If you’re ready to start asking for a raise in salary, there are some things you should consider. These include your time at the company, your reputation, and your experience in the role.
You also need to be prepared to be rejected and know you can ask for more money later if necessary.
Skills
In asking for a raise can be tricky; you need to demonstrate your skills and contributions to the company. That includes showing your ability to take on new projects and assignments, acquire new skills, further your education or training, and add new certifications or degrees.
Remember that your manager will want a clear list of why you deserve the raise before deciding how much to give you. Gathering credible industry salary data for your role and geography is the best way to do this.
Time
When you’re asking for a raise in salary, timing is of the utmost importance. If you ask while your company is in financial distress or the boss is under pressure, chances are they’re not going to give you a raise.
Instead, pick a time that’s low-stress for everyone involved. Then, ask your manager privately when you could set up a meeting to discuss your salary.
While it’s common for employees to ask for a raise during annual reviews or regular check-ins, bringing up the subject a few months ahead of these dates can also be effective. It allows your employer to consider a pay increase outside the norm.
Reputation
Reputation is what people believe about brands, products, services, individuals, and companies. It is one of the most potent forces in human history, driving culture and even causing genocide.
Reputations can be formed and sustained over time and are often built on facts, opinions, and gossip. As a result, reputation is a ubiquitous, spontaneous, and highly efficient mechanism of social control that influences phenomena of different scales, from everyday life to relationships between nations.
Experience
Experience is essential to consider when asking for a salary raise. It shows that you have a track record of success and can be trusted with more money.
You can also show you have been accumulating new knowledge about your field or are an expert in it. Examples are acquiring new skills through a company-sponsored training program or becoming more knowledgeable about the industry by studying and experimenting independently.
Ensure you write an experience section with a good length and clear headings, preferably one page. In this section, you should include the work dates, responsibilities, and achievements.
Flexibility
If you can’t get a raise in salary from your current employer, ask for a higher salary elsewhere. However, it is crucial to tread lightly if you have a competing offer.
Employers who understand the potential benefits of flexible work arrangements and support their employees with technology can reap the rewards. In turn, if employees can set and achieve goals through their flexible work arrangements, companies should be able to retain their best talent.
