If you are the kind of employee who is always on time, works hard every day, meets all of your deadlines and have earned yourself a reputation in the office as the kind of employee who can get things done then you may feel that the time has come to ask for that increase in salary. Your works speaks for itself so there really shouldn’t be too much of a problem asking for a raise - or should there? Well, they do say that fortune favours the bold, but there are definitely right, and wrong, ways of asking for more money in your pay packet, and there are certainly good and bad times to do it, so it isn’t really as straightforward as you would like to think.
Whether you are relatively new to a job and are looking for a better salary at the end of your probation period, or a long-standing employee facing a mid-year review, getting up the nerve to ask for higher pay is only a very small part of the issue you face. Here are just a few tips that should, hopefully, help you swing the deal in your favour and pocket you that all important salary increase.
Build your case
When you are asking for a raise you need to sell yourself, and remind your boss what you are capable of. It doesn’t matter how well you get on with them, this isn’t about asking to borrow a few pounds, you need to be able to justify why you are worth a salary increase. They may need to be able to justify this higher up the company, so making a strong case is important. Things that you should be talking about are what you offer the company, and how your work speaks for itself. Remember to focus on the day to day return on investment you provide. If you have made any recent achievements now is the time to mention them. You need to make your manager see that offering you that raise will be a good business decision.
What are you worth?
Don’t get caught out by a manager who asks how much of an increase you want, because if you pluck a number out of thin air they may ask how you arrived at that figure. Instead, do a little research and take a look at what your market value would be if you were to look for another job. Checking out agencies that deal with events recruitment in your area can be a good way of finding this out. Work out which of your skills are important and what is being paid for them elsewhere.
Timing is important
Schedule a meeting with your manager and make sure you give them a heads up as to what it is about. A good time to do this is when the company has had a big success, specifically one you were involved in. You want this to be fresh in people’s minds when you ask for a pay increase. Do not catch them by surprise with your meeting - let them have time to think about your achievements.
Think outside the box
Sometimes it isn’t always possible for your employer to increase your salary, so it is worth thinking about the fact that getting more doesn’t always mean taking home more money. It may instead be possible for your employer to give you an extended benefits package which may work out rather well for you in the long run. Ultimately, it’s about feeling valued for the contribution that you make in the workplace, so look beyond the pay cheque and think if there is something that could work in your favour instead.