Should you ask for a raise?
ARE you being compensated enough for the work you do? If not, then it might be time to request a raise. This can be an intimidating and difficult conversation to have with your employer, but it is something that every employee should learn to do effectively.
There are many things that go into asking for a raise; this article will walk you through them. After reading it, you should feel confident that you understand what it takes to ask for a raise.
Asking for a raise is a skill, and like any skill it can be learned.
Here are some tips to help you get over your fear of asking:
Ask at the right time
If it’s too soon after your last raise, there’s a good chance that you’re not going to get one yet. It also depends on how well you’ve done since then—if you’ve been consistently exceeding expectations, then there’s no reason why your manager shouldn’t give it to you (but still be prepared for them saying no). On the other hand, if you haven’t done very well in the past few months or years (or even ever), don’t expect much sympathy when asking for more money unless they’re really desperate or have been planning on cutting salaries anyway (note: this doesn’t apply if someone else was just promoted). Most jobs will offer annual raises; if yours doesn’t do this regularly (or at least annually), then that might mean they’re not ready yet because they want everyone to focus on their current tasks instead of thinking about what could happen next year!
Don’t ask without knowing what “reasonable” means first
Often, people just don’t know where their salary falls within industry standards. Both parties may simply need clarification first.
There are multiple ways to ask for a raise
•In person
•In writing (via e-mail or snail mail)
•In a group meeting with your boss and other people who work for the company. If it’s possible to do this remotely, like through Skype or Google Hangouts, great! But if not, try to make sure that both you and your boss are in the same place at the same time so he or she can see how serious you are about the job.
Don’t ask for a raise until you are prepared
•You need to know what your boss is thinking. You should be able to point out how you’ve added value and helped the company grow since you started working there.
•You need to know what you’re worth. If you don’t have a hard number in mind, then it’s hard for others to guess as well!
•You need to know how much you can ask for. This will depend on the industry that you work in, but also on how high of a quality work it demands. Do you deserve more than $10 per hour? How much more?
•You need to know what type of person they are looking for (and whether or not they are hiring). Some employers might not be interested at all while others might be actively trying out new talent right now—so asking too soon may ruin any chance of being considered later!
A lot of preparation depends on having a good relationship with your boss.
In order to successfully ask for a raise, you will need to have a good relationship with your boss. You should be able to talk about your job and performance with him or her in an open, honest way. In addition, you should also be able to discuss your goals for the future. If it’s not possible for you to do these things yet—if there’s some kind of barrier between you and your boss—then it may be worthwhile doing some work on building up that relationship before moving forward with asking for more money.
Don’t ask for a raise if you are just going to quit soon after
This is a controversial one, but hear me out. If you’re planning on leaving your job in the near future, asking for a raise can make you look like an ungrateful jerk. It’s one thing to use your skills and experience at another company when negotiating with your current employer—but it’s another thing entirely to actively sabotage other employees’ morale in order to maximise your own earning potential without any regard for how they’ll feel about it later. In addition, there’s always the chance that after getting the pay raise that they wanted so badly, they’ll realise their mistake and quit anyway!
Don’t wait too long before asking for a raise
Asking for a raise is never easy. But if you’re going to do it, don’t wait too long before doing so. There are plenty of reasons why this can be a bad idea:
•You might forget to ask at all.
•You could lose your job while you’re waiting around for the perfect moment to ask for more money.
•A new boss might come in, who won’t be as keen on giving raises as your current one is (or at all).
•A new job opportunity could appear that makes it impossible for your employer to keep paying you what they were originally willing to pay.
Don’t ask for a raise if you have recently made mistakes
One of the worst things that can happen during a job search is when you are in the middle of a project that isn’t going well, especially if those mistakes are visible to your company or team. Don’t ask for a raise if the project has been delayed because of things you’ve done. The same goes for any other work mishaps, such as forgetting an important task or being late to meetings. You may need to wait until things have settled down before asking for more responsibilities and/or money.
Rehearse the conversation with someone you trust
•Get feedback from someone you trust.
•Practise your pitch.
•Make sure you know what you are asking for.
•Make sure you know what the company can afford.
•Make sure you know what the company needs in order for them to be able to pay your salary increase.
•Make sure that if they can’t afford it, that there is a plan in place so that when the time comes and funds become available, they will invest in their employees’ salaries as well as other priorities like marketing or infrastructure upgrades needed at work (such as software upgrades).
Avoid confrontation at all costs
Now, this doesn’t mean you have to act like a doormat and let people walk all over you. However, if you’re going to ask for a raise, it’s best not to be confrontational or aggressive about it. Instead of saying something like, “I deserve a raise because I’m awesome”, try something like, “I’d really appreciate feedback on how I can improve my performance as well as any ideas or suggestions for how I could become more valuable within the company”.
Be prepared to walk away if you don’t get what you want
You might think that asking for a raise will go over well with your boss or work colleagues; however, if they reject your request outright or give an excuse why they can’t pay more money yet (for example, there’s no budget), then it may not be worth sticking around anymore! If that happens then start looking elsewhere until someone finds out how valuable YOU are!
Getting a raise is important, but you need to plan carefully and prepare in order to make your request effective. When you are seeking a raise, it is important to be prepared. There are several things that you should think through before you ask for one. You will want to know what the salary range at your company is and how much money that position typically makes. You will also want to plan out what you are going to say and practice saying it aloud so that it feels natural for when the time comes.
If you’re still not sure whether or not asking for more money from your boss is worth it, here’s some advice on how best to approach this potentially intimidating conversation:
•Be confident but polite when approaching your employer about getting a raise
•Be clear about what changes need making in order for this increase in pay to occur (eg, “I believe I deserve an increase because…”)
•Be prepared with a list of reasons why increasing your salary would benefit everyone involved (eg, “My work has gotten increasingly complex over time; I feel like I am now able to handle these added responsibilities.”) If possible, offer proof of these accomplishments through documentation or concrete examples from past projects..
In the end, you should ask for a raise if you believe you deserve it. You are worth more than what your employer pays you, and asking for a raise is not an act of selfishness. You work hard and deserve to be compensated fairly; if your boss does not pay you fairly, then it might be time to find a better job where your hard work is appreciated. If, on the other hand, your boss recognises that he or she needs skilled employees like yourself to keep their business thriving, then they will probably agree and give you more money in return for continued loyalty by giving raises when they can afford it. The only way they can do this is if employees like yourselves ask politely but firmly that they deserve one.
Courtanae Heslop is Chief Executive Officer at Online Jobs Agency.