Tips on how to get a pay rise

Generally, salaries should increase at least at the rate of inflation. However, if you feel that you have taken on extra work or more responsibility, then you should communicate to your employer that you feel this should be reflected in your pay rise.

Are you eligible for a pay rise?

Most companies review salaries once a year, usually coinciding with an annual review session. Beware that large companies often need to start the approval process for your pay rise several weeks in advance of you receiving it by your annual review, so make sure you send a timely reminder to your line manager reminding him/her that your annual review is approaching.

How to ask for a pay rise

If you are asking for a pay rise outside an annual review, then you will need to give a clear explanation as to why you feel you deserve it.

Do your research

Before you ask for a pay rise, make sure you find out whether your request is realistic – scanning job advertisements on sites such as Monster.co.uk can give you an idea of your salary bracket. Also, make sure you find out how your company awards pay rises – does it depend on length of service or goals achieved? Once you know this, you will be able to think about how you have fulfilled the criteria for a pay rise.

Build your case

You need to go in to the session with a clear sense of how your efforts are accomplishing the organisation's goals, and be prepared to insert that evidence into the conversation wherever appropriate. Build a ‘portfolio’ of your best work since your last review, highlighting key achievements and newly gained experience and responsibilities. Be ready to give specific examples of your work to demonstrate the results you have achieved.

Set the scene

Schedule a meeting with your boss and find a suitably private space for this meeting, rather than grabbing a seemingly discreet moment with your boss by the coffee machine – you’ll just look unprofessional! You don’t need to tell him in advance that you are going to ask for a pay rise, but you can tell him that you want to discuss your progress to date. This way your boss will have your file to hand, and will be prepared for a frank discussion.

Practice makes perfect!

If you feel nervous about asking your boss for a pay rise, practise with a tape recorder and another person playing the boss. Have the other person be cantankerous and ask why you want a raise at all. It will seem silly while you're doing it, but you'll be glad for the practice in the end!

Put your performance at the centre of the discussion

If it's been brought to your attention that a colleague's salary is higher than yours, mention it to your manager and explain that you'd like to understand what you're missing to reach that salary band. Remain focused, objective, and positive about the whole matter. Show you want to know what else you can do to be valued more. It's also helpful to research job ads in trade magazines and on job sites to gauge the typical salary in your industry for your level of experience, this will help you quantify your market value.

If you don't get a pay rise…

…then don’t despair! Ask for clear feedback from your employer as to why. Remember, pay rises are not a statutory right, they are dependent on how the company is doing as a whole, not just on your individual performance.

If the company is not performing favourably, then employee benefits are often the first to be scaled back. If this is the case, don’t feel your negotiations should stop here – ask your boss whether in the absence of a pay rise, the company would be willing to pay for you to get a professional qualification. This would benefit both you and the company.

If your employer turns down your request for a pay rise on the grounds of your performance, then you need to have a clear idea of what is expected to gain this pay rise. Agree with your employer some specific objectives which need to be achieved by a certain time in order for you to receive a pay rise.

Written by Joe Slavin, Managing Director, www.Monster.co.uk

OTHER INTERNET RESOURCES:

From the IET