How To Ask For a Raise – and Get It (with Script)

Asking for a raise can seem like an overwhelming conversation. Money remains a taboo subject for many of us let alone having a conversation with your boss about asking for more money.

But let’s be honest, there’s only so much budgeting and cutting of expenses you can do before you’re faced with the hard reality that you need to increase your income.

The goal in a working adult’s life is to be able to pay bills and enjoy a few luxuries so let’s not pretend like having more money isn’t awesome. 🙂

When it comes to giving raises, every company’s policy is different. For some, your contract will indicate how often and when your raise will occur i.e. every quarter, bi-annual, or after an annual performance review.

If I’m going to tell you to ask for a raise, it’s only right that you know how not to ask for a raise first.

How Not to Ask For A Raise

Money remains a taboo subject for many of us let alone having a conversation with your boss about a raise.

This could be an uncomfortable and not so pleasant experience which explains why you don’t want to mess up your moment. Here’s what not to do when you ask for that raise.

1. Give an Ultimatum:

You might be feeling frustrated and underappreciated but this is not an opportunity to march up to your boss and say, “I need a raise and I’m leaving if I don’t get a raise within _______ time frame”.

Even if you said that, be ready to leave.

The worst thing that can happen is not following through your ‘mini-threat’ and with a request like that, I don’t think you’ll be getting a raise.

2. Bring Up Your Coworker’s Salary:

It’s no secret that employers do not want employees discussing their salaries for many reasons.

That’s why negotiating your salary at hiring is important because it forms the basis of your raise.

Regardless, asking for a raise is not the perfect time to throw your co-workers under the bus because you stumbled on their salary or they casually informed you during a private conversation.

Don’t use that information as your ammunition. Read on to discover a better way.

3. Ask for an Absurd Amount:

On average, an employee’s raise is usually about 3% of their salary while the best performers get approximately 4-5% depending on the industry.

This means you can’t ask for a million dollars. Your request for a raise needs to be a reasonable percentage of your salary.

4. Ask at the Wrong Time:

The wrong time presents itself in many forms.

For instance, co-workers getting fired because your company is cutting costs.

Getting emails for ideas on how to reduce costs, or your boss flat out informs you that the company isn’t doing well, then you know it’s not the right time to ask for a raise.

If any of the above is happening, instead of trying to ask for a raise, it might be time to start looking for another job.

5. Bring up Your Personal Milestones:

Did you have a baby? Bought a home recently? Congratulations! But this shouldn’t be the reason why you’re asking for a raise.

Even though these are achievements that require more money to be handled, these are your personal milestones.

Your raise is tied to your performance at work and has nothing to do with your personal life. So keep the focus on your professional achievements.

How to Ask For A Raise

Before you ask for a raise, you need to start laying the groundwork and I’ve curated these tips to guide you along the way.

1. Keep Track:

What do you bring to the table? What have you brought to the table lately? Was there a time you went above and beyond your duties?

A raise means getting extra. Have you done anything extra lately?

Did you learn a new skill that has been beneficial to the company? Sure you’re a good employee but are you keeping a record of all of your accomplishments in the office?

The moment you start working at a new job, create a folder and label it “Bragging Rights“.

Document your accomplishments as you work. Doing this makes it easier to present your case because you’re coming with facts and numbers.

2. Know Your Worth:

You’ll need to do your research so you’re armed with sufficient information about your position when you have the conversation with your boss.

Before now, it was difficult knowing what other employees were getting paid for the same work in different companies.

But it’s 2021- an era of transparency. With various tools like Payscale and Glassdoor and so much more to help you compare salaries for similarly situated positions, there is no reason to not do the research.

3. Be Professional:

Being professional doesn’t mean being uptight or always serious. It simply means your general character at work. Are you always late to work?

Do you complete your projects on time or do you wait to be constantly reminded of what you need to do? Are you a team player?

Are you a cheerful and positive person to have around or do you have a belligerent attitude?

4. Update Your Resume:

You need to have a great resume because you could either ask for a raise and be: denied, approved, or told to wait a while.

If the outcome of your request is not favorable to you, you have to be ready to take the next steps.

Still nervous about meeting with your boss to ask for a raise, here is a script you can tailor to suit your position.

Asking For a Raise (Script)

Hello ________,

I’d like us to have a discussion about my salary. It’s has been a year and a half since my last raise and in that time, I have taken on additional responsibilities.

I have not only worked overtime since David quit abruptly and Tiana was out sick for a month, but I’ve also trained and managed the new employee, Chris, to ensure that he fits into our unit properly.

In our last meeting, you mentioned that we’ve achieved a 90% satisfaction rating from our customers which is a 15% point increase from a year ago and I was rated a 5 star by all our customers when they were surveyed anonymously. 

I have also scored 95% in my evaluations and have not received any negative feedback from the assistant manager. 

Can we discuss increasing my salary to reflect the contributions I’ve made within the department and the company overall?

_______________________

If you’ve been patient, proved your value, and nothing has worked, then it might be time to find another job.

Have you asked for a raise recently? How did the conversation go? Share what worked for you below.