If you’re an employee then you must know that talking about salaries is usually embarrassing in probably every culture. Either you’re discussing them with a friend or with your manager, and especially your manager.
Asking your manager for a raise can for some reason be considered a taboo; everyone feels nervous about it. People think that if they asked for a raise they would look greedy or don’t care about anything but money; so, most employees just wait till the company decides to give them a raise. This can happen in a proper time and sometimes it can take years.
This is why sometimes it is recommended to ask for a raise and we will tell you when and how.
1- Do The Circumstances Allow?
Before you decide to have a meeting to ask for a raise, check if the general circumstances allow.
Is your company financially stable? For example, the pandemic had negatively affected the companies, and some even had to lay off employees or cut-down on salaries. This wasn’t a good time to ask for a raise.
So, always make sure that your company isn’t suffering from losses or a financial crisis.
2- How Long Have You Been Working?
One of the things that can make you get a raise is the time you have spent in the company.
The common rule of getting a raise is after a whole year, this is when the company decides to raise your salary. If the company didn’t make this decision, then you can ask for it yourself if you have been working for over a year.
And it’s not just about the duration, it’s also about the work you have done. If you are doing your job perfectly and enhancing your performance, then you can ask for a raise. Also, if by time you started doing more work than what you originally do, then you can ask for a raise.
Gather your information and what you have done since you worked and talk to your manager.
3- You Have Some Research To Do
Before asking for a meeting, you have to be ready with information regarding your raise.
First of all, check your market rate. What is your title and how much does the market offer? Your research should include the salaries rate of your title and how much raise you should get after every period of time.
For example, after spending a year in your position, you can check the proper percentage for your pay increase.
Also, put in mind that sometimes websites are not accurate so you should be asking people who work in the same field.
4- Pick The Right Time
You have to pick a time that is right for your manager and pick it according to your company’s annual year.
You need to be aware of the annual year; the annual year is the time your company decides the new year’s budget and financial status. You need to speak to your manager before it so they can add your raise to the new budget.
Also, you need to pick a time when your manager is not stressed or dealing with any crisis. You can’t ask your manager for a raise when you have just finished a meeting discussing bad performances.
So, timing matters.
5- What to Say
Some people say that you need to prepare a full presentation to ask for a raise, but it’s not really necessary.
As we mentioned earlier, you have to gather all of the information. You have to prepare the reason why you want a raise and why you deserve it. So, when you ask for a meeting, you have to be ready with the tasks you have been doing, the time you have been filling your position, and the projects you worked on that succeeded.
Also, be ready to answer your manager’s questions regarding your tasks, evaluation, and performance.
Remember, you have to work hard and have valid reasons to earn a raise. It’s not just about the duration, it’s also about your work and performance.
