Approaching your boss to ask for more money is never something anyone enjoys, so it often gets put off. Before you know it, several years have gone by without receiving a raise. Now is the time to take the bull by the horns and ask for that raise, even if your boss isn’t necessarily handing them out. Here are 10 tips to help you build up the courage and get that raise you deserve.
- Timing is everything. Don’t go in asking for a raise when you have nothing to back up your demands. Build up a nice track record of accomplishments, especially if you have just done something really great. Also, don’t go in asking for a raise if you have only been with the company a couple months, unless that was part of the agreement.
- Know your value and make sure your boss knows your value. Your boss is going to be more likely to dish out more money to you if you are someone that deserves it. Be the best employee you can be so that they won’t want to risk losing you.
- Don’t bring up the issue of your expenses as a reason for getting a raise. How you spend or waste your money is your own problem, not your boss’s. Your request for more money needs to only rest on the value you bring to the company.
- Don’t compare your salary to another co-worker’s. While it stinks to see someone that is lazy and never does their work getting paid more than you, the argument generally does not sit well with managers. The reason should be based on the industry norm and, once again, your value to the company.
- Build up a case for why you deserve a raise. Mention special achievements that have happened in the past year and ways that you have specifically affected the business in a positive way.
- Provide details to back up your case. Create a file or portfolio of compliments from clients or customers. Include details with numbers such as increased revenue, number of sales, or productivity rate.
- Don’t use the threat of leaving the company if you don’t receive a raise. It is already understood by your manager that you may be looking for a new job so they know there is a risk already.
- Never feel that you are entitled to a raise. Being confident and direct is okay, but acting as if you are entitled to more money just because you have been with the company for a number of years or because you have met your job requirements is not okay.
- Practice what you will say to your boss before. This will help you orchestrate a professional statement instead of saying something in the heat of the moment that makes you look bad.
- Understand that your boss may say no. If this is the case, ask what you can do in the future to earn a raise. Are there any specific targets or numbers you have to hit? Knowing these benchmarks will help you know when you should come back to ask for a raise next time and know where your goals need to be aimed at.
See the following articles for more information:
- Tips on How to Negotiate a Raise Successfully
- Getting a Raise: The Prep Work
- Asking for a Raise
- Go after the Raise You Deserve, By Using Negotiation Techniques
- Getting a Raise: The Negotiation
Photo: forbes.com
