How To Ask For A Promotion or Raise

At some point in your career, you likely have felt you earned a promotion or raise. Sometimes these feelings may have been what motivated you to leave for a different company. Here are some tips to help get you a a promotion or raise.

1. Be realistic
Before an employee can – or should – ask for a promotion or raise, they should do a true and thorough evaluation of their own performance over the preceding year

2. Collect your evidence
Managers often agree a significant component of getting what you want when you ask for a promotion or raise is presenting evidence to support your assertion that you deserve it.

3. Ask in advance.
Don’t wait until your performance review to ask because chances are the decision has already been made if you qualify for a raise. If you plan to ask for more than just a cost of living increase, you’ll need to present your argument in advance of your meeting.

4. Don’t skimp on data
Metrics matter. Most successful employees prepare not just a list of achievements, but specific measurements of their impact

5. Illuminate your irreplaceability
Ask yourself what you do for your company that no one else can do before you ask for a raise or promotion.

6. Come with the right attitude
There is a fine line between being assertive and being rude when you ask for a promotion or raise. Keeping your attitude in check before discussing advancement with your boss is critical, especially if you aren’t a top performer.

7. Remember, it’s a two-way street.
Regardless of how well you’ve done at work this year, there are always areas where an employee can improve their performance or stretch their goals. These personal performance goals should be part of the raise/promotion conversation, even if you get what you want.

8. Play the long game
Whether it’s a matter of improving your performance or increasing your experience level, your manager may not be able to offer you exactly what you are asking for this year. They should, however, be able to offer you a plan for how to arrive at your desired destination.

If none of these solutions work for you, reach out to us! Send us your resume and we’ll see if we can help you get a promotion or raise at a great company we’re connected to.