Even if we are sure that we are doing well and deserve a raise, it is not easy to raise the issue of salary. We are nervous, we do not want to seem persistent, ungrateful. Here are some tips from Joanna Goddard of the Cup of Jo blog that will also come in handy if you have to negotiate salary for a new job.
Since childhood, most of us have been taught to think that talking about money is bad form. But a paycheck is not a gift you get from your boss. You earned this money with your work, because you are a valuable employee for the company.
How to prepare for a conversation?
1. Demonstrate fantastic results. Do you really put your soul into what you do? If not, ask your co-workers, your boss, how you could help your team, take on more responsibilities, get things done, and ask for a raise in six months.
2. Choose a time. It’s a good tradition to ask for a raise once a year, on the anniversary of your joining the company.
3. Remember – your superiors will not think badly of you. Employers are rarely shocked when employees ask them for a pay raise. In fact, they are more likely to wonder why they have not been asked anything for so long. Most companies include salary indexation in their budget.
A friend, an HR specialist at a company, told me how she sometimes wishes employees were not shy about asking for a raise, because half the time it was approved in advance in the budget.
4. Make a list of your accomplishments. Keep such a list throughout the year – the goals you have achieved, the new knowledge and experience that you have gained, praise and compliments for your work from colleagues and the manager. Everyday work is often invisible, so now is the time to show your boss everything you do for the company.
5. Do not give arguments from your personal life. Your rent has been raised, the commute to work is eating up a significant portion of your budget, you are about to get married—of course, all this is important to you, but it has nothing to do with salary discussions. The only thing worth paying attention to right now is your value to the company.
How to have a conversation?
1. Ask your boss to set up a meeting with you. Ask if you can discuss with him or her your work and opportunities for further growth in the company. This will not only demonstrate to your boss that you value your work and are ready to invest even more in it, but also prepare him for the fact that, most likely, you will also want to discuss salary. In addition, the meeting scheduled on the calendar will serve as additional motivation – it will be more difficult to evade the conversation.
2. Be confident in yourself. Take a deep breath. My little brother has an interesting way of getting himself to take the first step when you’re really nervous: “I count to ten and imagine that my whole family will die if I don’t do what I’m about to do.” Nicely! Personally, I prefer to imagine what will happen after the conversation. I’ll come home, eat something tasty, maybe have a glass of wine and watch my favorite series. No big deal, right?
3. Study the numbers in the market. Most companies budget for an annual salary index of 3-5%, so you can count on this amount or ask for more – especially if you have taken on a lot of job responsibilities or think you are getting less than the market average.
4. Emphasize that you deserve a pay rise, not just a new position. You yourself know that this is true.
5. Be polite even if you hear «no”. Forbes advises clarifying: “What will it take for me to earn a promotion in the future?” If your boss says he’d like a raise but the budget won’t allow it, discuss with him or her the possibility of getting more days off—during the work week or on vacation—in exchange for the money. And remember: even if the boss can’t promise a raise right now, he will still respect you for talking about it.
Source: Cup of Jo.