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The Art of Asking for a Raise
By R.W. Neal
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One of the most difficult tasks we face during our work careers is the prospect of asking for a raise. It can be a nerve-racking experience, even for the most confident individual.
“Asking for a raise or negotiating salary should be easy, but it’s not,” says Dr. Kathleen Wells, a professional career coach. “Unless you are a sales or marketing professional who is used to selling yourself, asking for money can be downright uncomfortable.”
But even for those who have a hard time selling themselves at work, there are strategies that can lead to a successful outcome when asking for a raise.
Two critical ideas to consider before you march into the boss’ office to ask for a raise are first, take a realistic look at what your value to the company is and, second, understand the current financial state of your company. Since timing can mean everything when asking for a raise, being self-aware of these two factors will help tremendously when trying to achieve your goal.
When you take a look at your role in the company, ask yourself: Are you dependable? Have you helped productivity or increased sales? Have you helped the company eliminate problem issues? Do you get your work done on time? Do you have a positive relationship with co-workers and your boss?
Then analyze your company’s situation: Is your company performing well in its marketplace? Has your company’s stock been rising or falling? Is the economic climate in the area or country headed for positive or negative territory? Does your company only give annual raises and are they based on merit? Answer these questions in preparation for asking for a pay increase.
Workers can also analyze their job status and income through professional services like Delaware-based Scorelogix. The company offers a unique online testing model that helps workers accurately evaluate job security and personality in an effort to improve their career status.
If you come to the conclusion that a pay raise is justified and the timing is right, take the next step by setting up a meeting with your boss. Always do this face to face and never through email or on paper. Remember to treat it like a job interview, but try to keep it light-hearted so both parties feel comfortable discussing the issue. Just as you were selling yourself in your attempt to get hired, you have to make the case as to why you deserve a raise.
When it’s time to make your presentation to the boss, make sure you’re prepared with a solid grasp of your workplace accomplishments. Also know the market value of your job, comparing it to similar ones both inside and outside of your workplace. For most companies, the human resource departments have pay scales for particular jobs that will give you insight into salary ranges, and should be available to employees. If not, try to base it on research with other employees. Although most people don’t generally like discussing their salaries, asking some indirect questions to several co-workers can add up to some helpful information without invading anyone’s concerns about privacy.
Along the lines of knowing your own self-worth, be realistic and focus on what you deserve and not that pie in the sky dream salary. And never ask for a raise based on personal financial obligations. If you’re asking for a raise because you just purchased a Mercedes, bought a new house or had twins, keep that to yourself. Employers give out raises based work performance, not personal responsibility issues.
Concerning the sum of the raise, companies today generally deal in percentages. If you have a dollar figure in mind, just calculate what the percentage is according to your current salary and approach the boss in those terms. For example, if you’re making $40,000 a year and you think shooting for a $3,000 raise is fair, then you’re asking for a 7.5 percent raise.
If you’re a bit nervous, preparing a script is a good option. You must be prepared for any reaction coming from your boss, whether it’s positive, vague or just a straight out rejection to your request for a raise. And if you end up receiving the latter, don’t be dis |
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