Good morning, everyone! I’ve receieved a few emails on today’s topic and have been conducting a fair amount of research to offer my best advice. The million dollar question: How do you ask for a raise/promotion?

While I can’t tell you if you are ready for or deserving of the promotion/raise (I’ll trust your judgment!), I can give a few pointers on how to ASK.

Step one: PREP

Whatever you do, DO NOT go to your employer with nothing prepared. Documentation of your achievements will help you to show that you’ve been a valuable asset to the company. This is also a good little reminder that you should be tracking these achievements throughout the year (so you don’t have to scramble at a time like this!). Make copies of your last reviews and make notes on company improvements that you have implemented while in your current position. Have sales grown as a result of your work? Have you heightened employee morale? Point these things out. This is not the time to be modest — you need to toot your own horn.

Check your attitude

How are you perceived around the office? Are you viewed by both management and coworkers as a positive thinking individual? If you’d like to move into the management level your attitude is crucial. People take direction and are more inclined to work hard for a boss that is upbeat and encouraging. Try and be the person that YOU would want to work with/for.

Research

Do not underestimate the value of information! Here is what you need to find out NOW:

• Employer’s pay practices. If the standard practice is to offer salary increases once a year after an annual review, you are unlikely to receive a raise at any other time. If your company offers more frequent increases, you’ll have more luck asking for a pay raise. Listen to your employer. If the employer announces that the pay raises will be four percent across the board, you are unlikely to negotiate more money.
• Market pay rates for your job. Take advantage of the fact that almost anything is accessible nowadays via the internet. Check out some salary calculators — although don’t take them too seriously, as they rarely reflect your local market conditions including the number of open positions in your area. If you are already paid above your market pay rate, negotiating a pay raise can be difficult.
• Employee handbook policy. The handbook may present the process whereby pay raises are granted. If a policy or a process exists, your best bet when asking for a pay raise, is to follow the process exactly.

Now that you are armed and ready…

Make an appointment with your boss.

Do NOT ambush him/her.  If your supervisor is unprepared to discuss an increase with you, nothing will happen at the meeting. Your boss will also want to do some research with the Human Resources staff and industry sources.

Make your case

Be straightforward in addressing your request for a pay raise to your supervisor. Be ready to explain why you deserve the promotion, as well as what you hope to achieve in the new position. Have a few solid ideas for company growth and improvements, and be prepared to explain how you would go about putting these improvements into action.

Outline the steps you have taken to ready yourself for the responsibilities of the new position. If you have taken any classes or attended work-related seminars since your last promotion, be sure to mention them. Again, this is NOT the time to be modest or passive, you need to be confident and assertive in your ideas.

Mindset: hope for the best, but be prepared for the worst.

If you are denied the promotion, politely ask for a reason, if one is not automatically offered. Inquire as to what you can do to put yourself in contention for a promotion in the future, and make a commitment to take the necessary steps to advance your career. Sometimes, even deserving candidates are not promoted because they have reached the highest point possible at their company. If this is the case, you may have to apply at a larger company/firm in order to take your career to the next level.

Keep it classy

No matter what the outcome of your meeting may be, be sure to extend your hand for a handshake and thank your boss for the opportunity to talk. Even if the meeting didn’t result in a promotion for you at this time, you want to leave your boss with a good impression–you need to be professional and even-tempered. If you did get the promotion (good for you!), ask to set up a time to work out the details, if they haven’t been fully discussed.

GOODLUCK climbing that ladder!

Additional suggested reading: How to ask for a raise when times are tough

Have you recently been in this situation? How did it go? Any tips to share?