Whether you’ve been in the same job for several years, or you’re just starting out – climbing up the salary ladder can often feel like a real challenge. Most of us rarely relish the prospect of asking an employer for a raise but, if you don’t ask for a pay review then you could find yourself stuck in a position where your work isn’t adequately recognized. The good news though is that there are a few simple tips that will put you in a great position to discuss your salary. The important thing is to think about the long-term benefits for both you and your employer of an increased salary.
Do your homework
This is the most important piece of advice. If you don’t already know, find out what the average salary is for the work you do, and then measure it against your position and level of responsibility. You can use online salary comparison sites to help. At the same time, make sure you know if there is a process in place at your company for salary review, and assess whether you should bide your time until an official review period, or ask for a one-off meeting with your manager. It can also be good to have a sense of the national pay rise climate, and how it is likely to affect individual raises.
Bring evidence
Of course, you can’t expect to be paid more simply because you’d like a bit more cash. It’s important to bring well thought through evidence to any paid review and to be able to measure your work against clear targets. Think carefully about your job description and whether you can clearly demonstrate that you have exceeded expectations in any area. There are HR websites that have useful tips for you measuring performance clearly.
See both sides
A good tip is to try and see your pay rise from the employer’s point of view – so that you can address any questions they might have in the first instance. For instance, is your progression cheaper for the company than recruiting more junior members of staff? Or, have you got skills you can pass on to others to reduce training costs? Or for instance, would it benefit your employer if you worked part-time? Are your skills something that can be replaced by someone else or even machines?
Be positive
If you really believe you deserve a pay rise then it’s probable that you deserve one! So be confident in your abilities and know your real worth when discussing money with your boss. You don’t need to be arrogant or bolshy – just make sure you know exactly why you think you should be paid more for the work you do.
Have perspective
If you don’t get the answer you wanted then don’t give up hope. The important thing is to set goals and measures in place for a review in the future that you can work towards. If your manager feels you need to improve in certain areas then take that advice positively and use it to move forward in your role.
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