by Deborah S. Hildebrand

Created on: April 18, 2010

Asking for a Raise: The ABCs of Doing it the Right Way

Most employees find the thought of asking for a raise to be an intimidating proposition – not because they don’t feel they have earned it (though in some instances that might be the case), but generally because asking for a raise means finding justification for why they deserve it. It is not enough for someone to tell their boss that they need more money. Everyone could use more money, and if it was that simple, everyone would be asking for a salary increase. 

Instead, before asking for a salary increase an employee must develop a solid rationale as to why they should be paid more than what they are currently earning. And to do that, they need to focus on the ABCs of doing it the right way. 

•Act professional. Employees that are worth more money act like it. 

Employees should start the process by asking for an appointment to speak with their boss privately when she won’t be distracted by other people or issues. Next they should clearly explain that based upon the information they have gathered they feel their salary is not in line with others in the same position or with what they as an individual bring to the company. Finally, they should be patient and wait for a response. Allowing the manager a chance to think it over is important. Chances are she will need more time to look into the situation. 

•Be prepared. Employees need to do their research. 

Looking at job advertisements that quote salary ranges or asking peers at other organizations will not necessarily provide the best information on how much someone else should earn. The same job title in different sized companies or different industries may be very different jobs. 

There are two key elements that compensation specialists at an organization look at when determining where an employee’s salary should fall in a salary range - the market value of the same or similar position at a similar sized company and typically in the same industry (generally determined by using salary surveys) and the individual’s level of education and experience in relation to others in the same position. The best way to determine how an organization establishes salary ranges is to talk to human resources. Employees should find out the range for their job and where their salary currently falls within that range. If it is below what others with the same experience and education are earning,

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