Know your worth
Know your market value and do not rely on just one salary survey source that often tends to be self-reported salary surveys which are far less reliable than one done by the human resource departments of the industry in your area. Approaching your pay renegotiations with your employer's interest in mind is good way to begin with. Ask why would your employer want to pay you more?
Focus on Your Value
Sell your accomplishments when you ask your boss about a raise. Tell your boss that you are below the salary range and stress your value and let him know what your market worth is. However salary negotiation is a complex art that requires both knowledge and good timing. But be sure of one thing and that is nothing compares with being proactive about negotiating your salary. Remind your employer how you've contributed to the bottom line, cut costs and increased productivity. A written record of your accomplishments can help in this effort. Give your company copies of certificates or completed coursework as well as copies of thank-you letters received from customers. If your boss has to get approval for a raise he needs documents about your worth.
Offer Your Boss Options
Don't push your boss into a corner. Give him options. Give him a chance to consider your request by taking up extra responsibility for an additional amount per hour suggesting that you want to go to community college to further hone your skills or learn new valuable skills. Providing such options expresses favorably of your interest in your employer's overall bottom line, not just your paycheck. It is likely to indicate to your boss that you may be worth the raise.
Be your own self
Don't adopt an ingratiating attitude or pretend you are so great that they better give you a raise when entering into renegotiations. Nor presume that just because you've been at a place for a long time is strong enough reason to deserve a raise. In fact, your boss could as well say you had been marking your time
Time it Right
Know the boss and the cyclical nature of your particular business. If your employer is focused on servicing customers during a particular time of the year, for instance, if working in retail, then no point in disturbing him. Don't ask for a raise a month or two before or after your automatic raise in irritating your boss to say the raise had been just given.
Poor Renegotiation
Suppose your boss turns you down because of how you handled the renegotiation. Is there a way to recover? Yes indeed. You can set up another appointment taking responsibility for how poorly you handled the situation. Be cordial, thank your boss for his time and keep a positive attitude. Hopefully, he will come around. Asking for a raise is never easy. However, you will increase your chance of success if you time your renegotiation right. Go prepared and focus on the value you bring to your organization.
