How To Ask For A Raise Without Being Fired

 

How To Ask For A Raise Without Being Fired

 



Asking for a raise can be an intimidating prospect, but if you want to get more money out of your job, it's an important skill to learn. There are plenty of reasons why you might be thinking about asking for a raise—maybe you've been at the company for a long time and think it's finally time to make more money, or maybe your salary has been stagnant for years and you're ready for a change. Whatever your reason is, we're here to help you figure out how to ask for that raise in an effective way. Here's how:

 

Do some research.

Before you ask for a raise, it’s important to do your research.

First, find out what the market rate is for your job. You can get this information from sites like Glassdoor and Salary.com. What do other people with similar jobs make? How does that compare to what you currently earn?

Next, find out how much money the company has available for raises and bonuses this year (known as its budget). If there isn't enough money in the budget for raises or bonuses, it probably won't help your case.

Finally—and most importantly—make sure that you're eligible for a raise before asking for one! Some companies have policies against giving raises during periods of high growth or financial difficulty; others may require employees who haven’t been at their current job long enough to qualify; while still others might not have any policy on this whatsoever but will deny all requests anyway because they don’t want anyone thinking they are easy marks!

 

Meet with your manager one-on-one.

  • Meet with your manager in person.
  • This is the most important step of all, because it will show that you respect their time and feel confident in yourself. You want to be able to make a strong case, so don't wait for them to offer a meeting: ask for one!
  • Be prepared with data (like increased revenue or decreased turnover) that supports your case for getting paid what you're worth—and don't forget to do some research on other employees who are making more than you are at similar companies.
  • Be respectful but firm about what's going on here—you aren't asking for something extra, but rather an adjustment in pay so that you can remain competitive with other workers in your field and continue doing great work at the company. If they say no...

 

Don't bring up your personal life as a reason for needing more money.

When you're negotiating a raise at work, don't use your personal life as an excuse for needing more money. If you do this, it will come across as condescending and unprofessional.

Here are some examples of what not to say:

  • "My kids' private school costs $20K per year!"
  • "My spouse makes way more than me!"
  • "We just bought a house." (Even if it's true.)
  • "I need $10K per month to pay our mortgage." (If they ask why, explain that it's because the house is super expensive.)

The same goes for any mention of food or gas bills: no one wants to hear about how much you spend on groceries or gas each month if they're trying to pay off their car loan!

 

Remember your manager is listening for signs of asking for too much money for the amount of work you do.

When you're negotiating a raise, it's important to remember that your manager is listening for signs of asking for too much money for the amount of work you do.

If you think about what your company is paying other employees, and compare that to what they're paying you, it's easy to come up with a number that would be fair. It helps to look at what other people in similar roles are making—but it's also important to remember that companies pay their employees differently depending on factors like their education level, experience, location, and more.

When you ask for a raise, make sure you're prepared with facts: how long have you been working there? What percentage of the company's revenue do your contributions account for? How many projects have you completed recently? Do any of those projects fall under a special program or initiative? All of these things can help show how much value you offer the company.

  • Don't bring up your personal life as a reason for needing more money.
  • Don't ask for a raise every time you see your manager.

 

Showcase your specific value to the company.

  • Showcase your specific value to the company.
  • If you have been working for the same company for a while, show how you have contributed to their success.
  • If this is the first time you are asking for a raise, then explain how your contributions will continue to benefit them in the future.
  • Establish why it makes sense from their perspective:
  • Show how much money they can save by keeping you on board rather than replacing/re-training someone new (for example, with salary costs and lost productivity).
  • Estimate what percentage of your compensation package is paid for by other departments or outsourced vendors (for example, if all of your benefits are covered by insurance companies and 401k plans).

 

Be willing to negotiate and compromise when it comes to salary and perks.

Be willing to negotiate and compromise when it comes to salary and perks. There's one thing you need to know about negotiations: They're not about beating your opponent, but about creating a win-win situation.

That means that if you're really interested in the job, you'll be willing to negotiate and compromise when it comes to salary and perks. The company is going to want someone who's willing to work hard for them, and they'll want someone who can do the job well. So if you're willing to make concessions on some terms, it shows them that you're motivated by a desire to do good work, not just by personal gain.

If you're not willing to negotiate, your boss will see that as a sign of weakness and may be less willing to give you a raise next time. On the other hand, if you are flexible about salary or benefits, your boss might be more likely to give them to you. If you get a raise this time around, then it’s only natural that they’ll want another one in the future!

 

Realize that you may not get what you want.

You may not get what you want.

It can be hard to wrap your head around the idea that, even if your work has been praised by your boss and coworkers, and the company is doing well financially, you might still lose out on a raise. There are reasons for this—some of which are very legitimate—but it's important to realize that no matter how much research or preparation you do, there's no guarantee that everyone will agree with your reasoning. You might need to genuinely persuade your boss that you deserve a raise; also expect some resistance as they try to helpfully talk you out of making any demands at all. The truth is: companies don't always value employees equally or fairly. If there were one simple fix for this issue (and I wish there were), we would have solved it already!

 

You might need to genuinely persuade your boss that you deserve a raise.

So, you're thinking of asking for a raise. Great! You should definitely do that. But there's one thing to keep in mind: You might need to genuinely persuade your boss that you deserve it.

Getting a raise is (usually) a negotiation between an employee and their employer. If your boss doesn't think you deserve more money, they won't give it to you—or they'll give it only grudgingly and with conditions attached, like taking away other benefits or pay freezes until the extra funds have been recouped through productivity gains elsewhere in the company.

That's why it's important not just for you as an individual worker but also collectively as part of a unionized workforce that everyone has access to information about how much other workers are being paid across different companies within similar industries with similar job titles and responsibilities as theirs—and what kinds of raises those employees have been able to negotiate successfully over time under different economic conditions.

 

If you're going to ask for a raise, do so respectfully and with facts and data to support your case if possible!

If you're going to ask for a raise, do so respectfully and with facts and data to support your case if possible! People will respect you more if they know why you think your efforts deserve compensation.

It's important to be respectful of the person who can give you the raise—but don't be afraid to ask for what you want, either. Remember that your time is valuable, too! If someone doesn't consider it worthy of compensation, then maybe their company isn't right for you.

 

Conclusion

I hope this article has helped you understand how to ask for a raise without getting fired. It's important to remember that not everyone gets what they want, and there is no guarantee that you'll get the pay increase or promotion you're looking for. However, if you are strategic about when and how you ask for more money at work, then hopefully your boss will see that you deserve it!