Hi there,

There must be people here with more experience than me in getting pay raises! I have a hard time talking about this with my family and friends, and I would like some more objective opinions if that is ok!

I was on a probationary period at my job that paid me very low (I think), at 11/hr for work that requires a bachelors degree (in science) and very limited supervision in a specialized setting. I was told I'd get a pay raise after 6 months. I haven't signed any official employment contract agreements. It's a very small company that is somewhat disorganized in general from what I've experienced so far.

After an internal review that was very positive, I was sent an email by the boss declaring a new pay of 14/hr. There was no indication that it was meant as an offer, or any discussion of a contract or other details.

I was shocked by this. I'm not sure what to expect because this is my first job with a small company, but is this an acceptable way to negotiate pay with long-term employment? How are probationary periods usually handled? I feel like 14/hr is too low, but it's hard to know what I'm worth because discussing pay is so taboo, and this email has left me feeling stonewalled. Where do I go from here? Also, I'm afraid they might be having money problems. Does anyone have advice?

Thank you!