Five Tips To Negotiate a Deserved Raise

You work hard and you deserve a raise; at least, some people do. Other people only think they work hard and only think they deserve a raise. If you’re not sure which category you fall under, you’ll know after reading this awesome list of ways to negotiate a well-deserved raise, employing them and being denied for that raise (it’s harsh, but true). In all seriousness, if you’re up for a review and feel you deserve a raise, here are some tips that are going to help you negotiate more effectively.

Timing is Everything

Don’t ask your boss for a raise if you haven’t done anything worthwhile in a few months, and don’t ask if your company just took a major financial loss. Wait until your company is celebrating a major success and/or you’ve just come off a series of amazing accomplishments thanks to your hard work.

Put Yourself in your Boss’ Shoes

If you were your boss, what would you think of you? Would you see you as a valuable employee without whom your company would never survive? Chances are, you’re not the only reason your company is successful, but if you honestly believe your boss sees you as someone this valuable, you’re worth more. Looking at yourself from his or her point of view is going to give you the added confidence to ask for a raise.

Don’t Compare

Do not walk into a meeting with your boss and point out that Sally from down the hall makes $5k more than you. Do you have kids? If so, think about how annoying and childish it sounds when your kids come up to you and try to negotiate the addition of a new $100 toy because her big sister just got one even though she just had her birthday and it was a gift. It’s annoying. Don’t compare.

Nix the Personal Reasons

“I have a kid going into college. My wife left me for the pool boy. My mother-in-law needs to go to a nursing home or she’s going to have to live with me, and I can’t have that,” is not the way to go about asking for a raise. Guess what? Your employer has all that going on in his or her life, too. And giving out raises because people have expenses is not really how it works.

Be Confident

Walk in with confidence. Tell your boss that you’re valuable to the company. Don’t ask. Don’t end statements with question marks. Nothing is more irritating that someone who constantly asks statements, “I’m very valuable to the company based on the fact that I brought in $1 million in revenue in the past six months?” Say it with confidence and with intelligence, and your request is sure to go much further.

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