By John Boitnott
In my time working for and writing about startups, I’ve observed that people who deserve a raise the most are often the least likely to ask for one. It seems like every organization has that one workhorse who completes large numbers of tasks but who doesn’t seem to know their own worth.Focus on What a Raise Would Achieve for You
The power of positive thinking goes a long way, as do affirmations that involve telling yourself you deserve to make more. This gets easier to do as your skills and capabilities increase on the job and as you deliver results for your company.Research Salary Averages to Justify a Salary
Sites like Glassdoor, Indeed, Payscale, or Simply Hired can work well for you. You can even narrow down the data to your state and city to further backup your salary negotiations. In addition, you can look at online job listing sites to see what current positions like yours pay. This data is good to bring with you to your discussion.Share Your Performance Record
This is an effective way to illustrate why you deserve a raise. The hope is that you would be able to list all of your achievements, which are tied to an existing performance plan.You would be able to check off the completion of certain goals that you and your boss had previously created together. It’s an effective way to illustrate your worth in terms the company can understand as well as show them what it might cost to replace you.
Have a Salary and Perks List Ready to Negotiate
Think in terms of the bigger picture about a higher salary. This includes (but is not limited to) extra vacation time, working from home, more responsibility, a bigger role, more training, or even a flexible schedule. You may easily be able to get a pay increase if your boss thinks it’s the only thing you want.Don’t Be the First to Name the Salary
I generally advise people to let their boss mention salary specifics first. If you go first, you could be selling yourself short. In the moment, you may doubt yourself and go lower for fear you might upset your boss. If your boss agrees immediately, you may have started the negotiations too low.Schedule a Time to Discuss this Issue.
This may sound like common sense. Alas, I’ve seen people just barge into their boss’s office and try to start a negotiation.Practice Your Presentation before Giving It
If you’re giving your boss a presentation about why you’re worth more money, it’s important to be ready and sound confident in your delivery. That takes practice in front of a mirror. Even better is to practice with a friend or family member so they can throw in some questions or barriers that the boss may hit you with during the conversation. This way, you can be ready with various responses, especially if you get pushback or a straight out “no.”Remain Professional No Matter What Happens
Negotiation is not easy and it can be difficult if you are not getting anywhere. Regardless, leave emotion at the door, and you'll do better.No matter what happens, remain calm, cool, and collected because getting angry certainly will not get you what you are after. Don’t compare yourself to co-workers, put others down, or be arrogant or greedy in your demands. Being entitled or threatening doesn’t help either. Keep it professional and recognize it’s usually all about making a compromise.
Sure, negotiating a higher salary is not easy. However, these raise strategies have been proven to work for many types of employees because they focus on showcasing the value proposition you offer, which is what entrepreneurs often think about as they mull over whether to give you a raise or not.
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