HOW TO ASK FOR A RAISE! (7 CRUCIAL TIPS for Getting a Pay Rise at Work!)

Asking for a pay raise is a difficult thing to do. You might be nervous. You might be fearful of getting rejected, or you may simply not know what to say! However, fear not, because we are here to help you!

Make sure you have a number in mind that you want to get paid, and that you are going to be happy with. A lot of people go in to a pay raise negotiation without knowing exactly what they want! This is a mistake. Your employer is likely to say to you, “well, how much do you want?” and it is essential you give a figure that you are going to be comfortable with. Remember: you can’t keep going back time and time again asking for a pay raise, so make sure you know the EXACT figure you want.

When deciding the figure you want to get paid be sure to carry out some research. There are several things you should research to determine how much you should be getting paid…

RESEARCH AREA NUMBER 1 – Ask people who are in similar roles in different companies what they are getting paid. This will give you a good indication how much you should be getting a paid. If you know the ‘going rate’ for your position in your industry, it makes your negotiating position stronger.

RESEARCH AREA NUMBER 2 – Check out the numerous online salary tools that are available. For example, GlassDoor.com has a ‘KNOW YOUR WORTH’ tool that you can quickly find out what you should be getting paid based on your job title and industry. I have placed a link to this tool and also an alternative tool at https://www.salary.com/ in the description below the video.

https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/know-your-worth.htm

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This is an important one…

Before you go into a pay raise discussion with your boss, gather details and evidence of previous your STRONG WORK PERFORMANCE and also how you have already ADDED VALUEto their company since you’ve been working there. You can’t simply go into a pay raise negotiation without justifying WHY they should pay you the amount you want.

Evidence can include outstanding work performance in a specific area, details of positive performance reviews you have had, how you helped increase sales, improve customer service standards, trained up new members of staff, or how you have gone above and beyond what is normally required.

So, if you carry out any duties that are outside of your job description, these are good things to mention when negotiating a pay raise. Also, if you get to work early each day or stay behind late consistently, again these are good examples of EVIDENCE you can use to justify getting a higher salary!

When discussing and negotiating a pay rise, you need to tell your manager what is going to be different once they pay you the salary you deserve. This is a great way to increase the chances of getting a raise and to demonstrate your commitment to their company. If you came in to see me asking for a raise and you told me three things you were going to do moving forward that would be of benefit to my company, I would feel good about giving you a raise.

Here’s 3 examples of things you could say that will be different moving forward…

1. I have lots of experience using social media and I think I can help the company attract new customers by helping out with online marketing campaigns.
2. I have been thinking about different ways I could help the company save money by streamlining the office supplies ordering process.
3. Moving forward I want to take on additional responsibilities and get involved more with important projects that will help the company increase revenue.

So, tip 4 is to consider what you will do moving forward once they have given you a pay raise.

When is a good time to ask for a pay raise? Well, the best time to speak to your boss about a pay raise is:

1. When the company is performing well financially, and there is a good feel around the organization! You will know in your company when there is a positive vibe around the place.
2. A good time to ask for a pay raise is when you have finished a really important task or project that has had a positive impact in the organization.
3. Another good time to ask for a pay raise is during your performance review, especially if you have performed to a very good standard throughout the year.
4. Finally, a good time to ask for a pay raise is at the end of the financial year as this allows the company to factor in your pay raise within the next years financial budget.

CONSIDER ANY OBJECTIONS! Again, this is vital when preparing for a pay raise discussion. What could your manager say when you ask for a pay raise. Well, they could simply say “now is not a good time”, or they could say they don’t believe you are worth the salary you are asking for… so we need to prepare for objections.

If your boss says now is not a good time to be asking for a pay raise, ask for a date to be put in the diary when you can both sit down to discuss it. This is a great thing to do because it gives you a firm date to work towards when you can discuss a pay raise.

If your boss says they don’t think you are worth the figure you are asking for, justify it with the evidence you have previously gathered including strong work performance, what you will do moving forward, and online pay scale information provided by websites such as GlassDoor.com or Payscale.com.

Now, if your manager offers you a small pay raise of let’s say 1%, you might go back to them and explain that the rate of inflation, i.e., the cost of living is higher than 1%, and therefore you will still be worse off with that amount and you would like them to consider an increased offer.

There are actually two elements to this tip – first of all, never get offended or take things personally when discussing a pay raise; always maintain professionalism. Never say, “well if you don’t give me the pay raise I want I will look for another job.” Never do that.

And the next piece of advice is to make sure you practice the pay raise negotiation with a friend or relative before you go into a discussion with your manager. This is a great way to help you overcome any nerves you may have, and to really polish what it is you want to ask for.

YOU: Hi, I would appreciate the opportunity to discuss my current salary with you, please. I’ve been carrying out some research and collecting evidence about my work performance over the last year, and I believe I am worthy of a pay raise.

MANAGER: OK, how much are you looking for?

YOU: I would like a pay raise of $10,000 per year.

MANAGER: That’s way too much and it’s not really a figure the company can afford right now.

YOU: Well, I have carried out some research and the average salary for my role in competing companies is $10,000 higher. Over the last year I have performed strongly, and I have worked on several projects that have helped the organization grow. I also spent some time helping the company come up with new ways to increase sales and I have worked hard to help the company save money by suggesting ways we can reduce expenditure in the long-term.

MANAGER: OK, well we could probably stretch to a 3% pay raise. Would you be happy with that amount?

YOU: Unfortunately, I would not be happy with that amount. Inflation is currently high which means I would still be worse off with 3%. Also, moving forward I want to take on more responsibilities because I see my long-term future with this company. I also believe I am worthy of a higher pay raise because I often carry out duties that are above and beyond my expected role. Would you reconsider my request for a $10,000 pay raise?

MANAGER: OK, we are keen to keep you working here and based on the information you provided we could stretch to a $7,500 pay raise. Would you be happy with that?

YOU: Yes, I’d be comfortable with that amount. However, can we schedule in to review my salary again in 12 months’ time?

MANAGER: Yes, I am happy to agree to that.

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• Instant online access as soon as your order is placed to over 50 interactive modules.

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