Unleash Your Earning Power: 6 Game-Changing Strategies to Ask for a Raise

Jul 9

You’ve been at your job for a while now, and not to toot your own horn, but you’ve done pretty well.

So well, in fact, you’ve been trusted with more responsibility.

Your leaders, business partners, and clients are constantly singing your praises, and you’re happy with your career trajectory.

But with a plate full of higher-stakes projects and more duties to perform, you’ve been wondering lately: If I’m doing so well, why haven’t I gotten a raise?

You don’t want to sound greedy (and you’re NOT), but you’re taking on a lot more than you did when you started.

And despite the increased workload, you still consistently:

◾Meet your deadlines

◾Exceed your goals

◾And maintain positive relationships with your clients, teammates, and business partners

So why aren’t you earning more money?

The answer is probably simpler than you thought: Because you haven’t asked for a raise.

And why haven’t you asked for a raise?

If it’s because you’re too nervous, you’re in good company: Eighty percent of Americans are afraid to ask for a raise, even though they know they deserve one.1

If it’s because you don’t know how to ask for a raise, you’re not alone on that front either: Thirty-two percent of Americans say they also lack the knowledge.2

Either way, you’re in the right place.

My name’s Kelly, and after spending decades successfully coaching executive leaders through raise and salary negotiations, I’ve come up with 6 strategies — PLUS some FAQs — to help you do the same.

We’ve all been there, but not everyone knows how to navigate this space. And since negotiating a raise isn’t exactly covered in the syllabus of life skills we accumulate, I’m breaking it all down for you here.

When you finish this article, you’ll be prepared to go into your raise negotiation with confidence, fully equipped to secure that well-deserved bump in pay.

Time is money, so without further ado, let’s get started.

1. Do Your Research

Before diving into the “I want a raise” conversation, it’s crucial to lay a solid foundation.

You know the saying “Don’t put the cart before the horse”? It means don’t do things out of order, or you might not get anywhere.

But if you take the right steps, the cart — aka your conversation — will follow and flow more smoothly.

So before you march into your boss’s office demanding your overdue and *well-deserved* raise — completely unprepared — start with some research to build your case:

    ☑️Familiarize yourself with company policies:
    ▪️ Look into the guidelines around pay reviews.
▪️ How often and what percentage is common when they give raises?
▪️ And do they give performance bonuses or incentives?
  


    ☑️Investigate market rates:
    ▪️ What’s the typical salary range for your role? 
▪️ Doing an online compensation analysis using factors like location and industry can help you see what your role’s worth.
▪️ Be sure to use reputable and legitimate sources. If your company has a Human Resources department, they may be a great resource, as well.
  

    ☑️Assess your Key Performance Indicators:
    ▪️ Think about your latest achievements.
▪️ Be able to demonstrate how you’ve exceeded your KPIs (Key Performance Indicators).
▪️ Quantify how much your actions have increased revenue or decreased expenses within your department or the company.  
  

    ☑️Decide on the salary to ask for:
    ▪️ Based on your accomplishments, location, skill set, and experience, what’s a fair salary to ask for?
▪️ Remember, annual cost of living increases are generally around 2-3%.
▪️ Calculate the difference between what you want and what you currently earn.
  

☑️Familiarize yourself with company policies:	▪️ Look into the guidelines around pay reviews. ▪️ How often and what percentage is common when they give raises? ▪️ And do they give performance bonuses or incentives?
☑️Investigate market rates:	▪️ What’s the typical salary range for your role? ▪️ Doing an online compensation analysis using factors like location and industry can help you see what your role’s worth. ▪️ Be sure to use reputable and legitimate sources. If your company has a Human Resources department, they may be a great resource, as well.
☑️Assess your Key Performance Indicators:	▪️ Think about your latest achievements. ▪️ Be able to demonstrate how you’ve exceeded your KPIs (Key Performance Indicators). ▪️ Quantify how much your actions have increased revenue or decreased expenses within your department or the company.
☑️Decide on the salary to ask for:	▪️ Based on your accomplishments, location, skill set, and experience, what’s a fair salary to ask for? ▪️ Remember, annual cost of living increases are generally around 2-3%. ▪️ Calculate the difference between what you want and what you currently earn.

💡Pro Tip:

Consistently highlight your successes and wins to your manager in real-time. That way, you’re documenting them as you go.

Ask for feedback, update them on your improvement, and let them know your goals and ambitions for growth.

This keeps these things top-of-mind for your manager, is a great exercise in self-advocacy for you, and makes the whole “I want a raise” conversation less of a shock.

Doing your research is crucial because it helps you determine the salary you want and zero in on why you deserve it.

Now that you’ve nailed both of these, it’s time to craft a plan for how to ask for it.

2. Plan Your Strategy

Imagine: You’ve finally mustered up the courage to ask for a raise.

Pumped yourself up Eye of the Tiger style. 🐯

But as soon as you broach the subject with your boss, you’re stumbling over your words.

Before you know it, the conversation has ended with a vague and disappointing “Let’s circle back on this next quarter” from your boss.

And instead of feeling empowered, you’re leaving the conference room completely deflated.

Let this not be you.

Take your research and begin carving out your strategy for asking for a raise:

◾When do you want to have this conversation?

◾Where should it take place?

◾Do you have all your research ready to go?

◾Who should be present for the conversation?

It’s an important conversation, and, as the saying goes, failing to prepare is preparing to fail.

So, before you jump into the conversation, let’s make sure all your ducks are in a row

Next up, let’s squash any creeping negative thoughts.

3. Silence the Negative Self-Talk

Conversations about compensation can be intimidating. Especially when you’re asking for more.

They drum up feelings of anxiety and even self-doubt.

Now that money is involved, suddenly, your stable and confident demeanor is replaced by *unfounded* thoughts of greed, disloyalty, and undeservedness.

If any of these sound familiar, try flipping the script on your negative self-talk.

    If you’re thinking:
    Tell yourself this, instead: 
  
    Asking for a raise makes me sound greedy. 
    I know my work, experience, and expertise are valuable. I deserve to earn what those are worth.
  
    I have a lot of experience, but don’t feel like I’ve been here long enough to ask for a raise.
    I contribute value regardless of tenure. I deserve recognition for my impact, not just my time spent.
  
    My boss will think I’m disloyal for asking for more money.
    I prioritize fair compensation because I value my worth. Seeking what I deserve isn’t disloyalty. It’s self-advocacy.
  
    If I deserved a raise, they would’ve already offered me one.
    I own my career. And though I know my leaders are aware of my contributions, I know I’m my best advocate and am confident in asking for what I want.

If you’re thinking:	Tell yourself this, instead:
Asking for a raise makes me sound greedy.	I know my work, experience, and expertise are valuable. I deserve to earn what those are worth.
I have a lot of experience, but don’t feel like I’ve been here long enough to ask for a raise.	I contribute value regardless of tenure. I deserve recognition for my impact, not just my time spent.
My boss will think I’m disloyal for asking for more money.	I prioritize fair compensation because I value my worth. Seeking what I deserve isn’t disloyalty. It’s self-advocacy.
If I deserved a raise, they would’ve already offered me one.	I own my career. And though I know my leaders are aware of my contributions, I know I’m my best advocate and am confident in asking for what I want.

For more advice on how to dispel negative self-talk, check out my 3 Tips to Banish Your Negative Self-Talk Right Now.

Remember, your work has value.

And now that you’ve done the research, taken inventory of your contributions, come up with a fair number, and quieted those pesky, negative thoughts…

You’re ready to create your narrative and plan out how you want to tell it.

4. Craft Your Narrative

Remember all that research from earlier? It’s time to pull it out and string it together.

Your narrative should show a clear link between why you deserve a raise and the salary increase you want.

To tell that story, here are some prompts to get you started:

✨Which of your contributions and achievements influenced the company’s success?

✨How do your skills and dedication align with the company’s goals?

✨And what specific impact — think numbers and examples, here — have your actions had?

Be as clear and specific as possible.

Having some trouble putting it all together?

Sometimes, the hardest person to speak about is yourself, and it’s helpful to reach out to an external party for a second set of eyes. A qualified career and job strategist will guide you through exercises catered specifically to you and your goals.

You’re almost ready...

Before the official conversation, it’s a good idea to go through the motions and settle on exactly what you want to say.

5. Practice Your Pitch

Take everything you’ve learned so far and — you guessed it — practice, Practice, PRACTICE.

Asking for a raise, whether it’s your first or 15th time, is nerve-wracking.

The best way to settle the nerves is to become familiar and, more importantly, comfortable with asking for more money.

So say the words. Outloud. Until they feel normal.

Remember, how you say it is nearly as important as what you say.

✔️ Keep your tone and inflection even. Resist ending your sentences on a tonal upswing (you’ll know you’re doing this when every statement sounds more like a question).

✔️ Use present tense, action-oriented, data-focused language, and remove filler words like “just”: “I’m speaking with you today about…” vs. “I just wanted to talk to you about…”.

✔️ And keep those “ums” to a minimum.

If you feel silly reciting your salary negotiation alone, enlist a friend or colleague to do a mock conversation with you.

💡Pro Tip: Ask them to push back on you with some objections to overcome. That way, you’ll be ready if and when they come up during the real thing.

6. Ask for a Raise

Now that you’re comfortable and clear on what you want to say, schedule that meeting.

Pick a time that works for you and your boss.

(Maybe not 4:30 pm on a Friday or 30 minutes before they make a big presentation to the Board of Directors.)

Remember: You’re not asking for a favor but for compensation that reflects the value you bring to the company.

You’ve got data and examples, know exactly what you’re going to say, and are fully prepared to answer their questions.

So go in with confidence:

◾I want to discuss my performance and the value I bring to the team.

◾I’ve taken on additional responsibilities like [specific examples] and have consistently exceeded expectations. I believe it’s time to revisit my compensation.

◾I’m committed to continuing to deliver exceptional results and contribute to the company’s success. I’d like to talk about up-leveling my pay.

Still feeling nervous? Completely natural.

To calm your nerves before your meeting:

◾Give yourself 15 minutes of downtime to clear your head and look over your notes

◾Remind yourself you’ve done your homework

◾Drink some water and take a deep breath

💡Pro Tip:

Sometimes, the answer isn’t black and white, so be prepared for compromise and negotiation. These conversations can be complex and may require more than one talk, but remember what’s important to you.

And there’s always the possibility they’ll say no, or you won’t get exactly what you asked for. If that happens, don’t give up.

By going through this exercise, you’ve kicked off a conversation that:

📈 Could lead to creating a growth plan with your manager

📈 Help you determine if you want to stay with this company

📈 Or decide to look for a new opportunity.

Overall, you’ve taken a big step forward and sharpened a new and essential skill in your career.

Speaking with a career coach like me can demystify your negotiation and help design a clear, goal-aligned career plan forward.

Your Next Step to Earning a Higher Income

Feeling empowered? You’ve absorbed invaluable insights on how to navigate the art of asking for a raise.

Now, with confidence and newfound strategies, it’s time to put your plan into action.

But remember, you don’t have to go it alone.

Whether you need more guidance on crafting your narrative, want to further fine-tune your negotiation skills, or partner up to design a career you love, I’m here to help.

Schedule a free call with me, Kelly White.

Let’s map out your path to success together.

Frequently Asked Questions:

What is a reasonable raise to ask for?	Research your industry, market, and consider your experience level. Aim for 5-10%.
How do I kindly ask for a raise?	Schedule a 1:1 meeting with your manager. Make sure you’re prepared with your pitch, narrative, and the salary increase you want.
How do I know if I’m underpaid?	Research market rates, speak confidentially with your HR representative, and assess your professional contributions to the company.
Can I negotiate my raise? What’s the best way to negotiate a raise?	Absolutely. Be prepared with concrete evidence for why you deserve the raise you’re asking for. Reach out to me for a free discovery call, I’d love to help get you the salary you’re aiming for.
When’s the best time to ask for a raise?	You can ask for a raise at any time! You don’t have to wait for your annual or quarterly review. A great time is always right after you’ve successfully completed a project or received recognition for an achievement, though.
What if I don’t get the raise I want?	Ask for specific feedback on what will help you get there and focus on those improvements. By linking up with me, a career and job strategist, I focus on helping professionals like you land the careers — including salaries — of their dreams. Book a free session with me today.