Youâve spent the last year of life getting to work early, staying late, volunteering for extra responsibilities, and getting your work done with proficiency. Companies are willing to recognize motivated employees, so if you begin by asking, you might just get when you are trying to attain.
It is finally time propose to your Human Resource department for the raise youâve been seeking for the last few months. But how do you go about doing so? The process of it all can be a bit intimidating and downright overwhelming. Weâve compiled a list of a few different tips and tricks that can get you on the fast track to financial success in your already successful position.
Planning
A solid plan of attack is everything. The first part of this plan for a raise comes at its initial inception: I want/need/deserve a raise. It is with this thought that you can put time and effort into calculating the kind of proposal you need.
Realistically, is this Achievable?
Is your goal of receiving a raise a realistic and achievable goal? Maybe, but a lot of factors are involved when determining the answer to that question. How long have you been with your company? How much of a pay increase are you looking to obtain? What past accomplishments have you to present to show that you deserve this raise? Once youâve determined that this goal of yours is achievable, you can begin to set your plan underway.
Wisely Set a Date
The next thing to do is to set an estimated amount of time between you and your goal. Factor in how long youâve been at your job and in your current position, and whether or not youâve received a pay raise; If you havenât seen at least a 1% to 5% pay increase in the last 6-12 months, more than likely you should ask for one.
Now whether youâre a few weeks away or a couple months away, set a date for when youâll ask. More than likely, and on the off-chance it doesnât go the way youâve planned, try to ask your superior at the end of the week so that they have time to reflect upon your proposal for a raise.
Research. Research. Research.
As the date looms closer and closer, double and triple check your research so that you have all the facts straight. âBut what do I research?â There a few things you need to look at:
- Your Companyâs Pay Practicesâtalk to a person from Human Resources about different polices that include salary.
- External Pay Comparisonsâget a basic idea of what others in your industry are getting paid. Use websites like âGlassdoorâ to find the estimations in categories like company size, location, and years of experience, among others.
- Your Job Worthâfind out if competing employees (whether in-house or at other companies) have a different workload than you. This can also be done on âGlassdoorâ but knowing the responsibilities that constant throughout the industry can tell you a lot about what you are and are not doing.
- Realistic Expectationsâmake sure that the pitch of your salary expectations is within the bounds of reality and possibility, and a lot of this goes hand in hand with your job worth.
Getting Back to the Grind
Once youâve done your research and laid your plan into motion, think about how you can work harder or increase your workload. Volunteer to do things out of the usual parameters. Execute with authority and at the end of the day just get the job done.
Communicating with Confidence
After working nonstop without complaint for the few weeks or months youâve set, itâs finally the end of the week you picked to go big and obtain the raise you so desire. Word to the wise: make sure you catch your superior on a day where nothing too stressful has occurred and make sure that they would be in the headspace to negotiate with you. Know your bossâs personality type.
The most important attribute to have when you get sit across from your supervisor(s) face to face is confidence. Breathe and speak like you would with a friend, but instill enough professionalism so that you donât come across as too chummy or trivialâpeople like innovations but no one really likes a brownnoser.
Earnestly explain your situation with honesty and why you feel you need and deserve this raise, but never ever beg. Begging is a sign of weakness, and shows that youâre a weak link in the chain. Sell yourself, your qualities, why youâre a valuable aspect to the machine as a whole, and what you think you do better because of the position youâve been locked in. Never ever put down a coworker and whine about why you deserve it more than another person. Explain the facts and just be confident.
Results
This can go one of two ways:
- You get your raiseâcongrats youâve received a better wage that you desire and looked forward to.
- You get turned downâif you get turned down, there are a few things you can do. Listen as to why they think you donât deserve a raise quite yet. Be inquisitive and ask what they think you can do better to improve your chances for next time. Things can be negotiated and worked out and they may even counter offer you to another challenge before you receive a raise, which you will be ready for.
Donât be discouraged or do anything impulsively if the latter result is what turns up. Youâve worked too hard in your current position to make any rash decisions. Just keep working and never let anything hold you back.
