How To Ask For A Raise (or Promotion!)

You’ve been busting your butt for months and now you’re finally ready to ask for that much-deserved raise. But… how? I get it. Asking your boss for more money is nerve-wracking. I’ve been there. And now I’m here to share the five exact steps I took to get my last raise!

1. Know who to talk to.
When I was ready to ask for a raise, I went straight to the VP of my department. This person for you may be your manager or supervisor. I didn’t bother going through my manager, because I knew she would have me talk to the VP anyway. I didn’t want to waste any time jumping through hoops. Go straight to the source.

2. Request a time to meet.
You don’t want to catch them at a bad time. Send them an email with a specific date and time, and ask if they are available to meet with you.

3. Give them a heads-up.
This goes back to not wasting any time. Your boss may want to ask your supervisors about your performance before making a decision. Give them time to do so by letting them know in your email that you want to talk about a raise or promotion. This way, by the time you meet, your boss will have a decision ready for you.

4. Be prepared to sell yourself.
My boss managed a department of 15+ employees. I don’t expect him to remember every awesome thing I did. Include a few of your most impressive career highlights in your email to jog your boss’s memory.

5. The moment of truth.
You may walk into your boss’s office and hear that he/she is ready to give you that raise! (Which is exactly what happened in my case.) If that does not happen, be ready to explain why you deserve a raise. Ask what needs to be done on your end to reach that next pay level.

Sometimes, the problem isn’t you. The budget may not allow for any raises. If that is the case, then you should ask yourself if you’re okay with that. Or is it time to transition to another position within the company altogether? Or should you leave for a different company? You know your worth. Don’t shortchange yourself!