By Webster Tilton 1) Don’t be afraid to ask: Bosses deal with this all the time, they’re not going to rip your head off just for asking. Whether or not you actually get the raise is another story, but you have every right to make the inquiry. 2) Research, research, research: There is no such ...

By Webster Tilton

1) Don’t be afraid to ask: Bosses deal with this all the time, they’re not going to rip your head off just for asking. Whether or not you actually get the raise is another story, but you have every right to make the inquiry.

2) Research, research, research: There is no such thing as too much prep. Relentlessly dig up facts and figures that support your case for why you should be making more money. Be sure to cite industry standards for your job in combination with the length of your tenure. Be ready to list off your accomplishments and defend the quality of your work.

3) Have a figure in mind: Don’t just ask for “a raise”, know how much you want. Be ready with not one but several arguments for why that number is fair and no less than what you deserve.

4) Timing is everything: This one is obvious. If your boss just got done ripping someone apart for bad performance then this isn’t the day to ask for more money. Wait till they’re in a good mood, or better still, make the request right after you deliver some high end work that clearly pleased them. If there isn’t going to be an obviously good time, then pick the least bad one. Employee compensation is supposed to increase with performance and length of tenure. As long as you’ve been doing your job well and your last raise was a year ago or more, you aren’t out of line to raise the issue.

5) If they won’t give you the number you want, ask specific questions about how you could earn that much: Use the phrase “What would need to happen to get me to that level of compensation?”, or “What specific goals need to be met for me to get to that pay grade?” Denying a raise is a reflex for bosses because their job is to save the company money. But if you can force them to actually stop and think about why they’re shooting you down they may realize that they aren’t being reasonable.