Proactive Negotiation
So how can you negotiate effectively to up your current paycheck? Following are tips from workplace experts that will help you win the conversation.
Start out with a plan
Like a solid financial plan, you need to have a strategic plan ahead of time to talk about your career and money with your boss. Achieving a raise will be more effective if your goal is measurable. Experts advise finding something you love doing in your job to help you stand out. This includes things such as a specific area of expertise, team or position you play a key role in, or anything that draws attention to your strengths. Once you identify a project or your career trajectory, talk about it.
Be ready
Once you’ve identified your specific career goal, be prepared to say that you’d like to negotiate. No matter your budget, pay grade or title, you should have a couple ideas for what type of raise you’d like. This will help you have a solid first negotiation.
Build a good argument
According to Yvonne Jose, senior writer at BoomerGirl.com, you must present yourself well and think of more than one reason why you deserve the raise you’re asking for. For example, if your boss likes the idea of writing a thank-you note to coworkers, discuss why you deserve more room for handwritten notes. If he is interested in studying from your book, you can discuss ways in which you can support the professor’s career and learn a new skill. Make it a two-way street. Your boss’s needs are also important to discuss, according to Belinda Cash, president of the Kansas City, Missouri-based human resources and benefits consulting firm CPM Group. For example, if you’re looking for a more flexible work schedule, discuss how you can help him change his lifestyle.
Show your value
It’s not enough to ask for a raise simply because you deserve one. To be more persuasive, says Cash, you need to communicate your value to your boss. When you give yourself a role to play for your boss and you also help him understand why you’re valuable, you’ll win.
Use a well-received anecdote
To make your raise request more convincing, don’t talk about salary or compensation, says Gina Ammons, an HR expert, founder of New Jersey HR Solutions and author of Know Your Rights: Your Guide to Pay Equity in the Workplace. Instead, frame it in terms of your contributions or value to the company. This will help establish not only how you’re worth a raise, but how the employer perceives you as well.
Ask for a trainee raise
Make your salary request contingent on giving your company an outside resource for talent, says Jose. Trainees in the organization often receive a trainee raise, and it’s up to you to sell your company on the benefits of this type of employee increase.
Get a promotion
Jose suggests leveraging your work on this or other projects to show your importance to the company. This shows management that you deserve a promotion and show a rise in your pay scale, which in turn can boost your confidence when you talk about salary.