Negotiating a Bonus: How--and if--to ask for more.

So you think you had a pretty good year, eh? Maybe--in your humble opinion--even a great year. So maybe this year the annual merit raise won't quite cut it. Should you march into your boss's office and ask for a bonus?

So you think you had a pretty good year, eh? Maybe--in your humble opinion--even a great year. So maybe this year the annual merit raise won't quite cut it. Should you march into your boss's office and ask for a bonus? The answer depends partially on your company's situation and its prevailing culture. But according to Peter LeBlanc of Sibson Associates, a Chicago-based consulting firm, there may be no good time to ask for a bonus. "Asking for a bonus," he counsels, "is like making a pact with the devil." Why? Because getting a bonus means, in effect, that "you've renegotiated yourself and your job," says LeBlanc. This sets you up for higher expectations and tougher scrutiny in the year to come. And that's something you may come to regret. Of course, in some fields, the annual bonus is a cherished ritual; the biggest worry is not whether you'll get a bonus but rather how big it will be. But in many fields bonuses are more rare. According to Christine Seltz, a spokeswoman for Hewitt Associates, a global consulting firm based in Lincolnshire, IL, bonuses are more often tied to group performance than individual output. "It's difficult to negotiate a bonus on an individual basis," Seltz observes. "What we're seeing is more and more emphasis on team compensation bonuses." Many large firms are using formula-driven bonuses as a reward tool for outstanding performance by a sales, marketing or production unit. Seltz and other workplace specialists advise most workers to steer clear of seeking an individual bonus. Instead, she says, "Try to figure out what the name of the game is by looking for team bonus opportunities within your company. That's probably a better long-term way to enhance your reputation and prospects for advancement." Still, that doesn't mean you can't gently approach your boss and ask for a bonus. But, warns a mid-level manager at a Virginia-based software company, "Be sure you have something to stand on. Don't come in demanding a bonus just for meeting targets." As a manager, he says, "I need to see a really outstanding performance, and well-documented at that." Adds Leblanc, "Don't walk in talking only about money. Your boss knows you want more money--that's a given. Instead, focus on your accomplishments of the past year, and what you can do to build on them in the coming year. That will be more impressive." Lastly, remember that your boss probably has limited means at his or her disposal to give you a one-time bonus. Many managers probably have more leverage when it comes to annual raises than bonuses, so don't be shattered if a bonus doesn't come through.