Salary Raise: How To Request For One

In this article, you will learn how to make a salary raise request without feeling guilty about it.

Asking for a salary raise can seem scary for many people because they feel awkward about initiating such conversations.

The truth is, there’s nothing wrong with asking for a raise that reflects the hard work that you do, but there are some approaches and best practices that will always get better results than others.

Even though you are putting in the work, you still need to present a case on why you deserve a raise.

Here are five ways to request a salary raise.

1. Make a list of your achievements

This is the first step to asking for a salary raise. Make a list of your significant goals, achievements, and contributions to the company. Look back to projects and periods of time where you went beyond what was expected and provided real value for your company.

An increase in responsibility, more employees, management on your team, or special projects are often grounds for an increase if you ask.

The purpose here is to prove your value to the organization and helps your employer realize that you know your worth.

2. Do your research

Before you ask for a salary raise, you need to start by doing your research. This will help determine the value of your position.

If you don’t know what the market rate is for your work and in your geographic area in particular since there can be wide variations by region, research the market pay rates before you ask for more money.

If you are already paid above your market pay rate, negotiating a pay raise can be difficult.

You can also get information by talking to people in your field, also talk to recruiters and see if any professional organizations in your field keep salary data.

3. Boost your negotiation power

Negotiation is the process of reaching a fair agreement for the parties involved by means of meaningful conversations. Most employees cower in the face of salary negotiation because of the impression this may create about them to their employers. Others who are brave enough to take the step lack the skillfulness to achieve or reach a handy result.

You also need to spend time planning and preparing for your negotiation. The more confidence you have that what you are asking for is reasonable and defensible, the less likely your arguments will be refuted or ignored.

Get help from books, resources, networking, and friends who have successfully negotiated a pay raise.

ALSO READ: How To Quit Your Job The Right Way

4. Timing is key

There is a time for everything and this is also used in the context of a salary raise. Asking for a raise in the middle of an economic downturn may not be met with positive results. Neither is asking for a raise when your company is under financial pressure. You need to be aware of your organization’s financial state and make your move accordingly.

When picking a good time to ask for a raise, find out when your company’s fiscal budget planning takes place so you can be sure that you aren’t asking for the impossible. A good time to ask for a raise is during Annual Performance Reviews, after completing a project, or when your manager is in a good mood.

5. Know what to say if the answer is no

So you have asked for a raise and the answer is ‘NO’, all is not lost. This is a perfect opportunity to ask, “Can you tell me what you think it would take for me to earn a raise in the future? Ask what you need to do to make yourself eligible as soon as pay raises are available.

You can then assess whether you’re able and willing to follow the path your manager lays out (or whether a realistic path exists at all).

However, if your manager isn’t able to give you specifics about how you can earn a raise in the future, that’s a useful signal that if you want more money, you may need to leave in order to get it somewhere else.