How to Ask for a Raise

You want more money.  You think you deserve more money.  There is ONLY one way you will get a significant raise out of your company.  You have to ask for it.  The worst they can say is no.  I have never ever heard of a company firing someone for asking for a raise.  You just have to have the intestinal fortitude to walk in your manager's door and ask for it.

How do you do that????  First, know that, if you are a good worker, your manager WANTS to give you a good raise.  It is difficult to find workers who are just satisfactory.  Someone who does their job well, is an amazing find and you want to keep them happy.  So, look your self in the face and ask some very introspective questions. 

• Am I a good worker, or do I just do the minimum it takes to get the job done?  
• When I complete a job is it just "good enough," or is it well done?
• Do others come to me for help, or do they come to me as a last resort?
• Am I a good supportive team member?  Do I aid others on my team, even if I am busy?

This helps set your mind for what is the next step.  If you can answer those questions truthfully, and the answers are "yes," you can move on to Phase II. 

Don't think about WHY you NEED the raise.  Hopefully, you have a good relationship with your manager.  Your manager, as your friend, DOES care about your financial wants and needs.  However, realize that, even if you report to the owner of the company, your manger needs to justify your increase in pay to the "company."  The "company" doesn't care about your personal financial wants and needs.  All the company cares about is money.  Even if you work at a touchy feely non-profit, the business cares about MONEY.  That's it.  That's all. 

So, when you make your case for a raise, you must make it in terms that the company will understand and appreciate.  You have to make the money case.  BUT, you need to make your case such that the company will want to spend more on you.  Your case needs to be about what you have done in the past, AND about what you will do in the future.  If you make your case about what you have done, the company rubs its hands together and says, "What a bargain I have!  I got the work of three people for the price of one!!"  Make your pitch too much about the future, and the company says "Let's see all of this pan out before we invest."

The best way to start is to write it all out.  Start first with the past.  Write out your major accomplishments and how they have benefited the company.  You have to use examples of measurable success, and how they have monetarily befitted the company.  Developed software that increased productivity by 50% and saved the company $1.2 million.  This sets your current value, and how the company has benefited from your work. 
Then put your goals for the next two years.  Again, they should be measurable and monetary.  This shows your future value.  This is the time to compare your duties to how much it would cost to replace you. 

Next, how much are you going to ask for?  Have a number in mind.  Just don't say "a raise."  Also, realize that the number you ask for may not be approved, but a lower number might.  So, always ask for a little bit more than you want.  But, don't shoot the moon.  If you want 10%, but ask for 50%, you are going to be disappointed.  Your number should be realistic enough that the company feels like it can make a counter offer.  It should not be so high that the company scoffs and just walks away. 
Do your research.  Take a look on job sites to see what the comparable in your experience and duties are.  Don't limit yourself to just your job title, look at your duties, and compare with other jobs that have similar duties. Mark this down in your pitch notes.  Also look at the cross duties your perform.  If you have duties that cross different disciplines, note how much it would cost to hire a dedicated person to perform those duties.

Now you are ready to ask.  Don't ambush your manager.  Set a time and a meeting.  Meet in a conference room.  Try not to meet somewhere that your manager has a perceived air of power over you.  Their office, or your office for instance. 

You don't need a power point, but make your case in a pointed, logical way.  Be prepared for counters and some defensiveness from your manager.  Your tone should be one of friendly negotiation.  Don't plead, or demand.  Demanding will put your manager in full on defensive mode, and, if you make it sound like an ultimatum, it will definitely hurt your chances for future raises or promotions.  Pleading makes you look weak.  This will hurt your chances for risky and important projects. 

This is a touchy subject for them as well, because, more often than not, they do not have the unilateral power to bless a pay raise.  They have talk to someone else. 
Speaking of talking to someone else, don't do it.  Your asking for a rise should be between you and your manger.  No one else.  Don't bring it up, don't discuss it with anyone at work.

Finally, be prepared if the answer is "no."   What are you going to do?  Think of alternatives.  In your research, try to find a job title that better describes what you are doing.  That way you can argue in the future that you title's comps are higher than what you are paid.
You could start looking for another job, and use your research in your salary negotiations.

Or, you could ask why the raise was rejected, and try to find out what you need to do to turn that answer to a yes next time.  Sometimes, the answer is budget considerations.  Sometimes, the company is preparing to do something and needs the resources elsewhere.  Sometimes, the reason is YOU.  Raises aren't given to adequate performers.  They are given to linchpin high performers.  If you aren't a linchpin, work hard to become one.