Career Progression, Workplace Issues

The knack of negotiating for a pay raise and getting it

Written by mrafeeq · 9 min read >
Negotiate Salary Increase
Negotiate Salary Increase

Photo by Vitaly Taranov on Unsplash

Many people think they can’t negotiate for a higher salary because it’s against the rules, but this is not true. The truth is that most employers are open to negotiating and will be receptive if you ask them about it in a secure way. Usually, it is set aside for various reasons. Employers, for apparent reasons, seldom talk about it, while employees feel intimidated discussing it with their bosses for fear of rejection. Here are some tips for getting your employer to listen when you want more money at work.

First, know that it’s normal to ask.

Remember it is more important to your boss. Unless you work somewhere dysfunctional, you obviously work to earn money. You won’t seriously affect your relationships even when your manager ultimately won’t say yes. A raise is not a favour or gift but a way for employers to pay fair market value for their employees while keeping an eye on you. That also means your manager should know when you think your work does better than when your salary has been paid. You’re unlikely to be in the wrong place just because you asked to be refunded again promptly.

It is perfectly normal to ask for an increase in salary if warranted. However, you need to follow still do’s and don’ts to ensure that the salary negotiation runs smoothly regardless of the outcome. But have realistic expectations based on a variety of factors.

Avoid Comparison

If your motivation to ask for higher pay is because your officemates or friends have a bigger paycheck than you do, you are entering the negotiation on the wrong premises. Whether you like it or not, your employer doesn’t care if you have the lowest salary among your family and friends.

Leave Your Emotion Outside the Door

Money is an emotional topic, but never let emotions rule your salary negotiation. You may feel that your contribution to the company is unappreciated by the amount of your paycheck, but you cannot use your frustration as your bargaining chip.

Salary is Not About How Much You Need

Yes, there are bills to pay and food to be bought; but if you ask for a higher wage because you can’t make ends meet, you might have to re-think your whole lifestyle and see where you can save more. You cannot also bring mortgages, loans, and children’s tuition to the table. These things are all personal, and the company has no obligation to meet your financial commitments.

Make Your Experience Count

This is especially true for those who are looking for new employment. Put value in your experience and show how your expertise can increase the company’s earnings. For those who still have to build up a career, the best thing you can do is show your potential. In this case, you have to set realistic expectations about salary. You may be the next Bill Gates, but you must prove your worth.

Do your salary research.

Your money won’t go very far without the truths of today’s job markets, as stated. Completing your exhaustive research will help you determine competitive wages for someone in your position and your geographical location. Researching the numbers will also prove to your boss that accurate statistics back your salary request compared to your appraisal.

Learn about the Salary Range in Your Field

Researching how much people who work in the same field as yours receive. This will give you a fair idea of how much you will ask, considering your expertise and years of experience. You may also want to include economic projections, your company’s future, and how you can contribute.

Similarly, you also need to know the financial condition of the company. Remember, an approved salary increase for a single employee can have an avalanche effect on other employees who might ask for a pay raise. Will this put the company in a financial dilemma or not?

Get salary trends for your job title.

Find out the pay gap for your job. Visit Indeed Salaries and enter your job title. The salary data is collected from about 450 million data points. You can then pick the state or metro area where you work to obtain a pay rate appropriate for your city. How your educational record compares to the salary you receive may influence the salary rates. Getting an insight into your work can be the first step to understanding its financial value. From here, follow the steps above and see the national salary trend for your office and city: Choose a city you’ve worked in and then get the wage that’ll fit this city’s job description. Next, identify a salary range or percentage increase in pay that you would be.

Back it up with salary benchmarks

Give a more detailed explanation of the pay scale you want with a long letter. The number of numbers convinces the most to describe what a job is worth and why. When requesting assistance from someone with experience in IT, you must demonstrate the value you can bring to your role. It’s easier to put your fears aside when you want answers to tough questions about reasons you deserve a raise.

Know your company’s raise and budget cycles.

If you work in a company with an annual raise on one occasion, pay attention to it. For example, some companies might review the salary of all members of the same organization every month in December. Plan to have this conversation with your boss a couple of months before formal steps begin. Then, if they don’t decide sooner, they can change her salary that employers already approve.

Typically the company will revisit the compensation each year on their own or tied to yearly performance reviews. You must wait for at least one year from when your salary has been calculated for the upcoming year before getting it evaluated. The expected return before January is usually unrealistic and may prove out of touch. If you’ve made any mistakes or your boss isn’t happy with your work, a request for a raise could never reach the desired outcome, and you would appear less gratified. A similar will happen if a job does not last for over a year. It’s worth double-checking if your company had a hiring freeze within the past year.

Factor in your company’s salary structure.

Some employers adhere to rigid policies regarding how much a wage increase you may take at once. Others recognized it as much more generous. However, if men earn more work in an office than women for the same job, there is another problem. Suppose your corporation receives a raise. Then, you can determine which will work best for your company.

Consider your qualifications

Consider your experience, years of employment, and the talents you bring to the table. This all adds to the capability of performing the job. If you want to pay more, your employer will consider those factors.

Make a list of your accomplishments.

Remember how many people contributed the most value to the organization. When possible, show achievement by using numbers. Mention your significant contribution to any special projects

Lean on Your Performance, but Emphasize Your Value to Your Company’s Future

Businesses will invest in human resources when they see the potential in the people they hire or work for. Of course, past performance is a big bargaining chip as it establishes your work credentials, but how you market yourself as an asset to the company as it moves into the future will put you in a better light.

Leave Yourself Room to Maneuver

Do not be inflexible when negotiating for a salary, and do not come across as “I-will-resign-if-I-don’t-receive-a-raise.” Employers consider many considerations before raising an employee’s take-home pay, but the bottom line is profitability. So make sure that the increase you ask for will not break the bank.

Secondly, you need to look at other means of receiving compensation if an actual salary increase is impossible. For example, flexible working hours, allowances, and other vacation leaves are different forms of payment that you can consider.

Be thoughtful about timing.

Your manager is someone else who has a usual emotional persona. Do not ask the lady to speak about salary or how much she’s owed her compensation. You may have saved the day on a highly-publicized project or have garnered rave reviews about it. Now might be a suitable time to request another raise. If your boss recently seemed very happy with you, this is a great time to discuss your salaries.

Choose the right time to ask for a pay raise.

Only 19% were happy with the pay. So when you ask yourself to rise, you must carefully choose your time. Ask this question as you’ve determined a good day to raise your earnings. It’s also not a good time to ask if your firm isn’t doing well. Cutbacks in spending and layoffs are some signs of a company’s financial health that may indicate. Conversely, it is the optimum moment to request a pay raise after a significant accomplishment.

Set a meeting

Don’t request a raise when you don’t have an appointment on the calendar. The better setting is a closed room. Do not discuss it as part of office spaces such as a kitchen or hallway. If you need to do a performance review and put it on a calendar, you probably don’t need the manager. You should approach this meeting with the same zeal you would have for a job interview and prepare as appropriate for this meeting. Even if your workplace is a relaxed clothing code, consider dressing a little more formally for meetings. A positive persona is something that reveals to managers who see your personality.

Do not just pop the “I need an increase” proposition in the hallway. Setting an appointment will help you prepare your proposal for pay raise, compose yourself appropriately, and make you more clear-headed and less emotional. Similarly, you will also give your employer ample time to prepare. It may be a lively and exciting discussion, but the most important thing is that you and your employer both go to the negotiating table openly.

What should I say when I ask for a raise?

It can seem simple enough to convince a person they deserve raises to do it. Most times, the simple statement is sufficient: I appreciate the opportunities you have given me for much larger responsibilities like X and Y” If you want a specific dollar figure, you keep it as it goes. If your boss needs to get a higher raise approved by a colleague below her, you can help her quickly with a short alphabetical list — just like you.

Follow up with specifics for a pay raise.

If he can start it again, the manager must respond with specific details if this is open and clear in tone. Tell them your desired salary or raise, and mention the research you did to arrive at this number. What metric should we use to clear this value when giving an example? “We regularly exceed our sales goals,” says one representative whose work prompted the raise. Over the last few months, I planned and delivered our most immense client experience. Attendee feedback significantly exceeded last year’s event satisfaction scores of around 8/10. Talk about your increased skill set. Mention the new responsibilities you have taken over some time. All these metrics are good indicators of added value.

Example of asking for more money

Avoid words that undermine your position: believe, feel, think, Just, Only, Might. In his last time since being compensated, she says I worked with various programs that acted as a significant value for the company. Take time to prepare and communicate your self-esteem in a conversation where you do not need any help. Is this realistic? Pro-tip: Avoid any expression that will make it appear you’re not confident or sure or like “think, feel” or “just… just maybe.”

Start with an opener.

Begin any discussion with an explicit declaration of the purpose of the encounter. You can consider opening the lines like. Let me begin by discussing the reasons I feel that I deserve a raise. Avoid saying, “I thought you would like to know.” This statement does not give any reason for your proposal and can make you look desperate.

Have a rehearsal

During a debate about money, a sense of panic is very natural. Writing and practising scripts is one way to control this feeling. If you have time to rehearse enough, you can still follow through, even when feeling scared. In all your screenwriting, focus more on professional reasons than personal reasons why it is needed. Remember, the feeling of fear is normal when asking for a raise.

Make the request

Email your manager and be willing to connect to see your compensation. Provide a concise bullet that summarizes the ways you excelled in what you do. Don’t say what your co-workers do or any reason for your need. Do you think it would be ok if compensation were explained during the performance review? For example, your email may include a message like this: We discussed my desire for a higher salary, and after some research, I’d like a salary increase of X.1%.

Have a frank discussion

When discussion begins, give your manager enough time to ask questions. They must be confident that your needs are practical and fair to the company. Try not to convince them of your need at all costs to avoid putting yourself in the wrong position later if you were negotiating too hard. Remember how much-added value this salary change will bring to the company. It is not enough to say that you want more money: give exact and specific reasons for your request.

After discussing, ask if the increase is difficult and what it will take to agree to a raise. If they do not seem willing, see what it would take to change their mind again.

Explain why you deserve a raise

Focusing on why you are deserving will help you get the raise. The most effective method to ask for a pay increase is to concentrate on why you deserve one rather than because you need it. People frequently state that a pay increase is essential to meet growing societal costs. However, an employer evaluates employees based only on their abilities and contributions. Therefore, explain the significant contribution you made to any critical projects.

Be prepared for questions.

Make sure you get the correct proof before filing and prove to them that this does not exist anymore. It is normal now to negotiate the salary raises you suggested in the first instance. Of course, you may have been rejected when you applied for the promotion. The fact that they cannot raise the wage seems to discourage people then. Some of these factors are important to many workers, for example, flexibility, time, etc. Ask questions such as: How do I improve with skills when my compensation is increased?

Know what to say if the answer is “no” or “maybe.”

If your boss won’t tell you an open yes for them and instead says she plans and will consider it or tell you, it can all be done! Lots of managers won’t agree immediately on what next step to take. A good boss should be able to tell you how you could better earn money. If your manager can’t give you specifics on how to increase your salary in the future, you might have to go elsewhere for it.

Thank your manager

The following-up email summarizes your reason for the request and provides the transcript of the discussion. If your supervisor asks someone about your raise, the email will help you get to that point. If you feel you are not being compensated fairly and are not making progress with your current employer, it could be time to try a different job. On jobsRmine, you can research employers and see how well they are evaluated for salary, job security/advancement, and many other factors. On jobsRmine, you can find the most favourable and rewarding Jobs.

Conclusion: You may not get what you expect, or your boss may tell you you’re up for a pay increase. Either way, it is still crucial that you develop some negotiation skills when asking for a better salary. Sometimes, employers need a little prodding, and doing it right will increase your chance of getting a fatter paycheck. In addition, when done right, you can prevent animosity and friction in the workplace, especially when your request is turned down. Finally, if nothing works, consider getting a new job and getting the market rate you’ve been asking for.

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