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How do I ask for a raise
I have been with my employer 4 years. It has been 2 years since my compensation has been reviewed. I want to ask for a raise but I am not sure how to do it. Any suggestions?
Great advice above!! I agreet 100%. To add to "what happens if they say no," be prepared to start looking outside. Before you do, it's critical that you do your due dilience as outlined to make your case. If they indicate that they'll consider it in the future, you have the option to prepare a compelling resume and LinkedIn profile while you wait. Either way, it will benefit you. If they say flat-out "No," then that's a clear message that they either don't have the resources, don't want to ask for them, or don't care to help you advance. At that point, keep showig up giving them value, and begin to prepare for a transition, if you find that the negatives outweigh the positives. I like where you're going with this by asking for the raise, because if you like where you work, and the people you with with, if you don't ask, you may always wonder, "I wonder if they would have given me the raise I knew I deserved." And who knows, you may need to ask for that raise later with the next employer, so it's great to practice asking. If they value you and that's the place for you, you'll get it. if you need support with your resume and LinkedIn profile, I have a few resources, let me know: [email protected]
This is one of the biggest challenges for employees but I feel it is an even larger fear for women. I will share some of the best advice I was given, the approach I took and my outcome!
1) I did my research: what is the market paying for my position on the open market, what are my job duties (do I span more than one title?) and what did I want to make at my current position. You might also want to be prepared to talk about your strengths and weaknesses just in case it takes that turn.
2) Set a meeting with my direct boss and presented in a very factual format my reasons behind the ask and the data that backed it up.
3) I presented a plan to "get me to that salary" if they couldn't take me there immediately (I settled on a ramp up strategy that took a few months...it was a small company)
4) Be prepared in the event that the answer is no. What do you do then?
4) It resulted in exactly what I asked for and it was a 25% increase.
Not that all conversations can go this way but I was grossly underpaid for what I was doing!
Good luck and go for it.
Great advice. As someone that likes to lead by example, I often forget my examples don't translate into financial benefit unless I make a case for them too. Companies are all about positions yielding value (aka net income) so if you can prove you are a value-add that goes a long way. And if they do say no, its a good reality check to possibly seek employ elsewhere.