho about it. I certainly don't want to send the wrong message by kicking down my boss's door. I currently work for a small studio shop that generates >90% of their revenue from the RFP business model. That is, the company receives a request for proposal and we have to market our skills and ideas to the client in hopes of receiving their business. That being said, does it change anything? Some of you mentioned the fact that being certified makes you more marketable to prospective employers. What about prospective clients in my company's situation?

My next performance review is ~8 months away. Seems like a long time. Long enough for them to forget about the certification. Does that change anything?

To answer one of the questions about precedence. I'm the first in the office, out of a group of about 10 developers, to be certified in anything. This is uncharted territory for my company and myself which is why I'm here asking these kinds of questions :)

Thanks again.

Answer 1

If the company paid for it, I wouldn't ask for more because of it. The certification itself was part of your compensation.

But at the next pay-review period, I would bring it up as part of the negotiation.

Answer 2

IMO you should think of compensation in terms of what you can contribute with your new knowledge.

Going into your boss' office to ask for more compensation just because you earned a cert that the company already paid for is bad etiquette.

Always frame your compensation raises in terms of what you can produce, not what you know.

Answer 3

I agree with Marc, I might go a step further though. You might want to bring up to your manager that at your next review you expext that to be factored in to your next raise.

It also depends on what type of business your in. Certifications in the consulting industry directly relate to how much they bill you for. Other organizations maybe not so much, so you'll have to keep that in mind.

Answer 4

Speaking only from my own experience (naturally), I don't think it's appropriate to immediately ask for more compensation because you received a certification. It probably makes you more marketable, yes, but it's mainly a hiring concern. The company you're presently working for has better information available to base your compensation on -- your actual performance. Asking for an out-of-cycle raise based on a certification could send several wrong messages.

You should, of course, note your new certification as an achievement in your next regular compensation review.

Answer 5

I wouldn't expect to be compensated for your new certification until your normal negotiation period comes up. Most good employers expect personal advancement during your career.

During those future reviews you could focus on the improvement of your work since the exam with examples of how you used those new PHP skills to solve your business problems.

Answer 6

I completely agree with the answers from Marc and Kwan. However, you should check your company's policies. There may already be a standard bonus or compensation change for earning certificates. A former employer of mine had a standard bonus plus pay raise for any certificate earned on the basis that they could turn around and sell my time to customers for more money due to the certifications I had earned.

Answer 7

Did you discuss anything with your boss prior to starting the certification? Does your company have a policy that employees who achieve certification are entitled to increased compensation?

If not, it might be a little premature to be thinking that certification is going to entitle you to an automatic pay raise. I wouldn't do more than mentioning it in your next regular evaluation.

The development teams I've worked for generally haven't been too excited about certification in and of itself. If going through the process makes you a better developer that's great but that should bear out independantly of the certification. If you're a better developer on the job, you get paid better.

Edit: Kevin has a good point above. If you're working for a consulting firm who are going to start charging clients more for your services as a result of your new certification, you're in a better place to negotiate and what I said above doesn't apply so much.

Answer 8

1. Wait a little while, e.g. a month or two, maybe three, so that there are changes in how well you do your job. Have this ready to show that you are worth more now than you were then and want this reflected.
2. I would think more like employee evaluations as you already have more of a relationship than the case where you are a candidate and possible employee.
3. I would say that you don't since there are multiple factors to determine how well are you being compensated, both monetarily but also in perks. Course keeping this hard is in the interest of those in HR and various recruiting firms so that they can claim things are good when they may not be but this isn't known until well after the fact.
4. Another factor to consider here is whether others also got this certification where you work and what strategies do they have. If there are a handful and most plan to go and discuss it right away, then perhaps that may appear to be better than waiting and leaving the boss to wonder, "What will he ask for and when will that come?"

Answer 9

If there a precedent for this in your firm, then hell yes.

Show how it will save/make the company money. If this makes you more marketable, then you need to be looking into other jobs to see if they offer more (Supply & Demand).

Be careful, some manager/accountant may panic and worry that everyone will go out and get certified so they can get a raise (The Horror!).

Answer 10

I wouldn't give a raise to an employee just for certification. Part of the job is continual learning.

In fact, I would probably have a hard time taking someone seriously if they asked me. At $250 cost for the program, do you really think what you learned justifies a raise?

On a more general topic - if you are looking for more money, you have to provide arguments and evidence that you are worth more than you are getting paid. If for example you can show they are paying below market rates for your work, or if you are saving the company money or have increased the profitability somehow and can show proof then by all means, bring it to someone's attention.

Answer 11

There's a very real risk that if your employer discovers that sponsoring certification leads to demands for salary increases, they won't be sponsoring any more certification.

Plus, the ZCE - and I speak as someone who has one - is fairly meaningless anyway. There's nothing particularly monumental about achieving it that might justify a salary review on its own.

Answer 12

I believe it is common to be deserving additional compensation after earning a certification

Actually I've heard of a bit different scheme. The bonus (annual and/or quarterly) paid according to the objectives completed, and getting certified being one of the objectives.