It never gets easy.

Asking for a pay raise is one of the most important things you’ll do in your career.

That’s why it’s important to do it right.

Do it right, and you’ll have more money to spend on the things you value in life, like your sushi cravings or your coin collection. Do it wrong, and not only will you receive a resounding “NO,” but you’ll end up with an egg on your face. (figuratively, of course).

If you want to know how to ask for a raise properly, you’re reading the right article. 

This article will give you tips on when to ask for a raise, what to say to convince your boss, and how to respond to your boss’s comments.

By the time you’ve finished reading this article, you’ll be able to ask your boss for a raise confidently and list out your points for doing so.

Thank us later!

Have An Attitude Of Gratitude

This step is crucial when it comes to approaching your manager for a pay raise. 

Gratitude is the best attitude to have.

It sounds corny, but it’s true.

Gratitude takes you places that skills, qualifications, and education can’t. 

So how can you have the attitude of gratitude?

When you talk with your manager, thank them for putting time aside to meet with you. It doesn’t hurt to be grateful for the work you’ve been given at your company. After your meeting, send a follow-up email that reminds them of what you’ve discussed in the meeting. 

Even if nothing comes of it, you have proof that the conversation occurred. If you decide to ask again later on, you can use this email as a reference point.

Choose The Right Time

Like with everything else in life, timing is everything.

Here are a few things to consider when you’re considering a pay raise:

• How is the company doing financially? – If things aren’t going well financially, maybe hold off on asking for a raise. But you should still be aware of the company’s health. It’ll be useful when you want to talk to your manager.

• When is the best time to ask for a raise? – If you have a yearly performance review coming up, that’s one of the best times to talk about increasing your pay. The end of the fiscal year is also an excellent time to ask for a raise

• How much work does your manager have to do? – If your manager is swamped with tasks, it’s better to wait until they have cleared all of their tasks. It’s important to make note of your manager’s demeanor so that you can determine whether they’re in the right mood for this conversation

• Which projects have you completed? – You can bring this up to show that you’re pulling your weight when it comes to your workload. If this work has gotten results for the company, you can use that as justification for a raise

Ask at the right time, and you’ll get what you want, but ask at the wrong time, and you risk getting laughed out of the conversation.

Know Your Worth (And Add Interest!)

The reason you want a raise is because you believe you deserve it, right?

You’ve been doing great work for the company, and you don’t think your current pay reflects that.

This is part of knowing your worth.

You know you add value to the company; you know that your work has value. 

So naturally, you know your hard work is worth a reward in the form of a pay raise. 

We should also add that you need to point to all the ways you’ve demonstrated value for your company. 

We’ll touch on this later though.

Ask Yourself Why You Want This Pay Raise

The subtitle is pretty self-explanatory. But we’ll explain it anyway.

Before you set up a meeting with your boss to ask for a raise, ask yourself WHY you want this raise. 

Is it to pay for your kids’ education?

To pay off your mortgage?

To put some money aside for a rainy day?

Or even to have some extra money in your bank account?

Only you know the reasons why you deserve a pay raise. Identify those reasons by listing them out, and keep these reasons in the back of your mind when talking with your boss.

Present Your Case

When you’re about to ask for a pay raise, you need to justify it.

You can do this by:

• Researching the salary range for your job

• Rehearsing what you will say when you meet with your manager 

• Compare your current salary with the trends you’ve seen

• List out your achievements for the company

• Choose a salary range/percentage increase in salary that you want to have

This is not an extensive list, but it’s important to do your research so you can build a solid case for a pay raise.

Not only will your boss consider it, but they may also agree and give you the raise!

Final Thoughts

Now that you’ve reached the end of this article, we hope you feel more confident asking for a raise.

Even though it’s a daunting conversation to have, it’s a conversation that you will have to deal with at some point in your career. 

Remember to choose the right time to talk to your boss, be grateful for having the opportunity to speak to them about it, ask yourself why you deserve a pay raise, and present your case. 

If your boss agrees to give you a raise, that’s great! Feel free to celebrate by buying that coat you’ve had on your ASOS wishlist for a while.

If your boss decides not to give you a raise, don’t be disheartened! Just taking the time to ask is a big step, but at least you’ll know how to improve next time!

Now, go get that raise!!