Your Ultimate Guide to Asking for a Raise

Imagine that you just got employed to work with a startup company. As soon as you get the job, you start working your brows off and you get right into the role, showing nothing but utter dedication, hard work and commitment. With your input, the company has been able to get a lot of things done, and you’re actually quite valuable. You continue like this for a year. Of course, there are a few hitches here and there, but generally, you think you’re doing pretty well. Now, you’re considering asking for a raise. After all, you deserve it.

Well, if you’re here right now, you probably realize the problems involved in asking for a raise with anxiety and the fear of failure being at the top of the list.

Rest easy, champ. In this article, we’ll show you just how to do it.

1. Prepare yourself

The first step is to prepare yourself and do your background research. Yes, you want a raise, but how much can you ask for? How much can your company afford to pay you? If you don’t find these out, the chances are that you might be setting yourself up for failure. If you want to know how much to ask for, you can use the internet to find out the average pay for people in your field.

2. Be objective with yourself

Do you really deserve the raise? You need to ask yourself that question because your boss will ask it or, at least, imply it whether you like it or not. So, before going in guns blazing, find out if you truly deserve the raise you’re so passionate about getting. Find out what value you bring to the table and ask if you’d give yourself the raise if you were an employer.

3. Try to get a meeting with your boss

Even if you’re both pretty close, it is still important for you to treat this as a professional relationship. Do not just barge into their office and start going off about wanting a raise. Try to do something that will put them in high spirits about you. When that happens, you can then ask if you will be able to speak with them then.

4. Put yourself in your boss’s shoes

Having gotten a time for the meeting, put yourself in his shoes. If you were him/her, would your arguments hold water or would they fall flat? Why would they want to give you a raise, and what are the potential holes they could poke in your argument? Much like a marketer who strives to know their customer, know your boss.

5. Increase the level of your emotional intelligence

Now, you’ve already gotten everything set, and you’ve asked for the raise. You’re merely awaiting a response. Sadly, it might not exactly go the way you want it to go. So, try not to get too sad about it. We understand that this might be a tad challenging, but don’t get too unhappy about it. Instead, go back, restrategize, and come back another time to do even better. 

Here are some signs that you’re emotionally intelligent.

Final Thoughts

Getting a raise at work isn’t always the easiest thing to do. This is especially so if you have a rather strict boss. However, if you gear yourself up properly, it isn’t an impossible task to accomplish.