Unfortunately, I am not able to make a salary adjustment
at this time.
So your salary is going to have to stay where it's at.
I don't understand, because I know for a fact
that somebody else in this office just got a raise
and, now they're making more than I am.
I think it's safe to say that money is a topic many of us
try to avoid at work.
No doubt, asking for a raise can be pretty uncomfortable.
That said, it's a conversation you will likely
have at some point throughout your career.
And hopefully, more than once.
You can't always rely on your boss giving you a raise
without you asking for one.
With that in mind, it's important to know
when you should ask for one and how to do it.
Hi do you have a quick second?
I'm a little tied up right now.
But if it's quick.
Absolutely.
First issue, Zach is catching his manager
off guard with his conversation.
Always schedule time in advance.
So you both are prepared.
Let's continue.
So all right.
This is not easy for me to come and ask you.
It's just that my partner and I recently bought a house.
And yeah, and we've been going through our personal finances
and our budget right now is stretched.
Really, really thin.
There have been some unforeseen issues with the house,
and we've had to pay more out of pocket
than we originally thought.
And we had a dip into our emergency fund.
Before Zach goes any further, let's talk about this.
The number one mistake people make when asking for a raise
is making it personal.
Your reasoning should always be centered
around your professional performance and growth,
not what's happening in your private life.
The conversation should be void of any sulking or emotional
baggage.
Let's see how Zach finishes the ask.
All right.
I'm sorry to have to come and ask you this,
but I'm wondering if you might be able to give me
a bump in my hourly rate.
I mean, any additional take home pay
would be really helpful right now.
So what do you say?
Can you help me?
OK.
A couple of things to unpack here,
never apologize when asking for a raise
even with a rock solid ask, apologizing
for it automatically weakens your argument.
Also you should always have a number in mind,
you're asking for as well, which you should determine
by doing research in advance.
Let's take a look now at the proper way to ask for a raise.
I'd be my sales go for the year.
I've been managing a team of direct reports.
I see a clear path for upward mobility.
I got this.
Yes.
All righty, Jesse is going into this meeting with confidence.
She's practiced her talking points
and her manager knows what the conversation is going to be,
based on the calendar invite.
Let's see how this one goes.
First of all, thank you so much for taking the time
to meet with me today.
Of course, you've been a great asset on this team,
and I know you want to talk about your growth here.
So what's up?
OK, so I have been reviewing my performance over the past year.
And I am really proud of where I'm at
and excited for my future here.
Just off the bat, I have beat my personal sales goal by 15%.
And I'm on track to bring in even more this year.
Wow.
And in addition, I managed summer interns last year.
So I really think that I'm ready for direct reports of my own.
OK.
I would really love to grow into a senior sales position both
this year and next as I see it as a clear path
for upward mobility in this team.
OK.
There is so much to love about this already.
Jesse has demonstrated that she's outperformed
her expectations in the job.
She explains how she's done it exceptionally.
She's also identified avenues to take
on more responsibility, which shows
she is committed to continued growth at the company.
Now let's get to the ask.
With all that being said, it's been about a year
since my last raise and I've done
some research both internally and externally
and based on my performance.
And I was hoping to see about a 5% increase in my salary.
I have really enjoyed all of the opportunities for growth
in this position.
And I'm excited to continue that growth moving forward.
I'm glad you brought this up, and I couldn't agree more.
Nailed the landing.
And given the timeline, Jesse is due for a raise.
And came prepared with research on the appropriate amount
to ask for the responsibilities.
You can even go a step further and present
a one sheet of your successes, areas for new growth,
and your proposed raised to your boss.
It's a talking point.
So you've already prepared.
So it not only helps serve as your script
but could serve as a salary review
if your manager needs to submit one.
Now the answer we all hope to hear when asking for a raise
is obviously, yes.
But there is a chance that your boss could say no.
Just as you prepare to make the actual ask,
you should also be prepared if you receive a no.
We're going to look now at the wrong and right ways
to respond in this situation.
Zach has been with his company for about a year
and has been achieving his goals.
He's just asked his manager for a raise.
Let's listen in.
OK.
Thank you for bringing this up to me.
Unfortunately, I am not able to make a salary adjustment
at this time.
So your salary is going to have to stay where it's at.
I don't understand.
I know for a fact someone else in this office just got a raise
and, now they're making more than I am.
Comparing your salary to others is not a good tactic.
Keep the conversation about and your performance.
Those are two completely different situations
with completely different factors.
So I'm not going to discuss other people's pay with you.
All right.
You should know this.
If my salary stays the same way, then I'm
going to have to go out there and start looking for a new job
elsewhere.
No matter how frustrating it might
to be given a no when asking for a raise,
never sulk and make an ultimatum,
like threatening to leave.
This could very easily sour your position in the company,
and will definitely work against you.
Let's try that one again.
This time Jesse will respond in the correct way.
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Thank you for bringing this up to me.
Unfortunately, I am not able to make that salary request
at this time.
So your salary is going to have to stay where it's at.
I see.
But given that, I've been achieving my goals and sowing
success in my position.
Can I ask why?
I agree that you've been reaching your goals.
And I think that you have a lot of room
for growth at this company.
But for me to make a salary request
that I can take up the ladder, I need
to make the case that you are exceeding those goals.
Always ask questions to better understand the decision making.
Really listen to what your manager says.
You could use it in future negotiations.
Let's see the rest.
I understand and I too can see myself growing at this company.
Can you tell me what you think it would take for me
to earn a raise in the future?
If you can close two deals of new business
beyond your targeted goals for the next quarter,
I think I can make a pretty convincing argument for you
to get that raise.
OK, that sounds doable.
Thank you again for taking the time to meet with me today.
Of course.
And can we chat again about this in three months?
You got it.
That was great.
Jesse was left with actionable next steps
and kept the conversation positive and forward-looking.
And most importantly, they set a milestone
for when they're able to reassess the raise.
But let's be honest, if an employer cannot provide
a raise, the solution is sometimes to look elsewhere.
It's always a personal decision.
But having a stagnant salary, isn't something everyone
can manage.
That said, there's often more than just money on the table.
If that's the case, consider negotiating
for things like flexibility, vacation
time, and professional development opportunities.
Asking for a raise can be nerve-wracking,
but with the right preparation and practice,
you'll be able to walk into the conversation with confidence
and leave with results.
Do you have an interview coming up?
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It's making me uncomfortable.
Maybe that.
I'm like, this is a lot.
I can definitely make it more uncomfortable if you
want more desperate, you know.