How to Ask For a Raise: Consider These 11 Helpful Tips Before Asking

Do Your Own Research

Do a little market research on how much you should be earning at your current position. PayScale.com and Salary.com offer some neat salary range and how much you could be earning with your experience and skills. Although that is merely a reference, it does give you a good gauge.

Or you can try asking how much your colleagues or friends in your similar positions are raking in, just make sure they are working for another company.

Learn About Your Company’s Salary Practices

If your company is paying lower salaries than its competitors, then they probably wouldn’t like to show their pay scales. Research on any available information in your personnel manual or the company’s forum.

Consult an HR manager if you could. It is their job, after all, to make sure the employees are well-taken care off. You might get some idea on your pay range and the way things work in the company. You might get some insights of the pay comparisons with other companies

Show Your Worth

Before you can get that money, you need to provide evidences that you deserve them. The evidence should be pretty obvious, pretty much anything you have contributed to the company, especially for important or unique cases that you handle perfectly. All you need to do now is to alert the boss that someone is running around accomplishing feats for his company and would probably need to be rewarded better. The evidence will assert your worth in the company, and for thicker bulk. The more you do and the higher the responsibilities you take, the more you should feel comfortable asking for that raise.

Time It Wisely

Timing is everything and the best time to do so is when you have accomplished your project exceptionally well, taken new responsibilities, solved a significant problem or pretty much anything noteworthy. If you have just screwed up big time, maybe failing to meet the company goals or blown a hole in your budget, you should probably avoid that raise for now.

If you are expecting major company layoffs or the boss is in a less than pleasant mood, your job security is probably the priority now.

Believe In Yourself

If you lack the confidence to convince your boss for a raise, then you probably don’t deserve that raise after all. Well in a way you might be sucking up to the boss. If you could confidently tell him about your performance so far and why you should deserve the raise, he might budge and believe that you deserve it.

Practice Asking

You can expect to argue with your boss if he is more hard headed. Practice what you are going to say that might just convince him enough to give you the raise. Remember that your opponent is a formidable one, since he is still the one allowing you to pay the bills. Practice and rehearse the things you will say, say them out loud, record it and play back. Learn the weakness in your voice or arguments. Not only will you be able to win the conversation, you will build up your confidence as well.

Professional Appointment

If you really are serious for the raise, then arrange a one-on-one appointment with him. It’s a proper business meeting, where you are dealing with a client that is paying less than you think you deserve. Avoid discussing over emails, telephone or the water cooler. It’s just unprofessional and would not reflect well on yourself.

Sell Yourself, Not Beg

When you are asking for a raise, you are telling them that your time in the company is worth that much more money. You deserve the praise for your outstanding attitude and skills. The boss won’t really pity your debt problems or your six kids at home, the only thing that matters is your ability to produce results for him for the amount you are paid. Sell your skills for what your performance is worth.

Ask Your Boss Directly

It might seem arrogant at first but knowing what could get you ahead from the horse’s mouth itself will put you ahead in the salary increase list. Before you trade off your time for more responsibility or in this case, money, ask your manager how you could be getting those promotions and raises. The criteria tend to be different for every boss, so you might have some interesting discussion with your boss. If anything, this should put you under the radar for future opportunities from your supervisor.

Plan B

When you want to know how to ask for a raise, you also need to consider another situation: Your boss refuse to give a salary increase to you right now, ask him how you can work towards that raise. Ask for feedbacks that you can improve one or more responsibilities you can take. Corporate budget issues mean you are out of luck and probably better if you delay it for another month or so. When things are more stable, then it’s time for you to discuss it again.

Stay Positive

Complaining to your boss on failing salary negotiations is a huge mistake. The more you try to counter argue, the more likely the reasons you come up with will start sounding like whining. You shouldn’t mention that you are doing thrice the amount of work or lack of raise over the years.

What you should do instead is to continue improving yourself and raising your value in the company. That way if the salary negotiations continue to fail, rival companies that appreciate your skills might invite you with open arms.