Asking for a raise can get a little tricky, especially if you have yet to ask for one from your current employer. It’s all in how you ask, and what you are willing to leverage. You cannot go in, expecting more money, if you are not willing to give more of your time or effort. Life is a give and take, and if you are willing to work hard and prove your worth, and you have a good boss, your work will not go unnoticed.
With that being said, often times your employer won’t simply offer you a raise…not matter how good you are at what you do. But with a slight nudge, the chances are good that you will be able to negotiate a little bit more for yourself. Here are some suggestions on how to negotiate that raise:
1. Practice in front of a mirror: Practice, clear and concise language that you will use to negotiate your raise. That way, you don’t fumble or forget your exact bullet points when the time comes. Make sure you eliminate any extra and unnecessary body movements.
2. Plan for a good time: Timing is everything, especially when you’re asking for more money. Don’t time it after an issue or problem at work, especially not something like a bad earnings report.
3. Try an interest-based negotiation tactic: Put it in terms of what your boss needs or wants. Make it as appealing to them as you can.
4. Retention, not rewards: Connect the dots on what you have accomplished…remember, you cannot take if you are not willing to give.
5. Use hard numbers: Hard numbers will show your value better than an opinion-based negotiation.
6. Do a little research: Most raises are between 1-5% of your current salary…do a little research to see what the industry average is for your position as well.
