How to ask for a pay rise (and actually get one)

Advancing in your career is always the eventual aim in any position. And while it’s great for morale and for boosting your power, there’s another benefit to career advancement – a fiscal one.

Getting a pay rise is always a pleasant bonus. But what if you’re advancing elsewhere, and your pay isn’t reflecting that?

Though it may seem frightening, you should consider actually asking for a pay rise.

A US study on office workers found , recently surveyed 31,000 people across a variety of industries and found that 57% had never asked for an increase in pay. Almost half of this group said they were either uncomfortable with negotiating salaries or did not want to appear “pushy”.

This is particularly true of women, who are statistically four times less likely to ask for a raise and ask for 30% less when they do.

The process of asking for a pay rise can be a daunting prospect. Not only does it require some level of courage, but it also takes tact and skill. Luckily, our guide to asking for a pay rise (and actually get one) is here to help.

How to know whether it’s time to ask for a pay rise

What’s the norm? 

The best way to do this is to look into the average pay of others in your field and at your level of experience.

If your wages seem to differ significantly from the norm, then it may be time to negotiate for extra. Having the information on hand when asking will also help your boss know you’re taking it seriously and have facts to back yourself up.

It’s also worth doing some research inside your company. It’s great to know how often others are renegotiating pay, particularly if you’ve been avoiding the issue for too long. If you haven’t discussed pay is over a year, it’s likely you’re due a conversation.

Have you demonstrated your worth?

No boss is going to give you a raise unless it is justified.

Consider your job description. Are you comfortably fulfilling each requirement? Are you reaching your targets? Furthermore, can you demonstrate ways in which you’ve actually surpassed targets or gone above and beyond them? This cements to the company why you are so valued.

Be concrete 

Now, you need to gather some facts.

Take a look at things such as your performance reviews and find any statistics about your successes – how many months did you achieve your targets, and how often do you surpass them?

It’s also a good idea to have information on the trajectory of the company as a whole. If the company is growing and doing well, there’s really no reason you shouldn’t be reaping at least some of the benefits of that. Having this information all ready to go will help you present your case more confidently – plus, a boss can’t really argue with facts.

Take charge

Often it can seem like it’s the bosses place to call a meeting to review pay. Too often, employees can fall into a thought process of hard work being synonymous with rewards – but that isn’t always the case.

Remember that your boss has a lot on their plate, and your lack of pay rise may be more of an oversight than a deliberate slight. Taking the reigns on negotiations may be the only way to open communications.

Ensure you have planned what you’re going to say. Go beyond this by preparing a power-point presentation that you can show to your boss.

Practice makes perfect

Because the situation can seem scary, it’s very important to open confidently. If fear ends up putting you off then it can quite literally cost you. A good tip to mitigate nerves when opening your conversation is to literally practise what you want to say. Go over your opening speech a few times to make sure you’re ready to deliver it. You don’t want to start the conversation by stumbling over words or forgetting what you wanted to say, after all.

Get the timing right

Stopping your boss in the corridor or cornering them at a work event to discuss pay is simply never a good idea. It makes you look unprofessional and unprepared, plus will likely put your boss on the back foot. It’s a far better idea to schedule a dedicated meeting to discuss a pay rise.

This will help you be better prepared, plus can make the whole thing less awkward. If you’re in a meeting to discuss money, it can make it much easier to broach the subject.

Stay positive

You don’t want to make the meeting feel like a negative experience, and a lot of that is up to you and your attitude. Employ open body language and a friendly demeanour when bringing the topic of a pay rise up.

Talk about positive things, rather than focusing on negatives. Never be aggressive or appear angry or frustrated.

Present the facts in a helpful and fairly upbeat manner, and be open to negotiation. It should go without saying, but never, ever threaten to leave a position unless you’re willing to follow through on it.

Treat your meeting as a business proposal

Remember that as personable as you are, your company is first and foremost a business, and will be run like one. You need to explain how a potential pay rise for you will also benefit the company. Showing that you are a valuable asset and worth the extra bucks is more than just being likeable. You also need to prove that, in terms of business, a pay rise for you is a good investment.

Next steps

There’s a chance that even if you do everything right, there just isn’t budget to give you the pay rise you’re asking for. If that’s the case, the best thing to do is to plan ahead with your boss. Consider asking for bi-annual pay review meetings together, so you can potentially just delay, rather than deny, your new, higher rate.

You could also consider working out a deal where you seek an alternative reward to a pay rise, for example more flexibility with your working hours, if budget is tight, or other perks. Asking for feedback on the meeting (and your general work as a whole) can also be a benefit to be claimed from the pay rise negotiation.

See our blog on getting the salary you deserve. 

If you’d like to discuss this with one of our dedicated career consultants, please call 0207 269 6144.