Influence
by Robert Cialdini
⏱ 14 minutes reading time
🎧 Audio version available
Why You Shouldn’t Be Nervous
Right now, you may be nervous. But believe it or not, to your boss, someone asking for a raise may not be that big of a deal. Managers and higher-ups deal with salaries all the time. This is likely more awkward for you than for them. If they have previous experience, the thought that you’re “greedy” isn’t going to be their first conclusion.
The truth is– and your boss knows this– you are not asking for something completely outrageous.
Think of it this way: all you’re asking for is the acknowledgment that your work is valued at a higher level than your current salary. And at the end of the day, aren’t salaries meant to be a reason to keep you, a valuable employee, around? You’re not asking for a favor or a handout. It’s in your workplace’s best interest to put effort into keeping you around.
Now that you’re ready, it’s time to plan!
Know When to Ask
First things first: it’s important to know when to ask for a raise. Before you determine how you plan to initiate the conversation, pick your moment. As cliché as it sounds, timing is everything.
For example, if your boss is clearly having a bad day– whether that means they’re snapping at everyone in sight or have been locked in their office all day– then today is probably not your best bet.
Your boss, after all, is a regular human being with human emotions. If they’re in a rush, put off the conversation until they’re less busy. So, when should you talk to them?
If the chances are that they’re never not busy, then do this! Depending on your job, when you have just completed an accomplishment, saved the day, landed a big client, earned some serious profits, et cetera– your boss is more than likely to be pleased with you. This is when you head in to have that conversation. You’ve got this!
The Best Timing of the Year to Ask
Asking for a raise– and almost guaranteeing that you get it– doesn’t just depend on your boss’ mood. You also need to take into account the financial situation of your company or business.
These issues have to deal with what time of the year it is. In some businesses, there are some employers who have either annual or quarterly reviews with their employees. That’s your chance to discuss your request.
Experts recommended waiting for the end of the fiscal year. If you’re not familiar with the term, a fiscal year is what companies use– a 12 month period– for purposes such as tax reporting. And more importantly for you, they use it for budgeting. When the fiscal year is coming to a close, which for most businesses, is around the end of January, this is when employers are more likely to agree to adjust your salary for the next year.
Take a note of when the fiscal year ends and mark it on your calendar. Why? You need to practice your pitch!
Know Your Worth
A big part of requesting a raise– and actually getting it– is showing your boss why you deserve it and why you’re, quite clearly, being underpaid for your effort.
The value of your work is tied to how much you’ve done for the company. As time goes on, be sure to keep a record of how your actions, decisions, and projects have helped the company.
Know that even in the most positive, nourishing work environment, it’s not likely that anyone else is going to remember each and every one of your amazing accomplishments. You need to do that on your own, keep track of them, and when the time comes around, present them to your boss.
But before that step, collect your accomplishments, the amount of effort you put in every day, how your skills benefit the company, and see how much they’re worth in dollar amounts.
Going into a meeting to discuss increasing your raise without knowing how much you want puts you at risk of either your boss not agreeing or you continuing to be underpaid.
So, find the pay range for your job and for the geographic location you’re in. Once you prove that it’s true, that you are being dramatically underpaid, then this is one of the most compelling arguments you can bring to your meeting.
Or, if you find out that you’re not underpaid for your job, but still feel you deserve a raise based on your efforts, make sure to take that into account when asking for a reasonable raise.
How can you do that? If you have knowledge of what your co-workers are earning and know for a fact that they’re earning more than you– without painting anyone in a negative light– present your findings. The matter of fact is that the field generally pays x amount, and you’re not getting it, even though you believe your performance is worth it.
If you don’t know how much your co-workers earn, that’s totally fine too! You can also check out salary surveys and websites. While they may not be the most accurate, they’re a good starting point. At the very least, they’ll give you a reasonable range to start from.
The Actual Meeting
The moment of truth! The actual meeting. Now what?
To nail this interview, try practicing your request with a friend who can practice negotiations with you.
It goes without saying that, depending on your boss, this may be a delicate conversation that requires tact. Not to worry, though! This just means, if you have to double check, you’re well prepared.
Contrary to popular belief, you don’t actually need to have a PowerPoint presentation on why you deserve a raise. What you need are a plan and a brief, but eloquent, pitch. Some people even recommend making it as brief as you can.
This is what you need to say: talk about your responsibilities at the company. This falls under the topic of why you’re now asking for a rightfully earned raise. So, you want to talk about your contributions, your efforts, how the business has improved due to your ideas, et cetera.
So, you shouldn’t need an official presentation. But what you will need is to be prepared to present your pitch and answer any questions.
Do your best to make sure you start off on the right foot. Experts recommend saying something to express your appreciation for your job and working there. Then, follow that by pointing out that the scope of your work has expanded. Finish your statement by saying you would like to discuss the possibilities of reviewing a raise.
Be sure to bring up– in addition to your accomplishments– all your plans for the future and your ideas for your role at the company. Your tone should be as calm as possible. You want to be diplomatic, not aggressive. No matter what you do, don’t threaten your boss. For example, don’t lead with threats to leave for another job if you don’t get that raise– lest they take you up on that offer when you didn’t actually plan to follow through with it.
And on the off chance that your boss doesn’t agree to the raise or says it’s not the right time; don’t give up. You’ve paved the way. And as a reason to not be nervous, remind yourself that the amount you’re asking for is in line with the market for your work. Asking to revisit your compensation isn’t likely to damage your relationship with your boss.
Now, are you ready to ask for that raise? Let’s go!
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