How to Ask Your Boss for a Raise

Asking your boss for a raise can be stressful, especially if you’ve never asked for an increase in pay before. The key to approaching your employer properly is to do your research prior to your meeting and emphasize your accomplishments with the company thus far.

If you’re thinking of asking for a raise, follow these three steps:

1. Time your request appropriately

Before asking for a higher salary, ask yourself the following questions:

• Have you had a positive performance review recently?
• Have you been given more responsibility outside of your normal duties?
• Have you been exceeding all of your goals?
• Have you gotten some important wins for your company?
• Have you been going above and beyond what is being asked?
• Have you increased your knowledge regarding your industry?
• Have you checked how your current salary stacks up against your position’s pay range?

If you’ve answered “yes” to most of these questions, you may be a good candidate for a pay raise.

2. Present your case

When meeting with your boss, have documentation that shows why you should get a raise. Having these achievements and results in writing will help prove your value to the organization. Share examples of projects you’ve completed and explain how they’ve impacted the business in a beneficial way. If you’ve received positive feedback from supervisors, managers, or clients, make sure to share that information with your boss as well.

Although you may do a great job and work a lot of hours, that isn’t enough to justify asking for a raise. Explain to your boss how you’ve gone above and beyond to benefit your team and your company, especially in situations where you’ve helped the business earn more money.

If you’re thinking of asking for a specific amount, know what the comparable pay range is within your industry to help you make your point. Also, if you’re asking for a raise because of a personal issue such a higher car payment, leave that out of the conversation. You want to explain why you deserve a raise, not why you need one.

3. Ask about the next steps

Most likely, your boss isn’t going to give you an answer on the spot. End the meeting by asking when you can expect to hear back so that you have a timeframe of how long it will take to have an answer.

If your boss declines your raise request, don’t get discouraged. Just because he or she said “no” now doesn’t mean “no” forever. Ask to have a performance appraisal before your next annual review. This gives you time to improve on things your boss may have mentioned and at the same time puts you in line for a possible increase in pay in a shorter amount of time.

Asking for a salary increase may be out of your comfort zone, but if you truly believe you add value to your company, then go ahead and ask for one. After all, there’s nothing wrong with asking for a raise that reflects the hard work you do for your company.

If you’re looking for a way to thrive professionally, learn about specialized training through our LifeWorks training course. Our team of experienced coaches will help guide and encourage you through the 12-week course. Thanks to our generous financial partners, the course is entirely free to those who qualify. For more information, contact The Jobs Partnership by calling 407-641-0755 or apply online.