You’ve put in the work; it’s time to enjoy the fruits of your labor. Do you feel satisfied with those rewards, or do you feel you could earn more? The same can be asked of the work you do: does your current role still challenge you, or do you feel ready to take on more responsibilities and grow as a professional? Having That Meeting with your boss where you make the case that you deserve a raise and/or promotion can be a fraught, nerve-wracking experience. It doesn’t have to be! With a little prep work, a lot of confidence, and a dash of ambition, you can advocate for yourself and take that big step toward earning what you’re worth.
Know What to Ask for
As the old saying goes: knowledge is power. Before you ask for a raise, do some research into salary trends to figure out what someone at your current position and level of expertise should be making. Reach out to mentors and people in your network who are in your line of work to find out what they know about salaries in your field. Online job boards can also be an effective way to look up current salary information; make sure to include your location in your searches, as pay rates can vary considerably depending on what state you’re working in. You’ll also want to take into consideration cost of living adjustments.
Timing is Key
Think back to the last time someone asked you for something while you were overwhelmed with work or feeling stressed out— did you feel more or less likely to respond positively to them? Did you find their sudden request burdensome and unwelcome? Keep the dangers of poor timing in mind when you’re about to ask for a raise. You don’t want to approach your supervisor when they’re in the middle of a huge, demanding project or if they’re handling a personal crisis. A distracted manager is less likely to give you their full attention. Someone in a bad mood will be generous with NO and stingy with YES.
When planning to ask for a raise, consider the rhythms of your work life. Are you in a “busy season” or experiencing a lull? Take the mood of your supervisor into account as well. If they seem perturbed or harried, it’s better to wait a few days to see if their mood improves.
You also take into consideration the overall financial health of your organization. Has it been a good quarter? Are they hiring more people or doing cuts? Is the budget expanding or shrinking? If your business is in a time of “feast,” it’s a good time to ask for a larger piece of the pie; in a time of “famine,” austerity is the order of the day so the odds of you getting a raise are slimmer than an eyelash.
Something to keep in mind: a bad time for asking for a raise can be a good time to show your worthiness of getting one. Is your boss overwhelmed? Ask if you can help lighten their load. Company taking a downturn? Put on your thinking cap: what can YOU do to make a difference? Use these hard times as moments of opportunity to take some initiative and demonstrate your commitment, work ethic, and drive.
“By stepping up when it counts most, you grow your skills and may better position yourself for a raise or promotion in the future,” said Gina Pinch, Rio Salado College Faculty Chair for Business, Management, and Public Administration.
Set Expectations Early
You don’t want to surprise your boss with a raise request. Build up to it by asking for a meeting. Tell them that you’d like to meet one on one to talk about your future contributions to the workplace. Express a desire for growth opportunities and advancement. Sow the seeds early so that when you have the actual meeting where you make The Ask, it won’t be coming out of the blue. If the meeting gets pushed back, check in to reiterate your interest in having this conversation with them.
Confidence Makes a Difference
When the time comes to have The Conversation, you’ll want to project an air of confidence. You don’t want to come in too strong like you have it in the bag. You want to convey that you believe you’ve put in the work and demonstrated your worth, that you have risen to a clear level of professionalism and skill that would warrant a promotion. A lack of confidence can be read as insincerity or lack of faith in yourself. If you walk in the room giving off the impression that you don’t think you’ll get a raise, you risk creating a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Eye contact is crucial for maintaining an appearance of confidence. Dress in something that is both work appropriate and that makes you feel confident. Be mindful of your body language and vocal tone. Maintain good posture, smile, keep your volume level, and don’t get too fidgety with your brains. You’ll want to look relaxed and engaged. If you’re not sure how your body language comes across to others, ask a friend to do a mock interview with you. You may be doing something off-putting without even realizing it.
Make Your Case
What are your proudest accomplishments at work? What have you done that best demonstrates your “worthiness” for getting a promotion? Show up to your meeting with this information close at hand. When making the case for why you deserve a raise or promotion, it helps to be able to point to milestones in your professional development. Talk about important projects you’ve completed, any critical processes you helped improve or took on, and also bring up any additional training or professional growth you’ve done to become a more skilled worker.
If you feel at ease talking yourself up like this, remember the words of Babe Ruth: "It's not bragging if you can really do it."
“You might also want to emphasize what you can do for the company when given more responsibilities,” said Pinch.
Share Your Goals
When asking for a raise or promotion, it can help to talk about how it relates to your future goals. What new responsibilities are you willing to take on? What challenges at work are you eager to take on? Do you want to use the pay increase to help cover your education expenses as you continue your professional development? Doing this shows your eagerness to deepen your commitment and contributions to the workplace, and that you’re not looking at this pay bump as an excuse to sit on your laurels.
Be Flexible
You may get a no. You may get a “not right now, but we can revisit this conversation in a few months.” You may get told there’s no opportunities to advance in your department right now but another team has a spot that you’d be a good fit for. You may even get a yes but the raise offered is nowhere near what you thought it would be. You’re asking your supervisor to have an open mind, to be receptive to this conversation about your advancement, so you in turn need to return the favor. Be flexible and be patient, hear them out, and consider your options carefully before proceeding.
Now, it’s possible that this meeting doesn’t go well. Or that your supervisor agrees that you deserve a raise but that the company cannot offer what you want at this time. If you feel like you’ve hit your ceiling, you may want to ask yourself if it’s time to check out who else is on the market and if you can make a higher salary elsewhere.
This brings up a particularly thorny question: should you bring up another job offer as leverage to secure a promotion in your current position? While this could work in some cases, it comes with some serious risks. Your employer could call your bluff and tell you to take the “better deal” or outright lay you off. And even if this does work out for you, they may hold this tactic against you in the future. You’ve displayed your willingness to walk away from your position; some employers might not take that personally but others could see that as a sign you’re not committed. Why promote someone who’s got one foot out the door?
Article by Austin Brietta
Career Corner
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