Most people feel some anxiety about asking for a raise during the best of times, let alone when it seems things are not so great economically. However, if you feel you deserve more money, be direct and make an appointment to speak to your boss about a salary increase. Good employees are the key to keeping the company afloat during tough times.
Write down and rehearse what you want to say. This will help you to be succinct. You don’t want to ramble. Knowing what you want to say will increase your confidence.
Include all the areas in which you are an asset to the company. Support your claims with examples of new business you’ve brought in, projects you’ve worked on and ideas that you’ve contributed to increase revenue or save the company money.
Talk about the intangibles that you bring to the table, like your willingness to go above and beyond, your knowledge of the company and the industry, the fact that you are trust worthy and reliable. Believe me, your boss knows the inconvenience of finding and training a new hire and the uncertainty that brings.
Practice; make sure your tone is conversational. Use positive words and phrases like, can and it would be great if; avoid negative words like can’t, no and don’t.
Do not make demands, give ultimatums, be confrontational, assume your boss will say no, or bring up your personal financial hardships.
Expect a yes. This is the most important part. As a matter of fact if you cannot visualize your boss saying yes, do not bother to ask. We get what we believe, not what we want.
If your energy is fearful or negative, it will be very difficult to get a positive result. Your mind is a magnet and draws to you whatever your subconscious mind truly believes.
So, if in the back of your mind you feel you don’t deserve a raise or your boss will not approve it, you may need to do some mental work first. Make sure you can initiate that conversation with confidence. It may mean you need to certify you and your performance are above reproach. Are you punctual, reliable, do you give more value than they pay you? If not, up your game and your attitude. Start acting as if you already earn your ideal wage. Find additional ways to contribute to the bottom line. This way, you can ask with conviction and expectancy.
If the answer is no, try to negotiate more vacation time or some other benefit that would be of value to you. Before you end the conversation, ask what you can do to increase your chances next time. Let your boss know you would like to revisit the topic in six months. This will cause them to pay attention. If they really cannot pay you what you feel you are worth; the exercise of up leveling your game will give you the right mindset to find a new job. Shine on.
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Kim Welcome CEO of
Influential Voice works with progressive companies and individuals who
are concerned that unrefined communication skills may be hindering their
growth and advancement. She helps them to increase their power to
influence for greater productivity and impact. For more info visit www.influentialvoice.com. For a Free Speech & Voice Evaluation email info@influentialvoice.com.
