What’s more daunting than a career change into a new industry? Not much, except maybe the sneaking suspicion that you have earned a raise – and you’re not sure how to go about getting it! With raises and general financial talk often being a bit taboo, we know finding good, reliable information can be difficult. Is this someone’s opinion, or does it really actually work?
Well, we’re happy to say that we’ve scoured the internet for our four most useful resources for negotiating a raise. Take a look:
Make sure that you have all of the information in front of you before you even start!
From Rob Walker, at the New York Times:
Your first move is to get more information. Set up a meeting with H.R., Mr. Shapiro suggested. Treat it as purely informational: Don’t complain about your boss or demand a raise. Just focus on getting someone to explain the compensation system, how employees are valued, and what opportunities for advancement or increased pay are available now or will be in the future.
“You could learn a lot,” he said. Maybe your boss isn’t giving you the whole story. Or perhaps there are more innocent factors: Your company’s entry-level salary may be high for your field.
You might also talk to trusted colleagues to see if others have had the same experience. Next, do some research outside your company, Mr. Shapiro said. Find out what your firm’s competitors would pay a person like you.
Get more from Rob here.
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There’s a story being told about you at your company – are you in control of it?
From Laura Youngkin at Forbes:
You absolutely have to be out in front of your story, or others will write it for you. As obnoxious as it is, perception becomes reality. You have to do your part in crafting the narrative you want others to know and talk about. During the advancement or negotiating process, building up goodwill towards your perceived value is absolutely necessary. You might need several people to all agree on your worth, and you won’t achieve that consensus based on your work performance alone. Build up your case by keeping track of your accomplishments, praise from superiors, and any contributions you’ve made outside your role for the good of the organization. Memorize them and have them on hand as talking points. Share what you can via social media (choose the appropriate channels) to make an impression. You have to be able to succinctly speak to why you deserve a raise, promotion, project, etc. and back it up with evidence. Having a positive narrative out there about how valuable you are is icing on the cake.
More on negotiating the raise that you deserve here.
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Two quick tips that are easier said than done? Tap into your advocates & don’t take it so personally!
From Sheryl Posnick at The Job Network:
Have others sing your praises.
If you can walk into the room with kudos from other people, it shows your boss you’re an essential team member. If you’ve received any grateful emails or nice compliments from colleagues or clients over the past year, now’s the time to dig through your email archive to find them.
Don’t make it personal.
This is not the time to bust out sob stories about your finances. This raise is about being compensated specifically for your work and your role in the company. Similarly, don’t try to exploit whatever personal relationship you may have with your boss. If you two go out for happy hour drinks twice a week or snark on each other’s Facebook, that needs to stay separate from your professional performance evaluation.
More from the Super Easy Guide: How to Negotiate a Raise and Promotion here.
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The comprehensive guide:
If you want to dig really deep on asking for a raise or promotion and these three aren’t enough to get you started – may we introduce you to Ramit Sethi? For those looking to go really deep – we suggest downloading his ultimate guide right here.
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We’re big advocates of loving what you do, but it doesn’t hurt to be paid well while you do it.
If you don’t currently love what you do and you’re looking for a career change – come see what we’ve got to offer!