Getting a pay rise can be hard, especially if you’re not sure how to ask for one. Most of us are stuck in the same job with the same salary year after year, but that doesn’t mean we should settle for less than what we deserve. We all know that getting promoted is important, but it’s even more important to get paid what you’re worth. If you want a raise from your boss then this article will help you do just that. Read on to find out how you should approach the subject with your manager and ensure you provide the right argument for your case – no matter who your manager is or which industry you work in!

Do Your Research

Before going in all guns blazing, it is important to truthfully know how much you are worth to your employer. Do some research in your industry and specifically your job role. There are plenty of resources online to indicate how much you should be getting paid based on your level of experience and position in the company.

Online information

Job advertisements can be a great source of information. An employer will create a list of skills and requirements that they desire from a potential employee and exchange they offer a wage that they think is suitable for the role. Use this as a guide to your level of work. Other websites across the internet will give you an average of workers in your role across the board. This may be slightly less accurate but it gives you an idea of the brackets of pay you should be within.

If the information you find during this process suggests you are worth more money than you are being paid, this is great ammunition to take to negotiations with your manager.

Ask around the office

If you work in a niche sector or have a really specific job role, it might be a good idea to ask around to your colleagues. Find out if there are discrepancies with ranks and wages. Try and uncover how frequently employees are rewarded with pay raises and why they usually occur.

The information you uncover may lead you to realise that your company is underpaying the staff or they are stingy with pay rises. If you are going to use this information in your negotiation, try and be sensitive with the information. Your colleagues may not have been entirely comfortable in sharing with you and your employer may be agitated that you have causing discrepancies in the workplace. Try to use the information as a guide rather than evidence like you would with the online research.

Know Your Worth

After researching similar job roles, your colleagues and the wages associated with each, consider your own position and worth. Although your research may have indicated that you are being paid the correct amount, if you feel that you are worth more you should pursue this raise. If you are an employee that goes above and beyond each day and wants to progress within your company, the only proactive way to get your foot in the door is by asking.

Be organised

Pre-warn your boss

Potentially one of the worst things you could do when pushing for a pay rise is to catch your employer by surprise asking for more money. In many businesses, one individual manager won’t always have the power to approve a raise there and then. It will likely have to be discussed with finances and higher ups within the corporation. It may also be a shock to the individual or it could appear impolite, in each of these circumstances you are at a far higher risk of a knee-jerk reaction and your manager saying no.

We recommend that you approach your manager at a suitable time and request a meeting in which you would like to request a performance appraisal and initiate a discussion about your salary. This gives them time to prepare for the conversation. Just like you need to gather information about your role and how much you believe you are worth, the company will need to do the same thing.

Arrange a meeting. Don’t ask over email!

Your biggest mistake when asking for a raise could be not doing it in person. It may seem like an incredibly difficult or uncomfortable interaction to request higher wages from your manager and prove that you are worth that amount. However, in an email you don’t get the same opportunity to sell your case as a face to face conversation. The meeting could either take place in person or through an online video call. Be sure to be confident no matter which platform you use.

Create a script

When trying to be exact with your words, it can be comforting to write a script before your meeting and try to learn everything you want to say to your manager. You are far less likely to receive the raise if you fumble over your words and don’t provide any meaningless reasons as to why you deserve the pay rise.

During the meeting it is important to bring in examples of how your work has contributed positively to the business. If you have increased sales, saved the company money or made a new breakthrough in production reminding your manager of this information will increase your chances of getting that raise. Prepare each of these achievements during the run up to the meeting and ensure you are ready before making arrangements. You don’t want to be caught off guard believing you have time to prepare only to discover your manager informs you that they are afternoon that same day.

What if they say no?

Despite your preparations, there is always a chance for rejection. If your employer says no to the raise then it is important that you remain professional. You may well have done everything in your power to secure that increase, but now it’s up to you to make sure you continue working hard for them despite their decision.

Think carefully about why they refused. There may not be enough money in the company at that time or they might not see why you deserve the raise. Try and remain interested in progression within the company and see if there is anything they’d like to see in your performance to grant the extra wage increase.

An Ultimatum should be a last resort.

Having your request rejected can be extremely disappointing. If you’ve been calm and collected throughout the discussion you may want to resort to aggressive tactics. Threatening to look for other work can be effective if the company aren’t willing to let you go. However, without anticipating their reaction, this may be a huge risk to take.

Giving an ultimatum can create an incredibly hostile atmosphere between you and the company. If they aren’t willing to negotiation you may have to return to your original position with embarrassment and guilt. That’s if they haven’t dismissed you from the job! alternatively, you would have to leave the job with your head held high and be prepared to face a period of unemployment whilst you start job hunting.

If you’re certain that your firm is underpaying you and refuses to raise your salary, the best thing to do may be to look for a new job. After negotiations, if their stance on the matter is unchanged, you will likely be unable to change their mind in the future. You might take on more and more work to prove your worth but won’t have anything to show for it. Before making any drastic decisions, be sure that this is exactly what you want. Just be sure to always put your own needs first, .