This month, we’re giving a gift to any employee who ever wished they made more money. Top Applicant’s hiring experts are here to share insights into effective strategies for every stage in your career. Instead of just one Christmas bonus, get the gift that keeps on giving. Here’s what you need to know when it comes to how to ask for a raise.
The Subtle Scenarios
When wondering how to ask for a raise, timing is everything. If you’ve experienced any of the following scenarios, it’s time to talk about your salary. Top Applicants’ hiring experts compiled this list from common reasons employees need help changing careers.
“Going Above and Beyond”
We’re here for pats on the back and being recognized for good work. But if you’ve been overlooked for advancement despite the praise, it’s time to talk to your boss about it. This is one of the best positions you can be in because you have the advantage if you have the proof.
Go above and beyond for your career by updating your Top Applicant profile to track your latest projects and build your professional portfolio. The biggest hurdle most employees face is a lack of data when it comes to asking for a raise. The right data paired with the right attitude is more than enough to get the conversation started in the right direction.
Why So Cynical?
From water cooler talk to after-hours drinks, the conversations can turn into rants quickly if you don’t feel you’re being paid enough. That resentment only builds because you don’t voice your expectations. Instead of venting to anyone who’ll listen, we recommend refocusing your energy.
Use your comparable positions on Top Applicant to do your homework. Don’t get mad, get even by proving that you’re doing a great job and presenting the data to prove your worth. You might just be surprised at the outcome of your conversations.
Just One More Thing
A great way to start the conversation includes listing additional responsibilities you may have taken on. If your job description has evolved beyond your original expectations, make sure you’re keeping track of all those just one more things.
To build this, we recommend starting a document right after reading this guide. It doesn’t take an Excel wiz to build a table and write down tasks you are assigned for your own good. If you’re already going above regular responsibilities, why not go beyond for your career?
On the Struggle Bus
Companies around the world are experiencing quiet quitting, strikes, and walkouts due to the stressful environments their employees work in. When we take a look at every scene, there are two common denominators among stressed-out employees:
Always On the Clock
If dinner table conversations turn into home office ones, or your Sundays keep getting scarier, it’s hard to be fully clocked out. An overwhelming number of employees admit to having anxiety about work when they’re not at work. So to tackle that mountain of stress and work, we recommend negotiating your benefits alongside your salary.
Time Management Issues
If Santa can manage to get to every house in one night, you can handle your workload, right? If your work schedule has become a work of fiction, stress is soon to follow. Everyone gets stressed at work, but your position can deteriorate just as quickly as your mental health. If you’re days or weeks behind on your work, it can feel like you’re never going to be caught up. We recommend adding mental health coverage to your benefits package, or restructuring your workload with your manager to stay on track and in step with your career goals.
Get Your Sheet Together
As you recognize that you need a raise, you’ll eventually have to make the ask. To be fully prepared for that meeting, make sure to be clear and honest about what you want. Write down your requests in order of priority. Here are a few to get you started.
What do you need?
A bigger budget or team?
A higher salary?
A new title?
A change in the reporting line?
These are all common concessions employees deserve from their employers. Keep in mind that your manager may have more capabilities in some areas than others. For example, a better benefits package may be more possible than a higher wage. If plan A doesn’t go as planned, build additional strategies to be flexible but firm throughout negotiations.
To make sure every plan is calculated, we recommend focusing on two-way commitment. Any employer worth working with should want to invest in people who are loyal, enthusiastic, and dedicated to making a company successful. You wouldn’t invest in someone who’s angry or hostile with you, right? That’s why we recommend managing your stress levels, your workload, and your off-the-clock life as you prepare for the big ask.
Make the Ask
As you compile your data, track your progress, and build your case, the day will finally come to make one of the most important asks of your life. Instead of “What’s Your Offer?”, offer an invitation to invest in you as more than just your current role. Here’s a prompt to get you started:
“When you have time, I’d like to understand the value I currently bring to the company. I’d also like to take a look at current duties to optimize my workload for success.”
Whether it’s in a memo, an email, or just a text, this is a great way to ease into increasing your compensation. It also gives your company the time they need to prepare. Just as you have questions you need answered, so do your bosses.
What do employers need to know?
What are the qualifications of the person asking?
Can we put a raise on the table based on certain metrics?
Is there room in the budget?
What’s the protocol to submit the request for approval?
By understanding both sides of the negotiation, you’re able to identify key points that can mean all the difference in the outcome of your ask. To understand what those key points mean for your career journey even further, keep reading with our latest insights.
Keep Reading: How to Negotiate Salary
The Right Salaries Right Here
Finding the right salary for you shouldn’t be stressful. All it takes to make the big ask is the right tools and the right attitude for your career. Put our modern hiring tools to work for you by signing up or logging in! Our modern hiring platform is here to make every applicant a Top Applicant in every stage of their career.
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