Get the raise you deserve

10/2/2019

How to get the raise you deserve - Posted by www.market-connections.net

Career Counseling October 3, 2019

How to ask for a raise and get it

You may love your job and be grateful for it, but that doesn’t mean you can’t ask for and receive a raise. As we continue to read contradictory news about the economy, a salary increase is an especially nice thing to have. There is almost always the possibility of a raise for employees with exceptional value and a certain amount of negotiating finesse.

Timing is important; it’s best to act when your perceived value is at its greatest. For many, that will mean right after a great review or after/during your involvement in a critical project. On the other hand, immediately after a major layoff or the loss of a significant client usually isn’t an opportune time to ask.

Keep the timing in mind and get busy building a case to justify your raise!

Using these strategies will help you get the raise you deserve:

Be an expert on your company and boss. Learn about the prosperity of your company and any limitations that may have been imposed upon salaries. What kind of person is your boss? Will he/she care that you had to take out a home equity loan and now you’re struggling to make the payments? Some bosses do care about personal issues; most do not.

Consider what will be most meaningful to your boss. Is she/he a numbers-driven person? If yes, you should back-up your request with cold, hard facts. Does she tend to focus on cost-savings? Think about how you’ve saved the company money in the recent past. Always consider what your boss values the most.

Leverage your talent. Finding and retaining great talent is typically the biggest challenge that companies face, regardless of the company size, industry, or current economic conditions.

When times are tough, good companies don’t lose sight of the fact that they must have the right people when things pick up.
Avoid underestimating your value to your company. The act of asking for raise might cause them to be concerned that you may leave. (Because each person’s situation is different, think about whether or not this is a good thing for you and then act accordingly).

Show your worth. Make a list of your accomplishments and ensure your boss knows about them. When times get tough, if companies are going to reward anyone, it’s going to be those folks that produce the greatest value for them.

Consider what makes you indispensable. If you realize that you’re not indispensable, start looking for things that will increase your necessity to the company.
What can you do that no one else is capable of doing or that no one else wants to do?
What has changed since your last raise?
What new responsibilities do you now have?
Are you being required to take work home at night?
Do you have more employees reporting to you?
Are you forced to travel more?
If your responsibilities have increased significantly, you can make a good case for deserving an increase in your salary.

Demonstrate that you care. The very best employees also tend to be those that care the most about the company. Employers know which employees are genuinely interested in the success of the company beyond simply getting their paychecks.

What are you doing to show you care?
How do you represent the company to your friends, family, and the community-at-large?
Do you volunteer for company sponsored events?

Maintain a positive attitude. Companies don’t like to deal with complaining employees. If you keep a positive approach, you’ll be viewed as part of the solution rather than part of the problem.

Although you might not be thrilled to go to work, companies prefer to believe that employees are there because they love being there. That means always getting to work on time and not heading for the parking lot at exactly 5:00 every day.

You have to actually ask. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Asking for a raise is, at best, an uncomfortable experience. But if you feel that you genuinely deserve it, you owe it to yourself to go for it. Gather the information you need and set a goal to ask by a certain date.

Practice in front of the mirror or with a friend or family member. During your daily commute, recite what you’re going to say to your boss. Knowing what you’re going to say will help to take the edge off any nerves. You can do it!