14 Sep 09 Knowing When To Ask For A Raise

Written by: SamElli

Feeling that you deserve a raise for your hard work is all well and good, but bringing about the fact is a fine art.  You have to time your approach perfectly and ensure that you are well prepared to make your point in outstanding fashion.  Anything less can lead to an uncomfortable confrontation the likes of which you’d want to forget.  Or worse, could lead your boss to think it may be time to look for a different employee happy to work at your pay level.

Taking those thoughts into account, you are better prepared to make your case.  Start out by making an appointment with your boss for a personal meeting.  Springing a situation like this on your superior is never a good idea.  Talking money is not a great surprise conversation for anyone, and your boss won’t appreciate being sprung with that at all.  So ensure you avoid that confrontation, and set up an appointment to meet with them, but don’t tell them the situation just yet.

Try to have the meeting take place in a different area than the boss’ office.  In their office they are the master of the domain, and will act as such, creating a power shift from your arguments to theirs.  So try some neutral territory, like a working lunch.  Take your boss out and have the meeting at a restaurant, that gives you a good level playing field, and if you offer to pay for the meal, a happy boss to start out with.  Otherwise you can always try a neutral meeting room around the office, or an empty break room.  Anywhere but the boss’ office is good for making your case.

Practice your argument for why you feel you deserve a raise.  This way you know the points you want to make, and will appear prepared and knowledgeable about the situation at hand.  Also it gives you an opportunity to answer any arguments your boss may have, through your understanding of the facts.  But remember to always be courteous, this isn’t a “give me a raise or I’ll leave scenario“.  This is just an opportunity to outline your worth to the company, and your hardworking nature which makes you feel worthy of a raise.

Finally, just be cautious to not cross a line that your boss wouldn’t appreciate you crossing.  Stay courteous and professional, and overall positive even if the meeting doesn’t go the way you want.  Your boss already knows whether or not they want to give you a raise before you’re even having the meeting, this is just a chance to take some initiative.  If your boss doesn’t want to pay you more, you’re not going to get it, so don’t take that personally.Feeling that you deserve a raise for your hard work is all well and good, but bringing about the fact is a fine art.  You have to time your approach perfectly and ensure that you are well prepared to make your point in outstanding fashion.  Anything less can lead to an uncomfortable confrontation the likes of which you’d want to forget.  Or worse, could lead your boss to think it may be time to look for a different employee happy to work at your pay level.

Taking those thoughts into account, you are better prepared to make your case.  Start out by making an appointment with your boss for a personal meeting.  Springing a situation like this on your superior is never a good idea.  Talking money is not a great surprise conversation for anyone, and your boss won’t appreciate being sprung with that at all.  So ensure you avoid that confrontation, and set up an appointment to meet with them, but don’t tell them the situation just yet.

Try to have the meeting take place in a different area than the boss’ office.  In their office they are the master of the domain, and will act as such, creating a power shift from your arguments to theirs.  So try some neutral territory, like a working lunch.  Take your boss out and have the meeting at a restaurant, that gives you a good level playing field, and if you offer to pay for the meal, a happy boss to start out with.  Otherwise you can always try a neutral meeting room around the office, or an empty break room.  Anywhere but the boss’ office is good for making your case.

Practice your argument for why you feel you deserve a raise.  This way you know the points you want to make, and will appear prepared and knowledgeable about the situation at hand.  Also it gives you an opportunity to answer any arguments your boss may have, through your understanding of the facts.  But remember to always be courteous, this isn’t a “give me a raise or I’ll leave scenario“.  This is just an opportunity to outline your worth to the company, and your hardworking nature which makes you feel worthy of a raise.

Finally, just be cautious to not cross a line that your boss wouldn’t appreciate you crossing.  Stay courteous and professional, and overall positive even if the meeting doesn’t go the way you want.  Your boss already knows whether or not they want to give you a raise before you’re even having the meeting, this is just a chance to take some initiative.  If your boss doesn’t want to pay you more, you’re not going to get it, so don’t take that personally.

Tags: Appointment, Ask For A Raise, Boss, Break Room, Confrontation, Fashion, Fine Art, Lead, Level Playing Field, Meeting Room, Money, Neutral Territory, Opportunity, Power Shift, Surprise, When To Ask For A Raise, Working Lunch