You’ve been working for the company for quite some time, and the contributions you’ve made have had a significant impact on the team and the office. You know that it’s time for you to get a raise, but how exactly does one ask to get paid more?
Asking for a raise can be awkward, but by observing what goes around in the office, plus a little planning, you can get paid more this year. Here are some tips on what you should do before and while asking for a raise.
Be observant
Take a look around and see if it’s the right time to ask for a salary increase. If your company is making a profit and the sales department is performing well, then, by all means, ask for a raise. But if everyone seems depressed and people are getting laid off to cut costs, then you may have to wait a bit longer before talking to your boss about getting paid more.
Have tangible proof why you deserve a raise
Dan, 32, an attorney, told Refinery 29 about a tip that his boss told him, and it worked well when it was time for him to ask for a raise.
“Every time I get an email saying ‘good job’ or telling me how good a project was, I save it,” said Dan. “I don’t print out or read everything, but I have the information to back up any claims I make when I explain what I’ve done for the past year.”
Prepare a presentation to explain why you need a raise
It’s best to be prepared before asking for a raise from your boss. Highlight all the data proving your worth, as well as all the projects that you worked on and all your accomplishments over the past few years. Now is not the time to be shy—if you’re consistently at the top of the leader boards because of your stellar selling skills, or if you have taken the lead on several successful projects, point them out to prove why you’re worth the money.
Make an appointment to talk about the raise
Don’t just casually slip it in while your boss is talking about something else, like the next out-of-town business conference. Schedule a meeting via email so your boss knows what to expect, and that way, he or she can focus on what you need.
Don’t vent about your personal problems when asking for a salary increase
This is how most employees ruin their chances of getting a raise. Instead of highlighting their accomplishments, they focus on their personal and financial problems when asking for more money from the company. Don’t give your boss the woe-is-me routine as you tell him about your higher mortgage fees, late credit card payments, and the like. This will only make you look irresponsible and it may make your boss think twice about giving you that raise.
For more, check out Jobs & Hire’s report on why your co-worker makes more money than you.
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