One of the most challenging things to do as an employee is to ask your boss for a raise. Most people will say they don’t ask even though they deserve it because they find the process of asking for a raise to be stressful. If you have improved and built upon your skills or increased your responsibilities, you should get a raise. If you don’t ask for one, it is to your detriment as the worst they can say is no, but they may say yes.
If you have confidence in your work and have been with the company or within your current position for a long time, you have every reason to go after a raise in your income. Here are five tips that will help you get that raise.
Timing
There is a saying that says, “Timing is everything.” This saying is true when it comes to getting a raise. While you should look for the best timing to ask and increase your chances of success, you have to be careful not to let timing become the excuse not to ask. The perfect time to ask that gives you the best opportunity for success will vary depending on the person you are asking and your company’s operations. If there is a hiring freeze or other company financial adjustments, you should wait until the company is in a better place.
Follow Internal Protocol
While you may deserve every penny of a raise, if you ask for it inappropriately or ask a person who has no decision-making capacity, your request may be declined. Make sure you know the internal protocol relating to asking for a raise. Some companies give that power to management while others consider all employee salary increases once a year based on their performance review.
Prepare a Presentation
A presentation can include visual aids or PowerPoint, or it can be a well-planned oral presentation. While your presentation should be assertive, it must be kept short and to the point. If you can’t convince your boss you deserve a raise in less than two or three minutes, then your performance may not hold up to the ask. When you walk into your boss’s office, they should already know you deserve this salary increase from your outstanding job performance and service record.
Focus on the Company
When asking for a raise, you must focus on yourself and focus on the company. You must show that you value the company and understand that it is a business. Showing this understanding and value and how you fit into it as an employee and how you increase the company’s worth will help your chances of getting a raise and getting the amount you desire.
Avoid Specific Salary
Some may argue that you should ask for the exact amount you would like to make when asking for a salary increase. However, it has been proven that asking for a range of salary increases your chances of not only receiving a raise but getting more than you expected. By giving a range with the lowest end of the range being the lowest acceptable amount and the high end of the range shooting for the stars, you guarantee that you will be satisfied with the amount of your raise is approved.
Conclusion
Here are some strong statistics that should encourage you to go for that raise with confidence. Of those who receive a raise, roughly 40% receive what they asked for and about 35% more than they asked for, leaving the other 25% to receive less than what was proposed. The point is the odds are in your favor that if you ask, you shall receive. It’s time for you to ask for the raise you deserve. If they say no, you are no worse off than you are before you ask.
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