Pay Rise: How To Ask For What You Are Worth

You might remember earlier in the month I did some posts to help with job searching if you were unhappy in your current role.

It got me thinking, what if you love your current role and the company you work for, but you feel they don’t pay you fairly?

You could always ask for a pay rise.

Leaving is another option, but if you are happy with everything except your salary, why not try asking for a pay rise? If your boss says no, you can always leave then, but at least you’ve given it your best shot.

Asking for more money is always going to be awkward, but the saying is true – if you don’t ask, you don’t get.

Read on for my top tips on how to get that pay rise you deserve:

When Not To Ask For A Pay Rise

Let’s get the negative part out of the way first.

• Do a little research into what opposition companies pay employees in your role within their organisation. If you find you are already being paid the national average or higher, it’s not the time to ask for a pay rise. It’s not going to happen. Consider asking to move into a role with more responsibility if you want more money.
• If the company has lost money in the last financial year, it is not a good time to ask for a pay rise.
• If the company has recently made people redundant due to down sizing or loss of profit, not only will you be told no, but it might just put you on the radar for the next round of redundancies.

If any of these circumstances affect you, I would seriously advise waiting until things turn around for the company.

How To Get That Pay Rise: Tip 1 – Ask Correctly

There’s a fair chance your company will be looking for a reason to say no to a pay rise. Don’t help them out by handing them one on a plate.

• Make sure you are asking the right person, otherwise you are just wasting your time and theirs.
• Don’t be defensive or negative. Going in shouting the odds isn’t going to get you anywhere. Be calm and use positive statements. Don’t say “Person’s name gets more than me and they’re rubbish”, instead, tell your boss what you do and how you get results.
• Avoid making it personal or making it sound like an attack.
• Don’t threaten to leave unless you are serious. If they call your bluff, you are either out of a job or left eating humble pie.
• Choose a time carefully to talk to your boss about scheduling a meeting to discuss it. Don’t choose a time when they are particularly stressed or in a bad mood.

How To Get That Pay Rise: Tip 2 – Prove You Are Worth It

Your boss doesn’t care that you want some extra money. When you are asked why you should get a pay rise, they don’t care what you want the money for, they want to know why you deserve it. What are you bringing to the company that means you should be getting a pay rise?

• This is where you should bring it to your boss’s attention if your salary is significantly lower than the national average for the same role with the same level of responsibility.
• Don’t use generic statements like “I work hard” “I’m always on time” “I never call in sick”. These aren’t something that will get you a pay rise. These are basic things that are expected of anyone in a job.
• Use money centred statements to show how you are building up the company. For example “I lead the campaign and pitch and secured a new client who is expected to bring in around £2m in extra revenue” “My latest advertising campaign improved sales by 40%” “I consistently beat my targets by 20%”.
• The more reasons you have, the better your chances of securing your pay rise.

If you struggle to come up with any reasons you deserve a pay rise that aren’t already requirements of your job role (unless you are seriously under paid in terms of competitors pay) then you need to consider the fact that perhaps you are already earning the most you ever will in your current role.

How To Get That Pay Rise: Tip 3 – Know What You Want But Be Willing To Be Flexible

If you have secured a meeting to discuss a potential pay rise, it is important to go into it knowing what you want. You don’t want your boss to ask how much you are looking for and realise you have no idea.

• Be realistic. You want your boss to agree to this so don’t go in asking for way more than what is reasonable.
• Have a figure in mind, say 5% and when you ask for it, sound confident. Don’t cringe or apologise.
• If your boss comes back with a counter offer, hear them out. It might not be exactly what you wanted, but it’s still better than what you have now. Bear in mind your boss will have a budget to work to and they may well be telling you the truth when they say that’s the best they can do.
• Be willing to take on extra responsibility. Perhaps the budget won’t stretch to a pay rise, but there could be an opportunity to take on a new project for extra pay.

If you get exactly what you wanted, obviously thank your boss, but don’t be too over excited, it will make them think you didn’t really expect to get it. If they make you a counter offer, ask for some time to consider it. Even if it doesn’t sound like a good offer, sometimes when you consider other factors, you realise it’s actually pretty good.

Your Boss Said No To Your Pay Rise. What’s Next?

Firstly, don’t act like a child. Being sulky or stroppy won’t help your case. Thank them for taking the time to listen to your proposal. If you get the impression your boss is genuinely sorry they can’t offer you a pay rise at that time, and they do value you as an employee, there are still a couple more things you can try:

• Ask for some extra perks rather than money. Could you maybe work from home one day a week,  have access to a company car or have an extra week’s annual leave.
• If noting else appeals to you except a monetary incentive, ask what measures the company would need you to take to get a positive response in 6 months. If they can’t answer that question, then it’s unlikely you will ever get a pay rise. You now have to decide whether you are happy to stay on your current salary or whether it might be time to think about going elsewhere.
• If your boss gives you some reasonable direction in response to the above, then you have to make sure you successfully meet all the requirements. You may have to be willing to do some extra work or something a bit different.

Good luck, I hope these tips help you successfully get your pay rise.

Remember:

• Know your worth. Even if your boss can’t see it.
• Be willing to accept that you may have reached the salary peak of your current role.
• There are other companies and other jobs out there if you are left dissatisfied
• Nobody is indispensable in business. It doesn’t matter how good you are, if you become too demanding and are then sulky when you don’t get your own way, companies aren’t going to appreciate your attitude.

Do you have any tips to add? Have you successfully asked for a pay rise? Let me know in the comments 🙂

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