Asking for a pay rise can be a nerve-wracking experience, but it's an important part of career development. Many people are unsure about how to approach the topic, but there are several strategies that can help you to make a successful request. The most important thing for you to consider is preparation - this is the key to everything.
In this blog post, I’m going to give you four key tips for asking for a pay rise that that will heighten your chances of getting a YES.
Do Your Research
Before you ask for a pay rise, do your research, seriously. This involves gathering information about your industry, your job role, and your company's financial situation. You can start by looking at industry benchmarks for salaries with roles that are like yours, which can help you to determine where you are being paid compared to the broader market.
By doing your research, you'll be able to make a strong case for a pay rise that is based on facts and figures. This will help you to convince your employer that you deserve to be paid more.
Focus on Your Achievements
When you ask for a pay rise, it's important that your manager is clear on the value that you add and the expertise that you bring to the Company. You want to put your best foot forward by being able to clearly articulate your accomplishments, your key achievements over the last 6 - 12 months, as well as any key deliverables, projects, or cost savings, efficiency gains, or revenue raisers that you have been involved with. By focusing on your achievements, you'll be able to demonstrate the value that you bring to the company and why you deserve to be paid more.
Flip the Narrative
It is absolutely fair that you want to have a salary conversation because you feel you are deserving of an increase. You might feel like you’re working really hard, you might be feeling stressed, like you’ve taken on more, the general cost of living has increased, maybe your bills and obligations have too. Each one of these is super important, however, leading with these as the reason why you deserve a pay rise is a risky game to play. You are going to be far more effective by flipping the narrative and talking to what your employer stands to gain by giving you the increase. Talk to the future projects you’ll be involved in, the additional expertise you can bring, the vision you have for problems your team is going to be able to tackle etc.
Be Confident and Professional
When asking for a pay rise, it's important to be confident and professional. Practise your pitch beforehand and make sure you can clearly and concisely explain why you deserve a pay rise. Avoid making ultimatums or threats, and instead focus on making a clear and compelling case for why you deserve the increase.
We know that asking for a pay rise can be a daunting task, but by doing your research, focusing on your achievements, flipping the narrative, and being confident and professional, you will be in the best position to secure yourself a YES.
If you want more detailed support in getting what you want at work, I suggest you grab my $27 E-Book that gives you copy and paste templates, checklists, conversation starters, and everything you need for before, during and after the conversation. Imagine if you secured even a $1,000 increase? A pretty good return on investment, don’t you think? Access your copy HERE.
