A successful negotiation for a pay raise is always based on your merit and accomplishments. A successful negotiation for a pay raise is never based on why you need additional money. While your employer may care about you, providing additional money to fund your chosen lifestyle is not their responsibility.
- Be straightforward in addressing your request for a pay raise to your supervisor. Tell the supervisor you are asking for a pay raise at this time because of the accomplishments and contributions you have made, and the additional responsibilities you have taken on. Be prepared with your documentation.
- Tell your boss the specific pay raise you'd like to see. Be prepared to present your research that supports your request for a pay raise.
- If the boss tells you he cannot provide a pay raise currently, ask what you need to do to make yourself eligible as soon as pay raises are available. Remember that a difference exists between an employee who is performing the job as expected from a superior performer and an employee who is truly giving the employer superior performance. Pay raises are based on the second.
- If you are using an offer from another employer to negotiate a pay raise with your current employer, be prepared to fail. Plus, in your negotiation, the employer learns that you're looking and career development, training, plum assignments, and other opportunities may cease to come your way. This can occur even if you receive the requested pay raise. The employer hates to be held hostage - and the employer will remember. It's a vicious cycle, once begun.
- Likewise, threatening to quit if you don't receive a pay raise is counterproductive and unprofessional. Plus, the employer may take you up on your offer. Instead, quietly and professionally go about your job search, if you have determined a pay raise merits changing employers.
Asking for a pay raise, when you have planned and prepared, can still be somewhat scary. Asking for a pay raise without planning and preparation is a crap shoot. And, you've wasted your best shot. Your boss isn't going to want to have that pay raise conversation with you again unless something changes at work.
Asking for a pay raise gets easier as you learn to plan and prepare. A successful negotiation or two helps, too. You build your confidence that asking for a pay raise is a task you can do. And, you increase the possibility that you will achieve your maximum income potential in your chosen field.
Learn the specifics about Planning and Preparing to Ask for a Pay Raise.
