5 Tips to Help You Increase Your Income by Asking for a Raise

Asking for a Raise - Complete Controller

There may come a time in life for the financially responsible adult where you need to increase your income. You may need more income to make a large purchase, save for emergencies or retirement, or due to unforeseen financial hardships, making it challenging to make ends meet. Whatever the reason, you may be contemplating asking for a raise to increase your income. For some, asking for a raise is easy, and it is difficult for others to do it for others. Here are five tips to help make asking for a raise easy so you can increase your income without having to get a second job. Check out America's Best Bookkeepers

Protocol Awareness

The first thing you need to be aware of is the company protocol on asking for a raise. Some companies may not have a specific protocol, while others may have salary increase procedures to follow if you are looking for a raise. In the past, employees would set a meeting with the boss and ask for a raise and lay out the reasons for a simple verbal presentation. In today’s corporate world, some offices have channels that are gone through to gain approval and increase income. Make sure you are aware of the protocol before you approach anyone about a raise.

Timing is Everything

Figuring out the right time to ask is similar to protocol awareness. In some companies, they only consider increases in salary during yearly evaluations. They consider it for all employees and will award increases according to job performance and employee evaluation. You may not have to wait for a specific time of year at other companies and can set the time to when it makes the most sense to you. If you can choose when to ask for a raise, make sure you set the appointment with the decision-maker when it is right for them, and with plenty of notice. This attention to the timing can make a difference between getting the raise or having it rejected. Check out America's Best Bookkeepers

Be Realistic

While you should be aware of your worth and how that translates into being paid what you are worth, you also have to consider that asking for a raise is a business transaction. Suppose you ask for too much of an increase in your income that either the company can’t afford or is out of proportion to your progression, instead of the company negotiating. In that case, they may reject it altogether. At the same time, it is not unrealistic to ask for a little more than you want to give some negotiation space.

Be Prepared

Asking for a raise in some smaller businesses may be as simple as walking up to your boss and asking, requiring no preparation. However, in most companies, when asking for a salary increase, you have to be prepared to make a presentation as to why you deserve the raise. You should be able to show your value, what you bring to the table, and why this value deserves an increase in your income. If you are a hard worker, often the decision-maker knows your value. However, in some cases, your hard work is taken for granted, so if you are prepared with well thought out arguments of why you should get what you are asking for, your chances of securing a raise are increased. Check out America's Best Bookkeepers

Amount

Some may argue that you should ask for the exact amount you would like to make when asking for a salary increase. In some cases, this direct and specific approach will be successful. However, it is suggested that you give the decision maker a range of amounts. Some may believe this means the company would probably offer the lowest amount of salary in your provided range. First, if you make the lower end, what you are willing to take, or if it is an amount you were hoping for, you will increase your chances of getting the raise you want. Second, you could get more than you wanted if you give them this range of choices. Another strategy is to ask for a percentage or range of percentages of your current income increase.

Conclusion

Asking for a raise can be challenging unless it is built into your company’s performance reviews done yearly. Even though asking for a raise might make you nervous, the truth is, 100% of employees that don’t ask for a raise don’t get one. However, studies show that 70% of those employees ask for a raise to get one if a person uses these tips.

Check out America's Best Bookkeepers About Complete Controller® – America’s Bookkeeping Experts Complete Controller is the Nation’s Leader in virtual bookkeeping, providing service to businesses and households alike. Utilizing Complete Controller’s technology, clients gain access to a cloud-hosted desktop where their entire team and tax accountant may access the QuickBooks™️ file, critical financial documents, and back-office tools in an efficient and secure environment. Complete Controller’s team of certified US-based accounting professionals provide bookkeeping, record storage, performance reporting, and controller services including training, cash-flow management, budgeting and forecasting, process and controls advisement, and bill-pay. With flat-rate service plans, Complete Controller is the most cost-effective expert accounting solution for business, family-office, trusts, and households of any size or complexity. Check out America's Best Bookkeepers